Image: Former Ngoma Board Chair Earnest & Young Partner Corey McDougle (Center) with News Anchor Aaron Gilchrist (Far Left), Ngoma Founder Shawn Short (Far Right), and friends and supporters
Making A Brighter Day Together
Ngoma Center for Dance is thrilled, humbled, and grateful for the community members who have aided us in our vision and mission. From everyday working people to specialized professionals, all have provided care, value, and overall support to Ngoma’s programs and events.
Post-Covid – 19 pandemic, many nonprofits have closed their doors. With the assistance of Ngoma Center for Dance’s great leadership aligned with its Board of Directors and advisories (that remains open to the increasing demands of said leadership) the organization continues to develop and increase its capacity to serve not only dance artists but also the community partners aiding residents through non-arts businesses and organizations.
By design, Ngoma Center for Dance (Ngoma) is intentionally planning and implementing programming and services – that promote inclusion, diversity, equity, and access (I.D.E.A.) – by providing Black and Brown students, artists, patrons, and residents access to ballet (classical and contemporary).
Our motto is “Move. Intelligently.”, and this is at the center of our core values. In the past six years, Ngoma has championed I.D.E.A. concepts to develop and operate programs for artist development, Black male dancer mentorship, D.C. artist recognition, artist housing assistance, and job training; raising the individual spirit and overall capacity of the communities we work.
Images: (Left) Nonprofit Consultant Dr. Imani Woody with Founder Shawn Short, MFA after Ngoma Board Workshop in Chinatown (Center) President’s Own Military Band Musician Eddie Sanders Jr, Ngoma Founder Shawn Short, and Bar Matrix CEO/Current Board Chair David Domzalski in Tenleytown (Right) Ngoma Center for Dance event signage
How To Make An Impact
Either an event where you assist with its planning and fundraising, providing solutions and care to an organizational challenge through a committee, or participating on our governing board people make Ngoma Center for Dance better at each step of the way.
Image: DDT Dance Artist Allison Eguchi speaking to supporters at Georgetown, DC fundraiser
Not sure where you fit? Learn more about the different ways you can join in on our cause of using art to develop communities and lives.
Executive Board
Image: Board Member Emeritae Tisa Huff, Board Member Emeritus Corey Mc Dougle, Founder Shawn Short, Third Sector’s Managing Director of Communications Tyler Lewis
A board of directors is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organization, or a government agency. Board members understand the phrase, “Give or Get” meaning they pay board dues and/or raise the money expected. The Board of Directors meets quarterly (March, June, September, and December). Board meetings take place virtually. All members commit to our give-get policy of $1000 per year (that can be divided throughout the year). A diverse voice is a strong voice. Ngoma has worked in recent years to strengthen this vision through the appointment of staff and board members. Its founding board was 100% Black. Through the diligence of its board of directors and growing network of professionals, Ngoma’s now multiracial staff and board are comprised of LGBT, cisgender, multiple religious faiths, working and upper-middle class people with education-levels varying from undergraduate to master/professional degrees.
CommitteEs
Image: Ad Hoc Committee Chair Jenny (Left) and DDT Dancers posing for a picture
A nonprofit board committee is a group of people that works together on a specific topic or question and reports back to the board with recommendations. Any combination of board members, staff members, and volunteers can make up a board committee. Ngoma Center for Dance welcomes expertise for many aspects of the organization’s lifespan. Here are some examples below.
Standing Committee
Standing committees are tasked with scrutinizing high-priority issues, and then putting forth successful solutions. The standing committee holds the most significant influence over the big-picture direction of an organization’s interests, programs, projects, and overall mission.
Ad Hoc/Task Force Committee
The board will form a temporary ad hoc task force to tackle the issue. These committees’ entire purpose is to solve one problem; such groups will often work on special events-based projects.
Advisory Committee
It’s wise to build them with former board members. Also, it’s worth considering prospective board members and subject-specific experts for the role.
Steering Committee
The steering committee is the expert group that guides the project from beginning to end. Steering committees are an amalgamation of board officers, senior stakeholders, subject experts, executives, client reps, and department employees.
As you can see, there are many ways to assist the organization. From events (galas, fundraisers), to community awareness ( food drives, testing, artist housing), everyone can aid Ngoma Center for Dance in helping our community!
Image: Networkhair Founder/DC Youth Advocate/Ngoma Supporter Didi Green, poses with DDT’s male roster at event.
The work that Ngoma Center for Dance does, is essential in the Washington, DC area and beyond. I’m proud of the work we are doing and look forward to working with all of you. – Chairman Dave Domzalski, Barmetrix
Join US
Come join us! The world is better with people who put action to a brighter tomorrow. Ngoma Center for Dance is always looking for connections to new opportunities that strengthen our bonds to the communities we serve. Please consider completing the form below, and let’s see you at our next event or meeting!