DANCINGGROUNDS-THEORYOFCHANGE
VALUES:
EQUITY:Wepursueajustdistributionofopportunitiesandresources.
RACIALJUSTICE:Weworktodismantleracialinequitiesandoppressionattheinterpersonal,organizational,andsystemiclevels.
MULITICULTURALISM:Wevalueandengagetheperspectivesandexperiencesofdiversecommunities.
INTEGRITY:Weholdourselvesaccountable,claimingandlearningfrombothsuccessesandfailures.
LEARNING&INNOVATION:Welearnbydoing,experimentingwithnewstrategies,reconsideringourassumptions,andadapting.
COLLABORATION:Westandshouldertoshouldwithourstudents,parents,staff,partners,andfunders.
ARTISTSMATTER:Wetreatartistsasprofessionalsandcreatespaceforstafftopursuetheirownartmaking.
RELATIONSHIPS:Wetakethetimetobuildmeaningfulrelationshipsandacreateasenseoffamilywiththoseweworkwithandserve.
PLACE:Weinvestdeeplyintheneighborhoodwelivein.
ABUNDANCE:Weshareourresourcesandknowthatsharingincreaseswhat’savailableforeveryone.
JOY:Wevaluejoyasagoalinandofitselfandtaketimetocelebrate!
PROBLEM
STATEMENT
PeopleinNewOrleansdon’t
haveenoughaccessto,
inclusive,culturallydiverse,
andhigh-qualitydance
programs.
FOCUS
NewOrleansschoolchildren
th
intheUpper9 ward.
NewOrleansyouthartists
citywide.
Adultrecreationaland
professionaldancerscitywide.
DanceEducators
STANCES
STRATEGIES
Peopleofallages,backgrounds,sizes,
andabilitiescandance.
IMPACT
Wecreateawarm,safe,andwelcoming
environmentinourdanceclasses.
Weactivelyandintentionallyrecruitteachers,
students,andartiststhroughalensofequity,
inclusion,andsocialjustice.
Weofferprogramsthatareculturallyrelevant
forpeopleinNewOrleansandcutacrossa
varietyofculturaldancetechniques.
Wepromotedanceasatoolforhealthyliving.
MoreNewOrleaniansexperience
thebenefitsofdance.
Youthparticipantsview
themselvesasartists,leaders,and
changeagents.
Peopleofallagesare
communicatingandbuilding
strongerrelationshipsacross
barriersofraceandculture.
Studentsandtheirfamiliesare
healthier,bothphysicallyand
emotionally.
Dancecanbeauniquelypowerful
vehicleforindividualandcollective
transformation.
WerejecttheelevationofWestern
Europeandancetechniquesoverother
forms.
Dancecanimprovephysicaland
emotionalhealth.
Thevoicesofyouthandtheirfamilies
shouldbeauthenticallyrepresentedin
educationalprogramming.
Thedevelopmentandsupportofdance
educatorsisessentialtocreatingahighqualityclassroomexperience.
ThegrowthoftheNewOrleansdance
fieldisconnectedtoourownsuccess.
Weliftupvoicesofyouthandtheirfamiliesin
programplanningandexecution.
Wesethighexpectations,usingamixofrigor
andnurturetopushandsupportourstudents.
Wevigorouslyinvestinourdanceteacherswith
resources,care,feedback,andadvocacy.
Wepartnerwithlocalpresentersandadvocacy
organizationstosupportthedancefield.
SOCIALJUSTICE:Thedismantlingofsystems,structures,andpracticesthatperpetuateoppression.Thedeepandtruevaluingofmarginalizedcommunities.