DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND ACCESSIBILITY

WHAT WE ARE DOING

  • We continue our commitment to uplift and share the artistic voices of people from diverse backgrounds. From 2020-2024, we have commissioned nine choreographers to set original work on the company.  All were selected for their outstanding artistic excellence and unique perspectives.  Six of the nine choreographers came from BIPOC backgrounds including Micaela Taylor, Maleek Washington, Norbert De La Cruz III, Wendell Gray II, Hope Boykin, and Tamisha A. Guy. Disabled choreographer and former Artistic Director for AXIS Dance, Marc Brew, also worked with EDD during this time period. Choreographers spent time in residence with EDD to create new dances on the company as well as teach public master classes for the community and students at the School of Eisenhower Dance Detroit. With support from the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, EDD presented Wendell Gray II as guest artist for the 2022 NewDANCEfest where he set a work on intensive participants and taught a public master class.

  • In Winter/Spring of 2022, EDD began providing a virtual audition option for dancers from across the country.  This practice has allowed more dancers to participate, particularly those who struggle financially, as the expense of traveling to auditions can be a barrier for many.

  • In 2022, we revamped our company apprentice program to provide training for dancers from college, conservatory programs, or other pre-professional programs.  Through the BridgEDD program, these dancers train with, and often perform alongside, our EDD company dancers to acquire the skills necessary to land a professional contract with our company or others.  While many professional companies charge dancers for this type of training, we offer these positions free of charge AND our BridgEDD dancers receive modest stipends.

  • In an effort to make EDD's performances more inclusive, we introduced our Pay-What-You-Can ticketing initiative in May, 2022. For as little as $1, audience members can purchase a ticket to many of our mainstage performances in the Metro Detroit area.

  • EDD created an 8-member DEIA task force that began meeting biweekly in September 2020 to focus the company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. Dr. Jennifer Gomez, former Dance Theatre of Harlem company member and current Assistant Professor of Psychology at Boston University School of Social Work, began working with EDD as a DEIA consultant in August 2020.

  • As a Detroit Pathways Partner organization, we have deepened our relationship with the city of Detroit and commitment to the students of the Detroit Public Schools Community District. Recent educational residencies have included Detroit School of the Arts, East English Village High School, Martin Luther King, Jr Senior High School, Brenda Scott Elementary, John R. King Academic and Performing Arts Academy, Duke Ellington Conservatory, and Spain Elementary.

HOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD

Maggie Allesee Studios - Keeping Accessibility in Mind

In designing the Maggie Allesee Studios for Dance and Arts Innovation, the home for Eisenhower Dance Detroit and EDD's School, accessibility was front and center. From extra wide hallways to a lower reception desk counter to spacious restrooms, we looked to make it easier for patrons in wheelchairs to feel at home in our space. Our Studio Theatre also offers easy wheelchair access for performances. Braille restroom signs should also help our visually impaired guests. We always welcome suggestions from the people we serve letting us know how we can do better!

The School of EDD Community

At the School of EDD, we strive to create an environment where all students feel at home regardless of race, gender identity, physical challenge, religion, or national origin. We work together to grow young artists who weave with the fabric of both our differences and similarities to create outstanding art.

At the School of EDD, we made changes to our dress code to reflect greater diversity in skin tones and hair texture. We offer a wide variety of skin tone tights and shoes for ballet class, and we offer other options for securing a dancer’s hair besides just the traditional ballet bun.

The Nutcracker

Long an iconic holiday staple of the ballet world, the Nutcracker is not without its racial stereotyping. At the School of EDD, we recognize the challenges presented by this traditional ballet. We are striving on an ongoing basis to reimagine and recreate the work to reflect greater cultural awareness. Allowing students to experience this milestone in their dance training in a responsible way is important to us. With each new season of Nutcracker, we seek to improve.

We remain committed to being inclusive, as well as transparent about our DEIA work.

Eisenhower Dance Detroit is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran, or other non-merit factors.