Dancing Grounds (DG) is a multigenerational arts organization that brings inclusive and accessible dance programs to New Orleans residents of all ages. With youth dance companies, summer camps, and the annual Dance for Social Change Festival, DG creates safe and celebratory spaces in which the lived experiences of youth are truly valued and their unique creative talents are recognized, developed, and celebrated. Since 2012, DG has become a driving force for arts and education in New Orleans and a hub for the local dance community, serving over 3,000 youth, 5,000 adults, and countless audience members. DG’s work is guided by a set of core values: equity, racial justice, integrity, relationships, learning, collaboration, abundance, and joy.
Dance For Social Change is a year-round, multifaceted youth leadership initiative where participants learn how to use their artistic talents to advocate for change in their communities. It is led by the teen company, a group of 25 high school artists that rehearse weekly on Saturdays during the school year, studying dance, exploring advocacy issues, and building skills in creative thinking, communication, collaboration, and leadership. Each year, they select a social justice topic impacting their community and create an original performance about that issue. They premiere their work at the annual DSC festival and tour the work to community organizations and festivals. They also organize a block party, community forums, and other platforms that use the arts to advocate for social change. Past themes have included the school-to-prison pipeline (2016); women’s rights and gender justice (2017); mental health (2018); and gentrification and displacement (2019-2020).
While speaking with Akliah and Jessica from DG, several unique qualities of DG were illuminated. First is the emphasis on decolonizing the body from Eurocentric dance styles, such as ballet, with a focus on Black dance styles and body acceptance. Secondly was the rich cultural gumbo that runs deep in the programming at DG - the New Orleans culture. While speaking about DG’s recent focus on housing displacement of Black families in the city, Akliah noted that time is not linear in their culture - they see time in a 360 loop. “The past is the present,” she noted, which means that everything that happened generations before is inextricably linked to the present and future. Other concepts that are introduced at DG draw inspiration from African roots - notably, the Ghanaian concept of Sankofa and the honoring of wisdom from youth and elders - which Jessica says are vital to DG’s mission. The reach of DG’s programming is far and wide, touching the lives of the broader community. After telling the story of a white female who teaches in New Orleans and attended a performance, Akliah recalls the person’s profound change of heart on local issues. “Our art impacts people in deep ways.”