about us

Mission

Joel Hall Dancers & Center awakens the dancer in everyone’s soul. By highlighting and spotlighting the Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ experience, we provide comprehensive dance education and artistic expression. We believe dance is a powerful tool to educate and inspire, offering not only instruction in techniques but also deep insights into the history and cultural significance of dance. Our commitment to making dance accessible and affordable helps break down barriers and challenges oppressive systems. By championing Urban Jazz, we engage both performers and audiences to enhance our collective culture and educate future generations, cultivating a more inclusive and equitable world for all.

our Vision

JHDC will build upon its longstanding tenets of diversity and accessibility to provide movers of all backgrounds the same diligent commitment to artistry, curiosity, self-expression, and growth. JHDC will continue to reject the idea that high-quality artistic programming should be a privilege; at JHDC, this level of programming is and will continue to be a right. Moreover, this programming will be a tool for community building, for fostering creativity, and for having difficult but necessary conversations about how to productively dismantle issues such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. JHDC will unite and uplift its community, creating a safe space for those in need. JHDC will share its resources with the people and organizations around it and play an active role in the community’s artistic ecosystem, offering performances, galleries, opportunities for collaboration and networking, a local farmers market, a dance library, concerts, and more. JHDC will be more than just a dance studio: it will be an arts incubator, an activist space, and for many, as it is currently, a second home.JHDC will build upon its longstanding tenets of diversity and accessibility to provide movers of all backgrounds the same diligent commitment to artistry, curiosity, self-expression, and growth. JHDC will continue to reject the idea that high-quality artistic programming should be a privilege; at JHDC, this level of programming is and will continue to be a right. Moreover, this programming will be a tool for community building, for fostering creativity, and for having difficult but necessary conversations about how to productively dismantle issues such as racism, sexism, and homophobia. JHDC will unite and uplift its community, creating a safe space for those in need. JHDC will share its resources with the people and organizations around it and play an active role in the community’s artistic ecosystem, offering performances, galleries, opportunities for collaboration and networking, a local farmers market, a dance library, concerts, and more. JHDC will be more than just a dance studio: it will be an arts incubator, an activist space, and for many, as it is currently, a second home.

Leadership

photo of co-founder and Artistic Director Emeritus Joel Hall
Joel Hall, Co-Founder, Artistic Director Emeritus
Photo of Joseph Pindelski, Executive Director
Joseph Pindelski, Executive Director
Photo of William Gill, Artistic Director
William Gill, Artistic Director

our values

WERKQ

We come together through the power of dance to build a stronger community. We are committed to transparency and the WERKQ of dismantling oppressive systems, using Urban Jazz as a social change and joy catalyst.

 

Flava

The authentic “flava” of people of all abilities and experience levels working together. Our inclusively accessible space welcomes diverse backgrounds and experiences, fostering collaboration and growth among all ages and identities.

 

Artistic Excellence

We are committed to maintaining high standards in our training of artists and the education of students. Our teachers, artists, and dancers respect the authenticity of idioms and creatively challenge norms, enriching the art form and enhancing the student experience to foster a love for dance.

High Caliber Performance

We highlight and spotlight the Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ experience, using Urban Jazz to explore our shared histories and current realities. We challenge our audiences and artists with concerts that employ and showcase professional artistry at its best.

 

Respect

We foster a culture of respect, honoring hard work, professionalism, studio etiquette, and respect for the rich history of dance. We promote respect for ourselves and one another, creating a supportive community.

 

Stewardship of Resources

We value the personal, financial, physical, and emotional contributions of our community and the history of the land and people who came before us. Our commitment is to honor and wisely utilize these gifts.

 

Legacy

We encourage a comprehensive understanding of dance technique, history, and Joel Hall Dancers & Center’s place within history. Our commitment to arts education supports personal development, connects us to the broader legacy of the art of dance, and develops future dance leaders.

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