Find Your Joy

Joy of Motion Dance Center (JOMDC) was founded by Michelle Ava, M.A. in 1976 as a not-for-profit dance education organization in the Cleveland Park area of Washington, DC. 

Ava recognized that DC needed a dance environment that could serve a more diverse community to include non-dancers as well as aspiring professionals; to that end, JOMDC was founded under one premise and belief that ‘Dance is for Everyone.” At Joy of Motion, the goal was and remains to bring dance to all (regardless of means) and to connect dance to other related arts.  Since its inception, JOMDC quickly became a place where students could study, observe, and perform a wide variety of dance forms.

The multi-media art of late faculty member Jack Guidone and the modern and improvisational work of Michelle Ava gave JOMDC a progressive and experimental aura, which helped to establish it as a melting pot of change and excitement in the world of D.C. dance. 

Opportunities to dance included programs for children and senior citizens. Michelle Ava served as artistic director from 1976 to 1990. She created experimental and traditional work performed in alternative and formal venues, from rooftops, art galleries, metro stations and lofts to the Kennedy Center, Dance Place, JOMDC’s own Jack Guidone Theater, and the inaugural Capital Fringe Festival.

Michelle believed and held to the belief that at Joy of Motion, dance is not the province of an elite or talented few. Dance belongs to us all, and we all belong in the studio and on the stage — growing and learning, moving and creating.

Following Covid, JOMDC underwent a major organizational shift, addressing harmful internal behaviors, installing a completely new leadership team, closing locations, and returning to bare bones and our intention of curating a place where dance is for everyone. 

As we move forward, our goals have shifted to financial sustainability and program expansion.  We have learned our lessons from the past and are prepared to catapult JOMDC into the next millennia.

We continue to grow our staff as we transition, re-engaging volunteers and all levels of donor support.  

As we solidify our collaborative partnership with the Atlas Performing Arts Center and the H Street Corridor community, we aim to nurture resident arts partners via professional development and increased performances.  

With a laser focus on arts education, we plan to expand our partnerships with DC Department of Employment Services and local universities, giving our youth year-round access to paid training in a variety of occupations associated with non-profit management.  

In the coming year, we aim to reimagine our Project Motion outreach program which includes free dance classes for public and charter K-12 school, youth scholarship programs, dance class for seniors, and an even greater partnership with the DC Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program. 

Lastly, we intend to explore a federally funded Artistic Director apprenticeship that can be replicated nationwide.

Some key highlights of JOMDC's impact on the DC Community:

• Increased Enrollment: Youth classes saw a surge in enrollment, and summer camps were highly attended with close to 200 students. Adult workshops gained momentum with strong participation in workshops with high-caliber guest faculty.
• Fall Open House: Over 300+ people expressed interest in JOMDC programs.
• Student Performances: JOMDC youth students showcased their talent through successful Winter and Spring showcases, reaching 500+ audience members.
• Support for the Dance Community: JOMDC provided much-needed affordable and free space for diverse dance groups serving students from all over the DMV area. 
• Career Pathway & Volunteers: JOMDC engaged over 100 students in the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program. Numerous volunteers worked with the program, as well as interns from Howard University and work-studies exchanging classes for dedicated work hours.
• Scholarships and Free Community Outreach Events: Assistance continues for JOMDC students, and free neighborhood events like H Street Festival and Hill-o-Ween.
• Extensive Touring: Summer performances spanned any venues such as local daycares, senior centers, Duke Ellington School of the Arts, and the Kennedy Center.

Please note, that your kind donation will be disbursed at a 1:1 match per operations and programming expenditures, unless otherwise noted or requested. Operational expenses include salaries, professional services, occupancy, utilities, office supplies, and insurances. Programming expenses include artists services, production supplies, program activities and supplies, and teaching artists.

All of us here at Joy of Motion Dance Center take a bow at the thought of your generosity.

We look forward to being good stewards of your donation and inviting you to our pending events.

Find your joy and give today ;)

Ebony Jackson, Managing Director 

Board of Directors: Carol Foster (Chair), Josie Hoover, Ashanti Brown, Lori D'Orazio, Lavonne Taliaferro Bunch