Ngoma Center for Dance

The official school of Dissonance Dance Theatre DCs Only African-American managed and nationally-recognized contemporary ballet. Serving over 200 students annually since 2014 The Ngoma School is emerging as a Washington DC area dance-school destination for students interested in a professional concert dance career. Ngoma serves students as young as five years old to young adults who received a late start to their professional dance training. Dance classes workshops masterclasses and auditions are facilitated at Univ of Maryland College Park. FY2024 - In 2024 the Ngoma School served a diverse student population from across Washington DC Montgomery County MD and Prince Georges County MD. Making dance education accessible to all remains central to the schools mission with 75% of students receiving financial assistance through various scholarship programs and tuition reduction initiatives. Additionally 2024 Ngoma School alumni have been accepted to and begun their higher education journeys at distinguished institutions including Howard University and Virginia State University demonstrating the programs success in preparing students for both professional and academic advancement.

DDT is the Resident Ballet of Ngoma Center for Dance. Named One of the 11 small-but-mighty dance companies outside of LA and NYC by Dance Spirit Magazine Dissonance Dance Theatre is a Washington DC-based professional dance company founded in 2007 by Shawn Short. Since its inception Dissonance Dance Theatre has performed for local and national audiences on the east coast and midwest states. Evoking emotional experiences in the audiences we touch Dissonances cutting-edge repertoire features works that are socially and visually appealing to audiences while remaining true to its mission; challenging the audiences assumptions about the human experience through dance. FY2024 Ngoma provided hours of pro bono consultation to Black-led The Creative Space and Textures Dance Theater. Next Ngomas Dissonance Dance Theatre becomes a Resident Arts Partner with Atlas Performing Arts Center after 16 years of arts impact and engagement. Also Ngoma attended and adjudicated at the International Association of Blacks in Dance 35th annual conference in Memphis TN providing 60 youth scholarships and eight professional contracts to dancers. For a second year Ngoma continued to work with Joy of Motion Dance Center H Street as they provided Dissonance Dance Theatre rehearsal space operations. Second Dissonance Dance Theatre DDT celebrates its 16th season. DDTs Resident Choreographer Kareem B. Goodwin becomes a Princess Grace Award Nominee NYC in Choreography. Ngoma provided $11,000 in artist housing assistance and more than $80,000 in artist fees and hired and petitioned its first cast of international dancers. Ngoma successfully completes its first dance medicine program for company dancers - a rarity in Washington DC. For the second time Dissonance Dance Theatre makes Dance Data Projects Largest 150 US Ballet Classically Based Company list!