Program areas at DBDT
Season performances- funding include foundation and corporate grants. -Dance africa (october), director's choice (november), behind the scenes (november), Black on Black (december), cultural awareness (february), dancing beyond borders west & north (march), rising excellence(april), and spring celebration(may). -international association of blacks in Dance festival(iabd - january)-local and national Dance performances by master choreographers and new works by contemporary choreographers. -outdoor festival held for community with market place, live performances and entertainment in celebration of african culture through Dance performances, music and arts (Dance africa). -national and international choreographers contribute cultural diversity (cultural awareness) -program and enrichment opportunities for children and young adults (student matinees and behind the scene) -in-person performances on fy2023 continued to be on a limited seating capacity (50%-80%) to observe covid 19 restrictions.
Touring performance dbdt provides residencies that includes master classes, workshops, children and senior citizens, matinees, lecture, demonstrations and full evening performances. This fiscal year's touring performances include the cities of new haven, ct, nyc, ny, holland, mi, san angelo, tx, portland, or, pittsburg, pa, norman, ok, laredo, tx, los angeles, ca, cheverly, md, san antonio, tx, austin, tx, houston, tx, fayetteville, ar. Also include the cities surrounding the dallas-fort worth metropolitan area like the cities of irving, plano, mckinney, frisco, desoto & richardson. International travel this year was in skopje,north macedonia. Past notable tours & performances include the super cruise in costa rica, the kennedy center, lincoln center, joyce Theatre, festivals in bermuda, vienna austria, zimbabwe, belize, ireland, mexico, south africa, italy, spain, chile, peru & north macedonia. Also performed in the 1996 summer olympics in atlanta, ga and the 2012 summer olympics in edinburgh, uk. Dbdt has been designated as an american masterpiece touring artist by the national endowment for the arts in 2008 and received the Texas medal of arts award for arts education in 2017. On march 2019 dbdt's artistic director received an achievement award from the national association of negro business and professional women's clubs, Inc. In 2022, awards received include dbdt's board of directors being named 'outstanding board of directors' from Dallas business journal, execellence award for dbdt's executive director and management from Dance, usa. On march 21, 2023, president joseph r. biden presented the internaitional association of blacks in Dance organization with the national medal of arts of which dbdt is a founding member. Dbdt's founder ms. ann williams attended the ceremony on behalf of the organization. The national medal of arts is the highest awards the federal government gives to artists and arts patrons. Recent awards includes the 2024 grace awards by new philarmonic orchestra of irving.
Academy- funding is coming from corporate and foundation grants. Educational classes/programs for youth and adult students -professional Dance instructors offer a variety of classes for students of all ages and levels, 550+ students per week in 50 Dance classes with 4 levels of training which include ballet, jazz, tap, modern and african. -emphasis on life skills and development of self-esteem through self discipline and directed Dance studies in a learning environment. -academy performing ensembles for students showing exceptional performance skills; these groups perform locally at festivals and various events in the dallas-fort worth metropolitan area. -scholarships are provided to a select number of students annually -performance awards ceremony and presentation held at end of year recital in may -in person classes is back in 60% capacity although virtual classes are still being offered and will remain available as live via zoom.
Other program