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From staff to the curatorial decisions, The Joyce invests in diversity

By Norma Porter

The Global Reckoning on Race in 2020 forced nonprofit and corporate organizations to examine their biases and take stock of their investment in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).

Arts organizations adopted land acknowledgments, and purposefully directed energy and funding to support Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) artists.

Linda Shelton, Executive Director of The Joyce, has been with The Joyce for 30 years. Shelton said The Joyce has always been committed to diversity.

“We’ve always had diversity, and strived to have an international and inclusive season in our theatre since it opened. Perhaps people are paying more attention to it now,” Shelton said.

“This is Complexions’ [Contemporary Ballet] 29th year with us. They came to us when they were babies and asked if we could take a chance on them. This is one example of a company that we have championed since their beginning.”

The Joyce’s staff and board of directors regularly participate in diversity training.

“We did trainings with Whitney Parnell from Service Never Sleeps, and continued with the trainings we found years ago from Dance/NYC and Dance/USA,” Linda Shelton, Executive Director of The Joyce, said, “Both organizations have been in the forefront of making sure representations of all kinds of dance is represented.” 

In addition to diversity training, Shelton hired Danni Gee, The Joyce’s first woman and African American, in the role of Director of Programming last year.

Gee, former Summer Stage curator, feels at home at The Joyce.

“There’s a real community of respect here from the top down,” Gee said. “The work is being put in to make this a healthy work environment.”

Gee is excited about the upcoming American Dance Platform series during the Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) conference in January.

“Last year we chose Ronald K. Brown as the curator for the American Dance Platform series,” Gee said. “This year we chose Melanie George, Associate Curator for Jacob’s Pillow, to curate our series.”

George is a scholar, jazz dance artist and dramaturg. She is also the founder of Jazz is…Dance Project and Associate Curator at Jacob’s Pillow.

“The way that I move is if the door is open to me, I’m bringing people in the door with me,” George said. “As a jazz thinker, I don’t want to be in the work by myself. The work all happens together through community. It [the way she works] has roots in Jazz and Blackness.” 

As curator of the American Dance Platform series, George will present a roster of BIPOC, women-led dance organizations: Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Soles of Duende, and Dormeshia Tap Collective with Josette Wiggan and Michelle N. Gibson Jan. 9-14.   

Dallas Black Dance Theatre returns to The Joyce under new management, with Melissa Young as Artistic Director. Dormeshia Tap Collective and Josette Wiggan collaborate with New Orleans Second Line artist Michelle N. Gibson to bring the audience a multi-layered, syncopated jazz experience. New York’s own Soles of Duende’s performance celebrates the unity and differences of its members Amanda Castro, Arielle Rosales, and Brinda Guha.

 While it’s important to celebrate organizations like The Joyce for its commitment to diversity, George said she feels that the seeds planted need to take root…which takes time.

“I want us to be very cautious about not self-congratulating,” George said. “In the same manner that Dance Departments around the country are decolonizing their curriculums, we have to change embedded thinking about who gets to be on stage and funded.”

The American Dance Platform begins January 9th, and features two performances from each company during the week.