Our Programs

Every program we offer is a reflection of our mission — to develop artists, strengthen communities, and honor the power of Black creative expression.

Since our founding, Ngoma Center for Dance has built a robust portfolio of programs that reflect the full breadth of our commitment to the arts and the communities we serve. Over the years, our work has spanned professional dance performance through Dissonance Dance Theatre, pre-professional and youth dance training through The Ngoma School, community outreach and arts education partnerships across the Washington, D.C. area, pro bono arts consulting for Black dance organizations locally and nationally, documentary and narrative filmmaking through Ngoma FilmWorks, the groundbreaking Black Dance Festival DMV — the first regional festival of its kind — arts research that informs and strengthens the creative economy. Each of these efforts has been guided by a singular conviction: that Black and Brown artists and communities deserve world-class resources, equitable opportunities, and a stage on which to be seen.

As we step into 2026, Ngoma Center for Dance continues to evolve — deepening our impact through a focused set of programs that reflect both our artistic maturity and our community vision. Our current programs include Dissonance Dance Theatre, DC’s only nationally-recognized contemporary ballet company under Black management and a former Resident Arts Partner at the Atlas Performing Arts Center; Outreach & Arts Education, bringing free/reduced professional dance instruction and performances to youth and nonprofit partners throughout the DMV; the Resident Choreographer / Guest Choreographer Program, investing in the development of emerging and established dance makers through commissions, mentorship, and main stage performance opportunities; the Artist Incubator, providing organizational guidance and support to help emerging arts leaders build sustainable, equity-centered careers; and Ngoma FilmWorks, amplifying the stories of Black artists and communities through documentary and narrative film.