MISSION AND VALUES
MISSION
Dance/NYC's mission is to promote the knowledge, appreciation, practice, and performance of dance in the metropolitan New York City area. It embeds values of justice, equity, and inclusion into all aspects of the organization. It works in alliance with Dance/USA, the national service organization for professional dance.
VALUES OF JUSTICE, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Dance/NYC believes the dance ecology must itself be just, equitable, and inclusive to meaningfully contribute to social progress and envisions a dance ecology wherein power, funding, opportunities, conduct, and impacts are fair for all artists, cultural workers, and audiences. It seeks to advance policies, investments, programs, mindsets, and actions that remove and prevent inequities that exist along the continuum of lives in dance, from the public school classroom to the stage.
Dance/NYC’s approach cuts across its public programs—advocacy and research; leadership training, networking and convening; technology and visibility; and regranting—and all aspects of its operations. Its approach is intersectional, building upon multiple issue areas that together create a more just, equitable, and inclusive dance ecology.
Dance/NYC is currently focused on three main issue areas:
- Racial Justice
- Disability. Dance. Artistry.
- Immigrants. Dance. Arts.
ORGANIZATIONAL WORK VALUES
Dance/NYC seeks to recruit staff members, independent contractors, interns, and volunteers who hold and cultivate these values in its existing workforce to advance shared experience, improve communications, and increase productivity and impact on dance and culture.
- Do what you say you are going to do.
Dance/NYC values initiative and competence in realistic goal and priority setting and in planning and requires adherence to both internal and external deadlines. Failures in this area compromise the entire workforce and the organization’s reputation for dependability and excellence in project management.
- Communicate what you need to succeed.
Dance/NYC values radical transparency about real and perceived challenges and opportunities at all levels of the organization, internal and external. To be successful, members of the Dance/NYC workforce need to hone their skills for anticipating and communicating “fires” that may impact productivity, reputation, or impact, as well as the tools one needs to succeed. This requires a high level of thoroughness.
- “Nothing without us.”
Dance/NYC is committed to equity and inclusion and follows the disability rights philosophy “nothing without us” in all aspects of the organization. This means that no policy, practice, or program is put into place without the full vesting of the affected group. The workforce is welcome to offer their personal perspectives on issues but must also seek external input from relevant groups when making decisions.
- Take responsibility for your work and the organization.
Dance/NYC encourages a do-what-it-takes-to-succeed approach to work and does not welcome excuses for lateness and poor quality. Challenges that may impact workflow should be anticipated. When mistakes arise, these should be communicated immediately to management along with—and this is critical—solutions.
