Since its founding in 1972, Dimensions Dance Theater (DDT) has been unwavering in its dedication to preserve and perpetuate African Diaspora dance through dance education, the creation of collaborative main stage productions that shift perspectives, and communal events that uplift systematically underserved African American communities in the Oakland Bay Area. We believe our productions bring communities together and break down cultural barriers. The creation and presentation of traditional and contemporary dance productions defines our organization’s purpose and is at the heart of Dimensions’ mission. The company continues to be the foremost practitioner of African-derived dance in the San Francisco Bay Area. We help preserve the cultural heritage of African-Americans through traditional, historical forms of expression, and are also innovating within these forms to create contemporary manifestations of the diverse culture of the African Diaspora. Furthermore, DDT’s work speaks to some of the most urgent social issues of our day, gentrification, police brutality, child and youth endangerment, racial injustice, and more. Dimensions will continue to create and present outstanding and compelling art that reflects the African-American experience and that brings the diverse culture of the African Diaspora to a broad public. Educational programming is also intrinsic to our artistic purpose, and the need for such programming has never been more urgent. Our Rites of Passage (ROP) program serves roughly 1,000 children and youth ages 8-18 from throughout the East Bay each year in Oakland public schools and after school at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts.