In Brief
Diversity Arts Project (DAP) is a non-profit educational organization that strives to integrate the energy and enthusiasm of children and youths with the dynamics of dance, music, drama and the visual arts to enhance awareness of destructive, divisive behavior and ultimately to achieve social healing.

Founded in 1992 as Diversity Dance Workshop, the program changed its name to Diversity Arts Project in 2000 to reflect its growth in scope and the addition of new programs. DAP now directs two programs - Diversity Dance & Theater and Youthquake.

A third program, currently in the works - Virtues & Character - will use the arts to help children identify values and virtues and their importance in helping people live together in harmony and good will.

In Detail
Diversity Arts Project (formerly known as Diversity Dance Workshop) is a non-profit performing arts company, using drama and dance to challenge social attitudes and mindsets that cause disunity, distrust and hatred, and prevent individuals and communities from achieving their full potential. Our programs focus on such issues as racism, sexism, violence, poverty and substance abuse. DAP's mission is to integrate the energy and enthusiasm of youth with the dynamics of dance, music, and drama to educate our communities about the healing principle of unity in diversity and to inspire positive social change.

Diversity Arts is currently composed of two programs: Diversity Dance & Theater (DD&T) and Youthquake. DD&T raises awareness of social justice issues through a collection of powerful dramatic dance pieces (performed primarily in school settings). Youthquake uses in-school workshops and social skill-building theatrical exercises to help students identify and combat destructive behavior in their own lives and serve as positive role models for their peers.

Diversity Dance & Theater
DD&T serves public and private schools for all age levels. Performances are also held for special events, conferences and workshops. In addition to performing throughout the Pacific Northwest, DD&T has toured in California, Florida, New Mexico, Vermont, Alaska, Washington D.C., southwestern Canada and Germany. Through dramatic dance, poetry and storytelling, DD&T confronts the destructive and divisive nature of racism, sexism, violence, and alcohol and drug abuse, as well as addressing the needs of the poor, and the importance of family support and unity in diversity. The goal of the performance is to create an open dialog with the youth in order to empower them to turn attitudes of apathy into enthusiasm, ignorance into understanding -- working toward social change. Since 1992 DD&T has performed at over 150 venues each year, reaching more than 75,000 youth and their families annually.

DD&T troupe members range in age from 17 to 23 years, are high school graduates, and come from a broad spectrum of cultural, religious and racial backgrounds. The dancers serve for to a full year with DD&T. Former troupe members have hailed from Newfoundland, Canada, Australia, Haiti, the Philippines, the Ivory Coast, Colombia, Trinidad, Germany, Mexico, Nepal and throughout the United States. Troupe members leave DD&T with a wide range of new skills and first-hand knowledge of diverse peoples.

After their year with Diversity Dance & Theater, troupe members have the opportunity to spend a second year with Diversity Arts Project, sharing their skills and insights through our Youthquake program. Unlike DD&T -- which is considered a year of service (that is, we cover their living expenses for the year, but they do not receive salaries) -- Youthquake team members receive a stipend via partnerships with AmeriCorps agencies.

YouthQuake
In collaboration with school districts in the Seattle metropolitan area, Diversity Dance & Theater (DD&T) has developed a year-long program to empower youth to explore social issues through the arts. Our Youthquake teams lead students through a series of theatrical exercises, which build discipline, focus, and communication skills while teaching them how to work and create together. Youthquake also includes a research and speech component to introduce students to individuals who devoted their lives to the principles of equality and justice. Ultimately, Youthquake aims to stem the tide of violence and intolerance in schools and to prepare our children and youths for a positive, productive future.

Following school-wide performances by DD&T, YouthQuake staff work with students in language arts, drama, music, speech and health classes, as well as in after-school community center programs, to elaborate on the themes presented during the performance. Through on-going weekly workshops, YouthQuake staff will help students identify the issues impacting their lives, and will teach them how to express these experiences through dance, poetry, dramatic performance and other artistic expressions. Students will develop a dance/dramatic skit focusing on the issues they identify to be presented at a school-wide assembly. Students will also perform at neighboring schools, leading post-performance discussions to explicate the themes of the dance/skit.

Through the YouthQuake program, youth will 1) investigate issues of racism, sexism, violence and substance abuse; 2) increase self-esteem through an exploration of values and the development of a performance based on issues identified; 3) increase self-awareness and awareness of diverse peoples and views; 4) identify the value inherent in all human beings; 5) learn to use the arts to express complex social issues; and, 6) create a vision and a way to express it through cooperation and collaboration.

Needs Statement
Schools are a microcosm of society. Children are not immune to the poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, racism, and sexism that afflict their world. According to a recent report, children are far more fearful at school today than in the past. While serious violent crime in the nation's schools decreased between 1989 and 1995, the percentage of students ages 12 to 19 who avoided one or more places at school for fear of their safety increased. The presence of street gangs and the availability of drugs have risen sharply, helping to create a climate of fear and loathing.

"Fostering and maintaining a safe learning environment means creating a climate of tolerance in which all students are comfortable and secureÖ[B]cause of stereotypes, ignorance, and intolerance, certain individuals and groups tend to be alienated from their fellow students. A source of conflict in many schools is the perceived or real problem of bias and unfair treatment of studentsÖ" The arts are an important mode for youth to discover new ways of learning, communicating, working and behaving. Arts programs foster social competence, problem-solving skills, autonomy (i.e. a sense of one's identity, self-worth), and a sense of purpose and future.

Providing young people with the understanding and skills necessary to better cope with the pressures of life will not only stem the tide of violence, substance abuse and truancy in schools but will prepare them for a more productive future. Through dance and dramatic performance, DAP brings youth in direct contact with the issues.

DAP is supported through performance fees, and generous support from a consortium of corporate and individual donors.