Keepers of the Flame
A study of culturally specific dance organizations in Northern California
Overview
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- Publisher(s)
- The Wallace Foundation
Summary
How we did this
Dao-Shah and Huang reviewed World Arts West’s database of culturally specific dance organizations and surveyed organizations included in the WAW database. They also conducted three focus groups with arts leaders and artists from Northern California’s culturally specific dance sector. A community advisory group consisting of area dance leaders guided the research process, supported recruitment, and provided feedback on preliminary findings.
World Arts West, a San Francisco based arts service organization, and Creative Equity Research Partners, conducted this study to better understand what makes culturally specific dance organizations and the work they do in Northern California unique.
Hundreds of culturally-specific dance forms have come to California from cultures and communities around the world. These dances can help people celebrate their history and tradition, while unifying communities across generational divides. Even so, the dancers and groups who keep them alive don’t always get the support or attention they deserve from arts organizations and funders.
The findings address the organizational structures, funding sources, programming issues, community roles, and particular challenges of culturally specific dance groups in Northern California. They also point to the need for better representation of culturally specific organizations in arts research and resource allocations.
This brief is based on A Community of Dance: A Baseline Study of Culturally Specific Dance Organizations in Northern California, by Anh Thang Dao-Shah, Ph.D., and Anne Huang, Ph.D
Culturally specific dance organizations are active contributors to their communities and are integral to ensuring a diverse arts ecosystem.
