Annual Report 2020-2021

WCDW LEADERSHIP Executive/Artistic Director Diane Matthews

DM Dance Machine Director & Signature/Training Company Rehearsal Mistress Candace Matthews-Bass Junior Performers Director Melissa Threadgill Annointed Too Assistant Director Adrianna Boyer Matthews Company & Booking Manager Ashanti Meaux Instructor & Administrative Assistant Kelly Dhamo Financial Manager Jennie Radford Accountant Scott Frankenfield

BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Donna Hymes

Vice President Rodney Matthews Treasurer James D. Smith Jr. Board Members Diane Matthews L. Diane Toaltoan Joel S. (Jay) Todd

SIGNATURE/TRAINING COMPANY Group on hold, to be resumed in the coming year D.M. DANCE MACHINE Akshita Arora Erika Bangoura Saanvi Bhatia Isabella Brun Cydney Cosby Rylee Daniszewski Macy Fisher Susannah Lijoi Shefali Maurya Inaijah Meaux Sadye Scheer Hazel Simms Rachael Smith

JUNIOR PERFORMERS Naina Bhatia Samantha Brun Regina Lijoi Nalina Matthews Gyanna Scheer Jocelyn Threadgill Ranay Torres Aaliyah Tucker

WEST CHESTER DANCE WORKS IS A NON-PROFIT 501(C)3 COMPANY, IN RESIDENCE AT THE DIANE MATTHEWS SCHOOL OF DANCE ARTS

Annual Report 2020-2021

ANNOINTED DANCE Tracy Flanagan Donna Hymes Sue Kelley Judith Thomas Grace Zarnoch

ANNOINTED TOO Rylee Daniszewski Macy Fisher Inaijah Meaux Gyanna Scheer Sadye Scheer Taylor Scott Hazel Simms Rachael Smith Ranay Torres

Thank you for your continued support and generosity.

We look forward to partnering with you in the coming season.

West Chester Dance Works 315-9 Westtown Road West Chester, PA 19382 phone: 610.692.3398 email: info@wcdw.org web: wcdw.org

West Chester Dance Works

OUR MISSION West Chester Dance Works provides opportunities for the discovery and development of intergenerational dancers and the pursuit of excellence while giving back to reach, teach and enrich the artistic experience of our community.

Reaching Communities Through Dance

Signature/Training Company DM Dance Machine Junior Performers Annointed Dance Annointed Too

DIRECTOR’S LETTER

BACK IN ACTION

As we move through year two of dancing and reaching communities in the “new normal” of this time, West Chester Dance Works is alive and well! As we all know, the pandemic caused so many changes in the way we live and work everywhere which includes the world of dance…but we have learned and grown. In this second year of COVID-19, we have adopted new versions of how business and dance were executed in the past.

The year of 2020 was quite challenging for the performing arts world. In addition to new safety protocols (like social distancing) challenging in person engagement, artists that were able to press on through class and rehearsal modifications now needed a new venue to share their art. What do you do when all the auditoriums, theaters and event spaces are closed to large gatherings? As all artists learn to do – you improvise – and WCDW was no exception.

Our theme last year appropriately was “Metamorphosis” to reflect the “pivots” we all have been making physically, emotionally, and structurally to continue our mission of serving through dance. In the midst of the transitions and adaptations, it has also been a time of discovery. Our organization incorporated new ways to connect with our dancers and the people we serve using technology and our creativity. The results included two fully pre-recorded concerts – The Joy of Christmas Holiday Production and Metamorphosis Annual Spring Concert – as well as multiple outdoor outreach events. Rehearsals and choreographic planning required a renewed mindfulness of the proximity of the dancers in class and in the articulation of the choreographer’s vision. To this end, dancers uncovered new methods of expression and were able to see themselves and each other with new perspective.

“…we have learned and grown.”

Our supporters took notice. In acknowledging our resilience, they stepped up to help us continue serving, even when things appeared overwhelming and even impossible. This gives us the strength and confidence to press on in realizing the importance of this work. We are grateful for each opportunity we have had to encourage growth, reach out to our community and reinvent ways to keep dancing.

Diane Matthews Executive/Artistic Director Pg. 1 pg.

1

Summer camp was moved outside this year to accommodate our growing Dance Team and Junior Performers groups. Warm ups, master classes and team building exercises moved outdoors to maximize safe space and fresh air. This shift enabled dancers to move unmasked which also helped prepare them for our pre-season performance at the Melton Center’s 10th Annual Community Day! We closed the summer with a preseason outreach performance engaging the West Chester local community. This outreach event brought together recreational groups, local schools, food vendors and community members through a family fun afternoon.

WCDW represented with a performance including audience participation, past season and new choreography! The shift to restoring live performances gave our staff and dancers a boost in energy and hope as we closed the year and ramped up for the next season.

During the Summer of 2021, West Chester Dance Works worked that creativity to return to live performances through recital exposure, outdoor summer camp and a preseason outreach performance.

Four of the five WCDW companies returned to perform at each of the four Diane Matthews School of Dance Arts outdoor recitals! With works each choreographer developed through the year, dancers performed for our studio community of family and friends. The East Bradford Park Amphitheatre made a great stage and each group through sunshine and rain (literally) were able to share their talents and skills!

Team Building

2 2

ON THE BIG SCREEN How do you continue a more than 30-year tradition of preparing an annual holiday production when indoor performances are not an option, and the winter weather is fast approaching?

You make a film, of course.

In the spirit of finding new ways to reach our community with a renewed sense of artistic inspiration, we challenged ourselves to stretch our creative talents into the realm of film. Dancers performed on location, traveling around West Chester to different sites selected by their respective choreographers. The same dance was recorded again and again…and again. excerpts of each piece were captured from different angles, zooming in on specific dancers at specific moments, perhaps trying to avoid cars as they drove by in the background, or trying to catch the sunset at just the right minute. As we worked, the opportunities continued to reveal themselves. how we see dance on the stage is not quite how we see it on the screen. Where exactly do we, as choreographers, want the audience to look at this particular moment? How do we want to transition from one clip to the next? The possibilities all of a sudden seemed endless…as did the hours of editing…

Our hard work yielded a fully pre-recorded concert, The Joy of Christmas, that was digitally released. Video links were sent out to more individuals, families, and organizations than may have been able to physically attend, had we had a traditional indoor concert. We realized we were actually sharing dance with a wider audience than ever before.

Riding on the coattails of our successful holiday video, we released another dance video for our annual spring concert, Metamorphosis. With access to the right technology, we were able to project the video onto a big screen and create an outdoor movie theater experience! Everyone’s hard work culminated in a Celebration of dance under the stars, where families Safely gathered outdoors at socially distanced tables, and the dancers had the unique opportunity to watch themselves perform. It was a turning point in the season for all of us.

Pg.information 1 pg. about how to view this season’s digital performances, *For please contact us via phone at 610-692-3398 or email at wcdw.org 3

A SHIFT The 2020-2021 season started with many changes as the world continued to shift in the pandemic. Our dancers had learned to master the task of shifting their lives at home with the addition of school online and having limited outside contact with friends and families. In the studio, they were also charged with taking classes in masks, recording performances instead of dancing live, and having to shift their weekly classes between in person and online to accommodate everyone's participation safely.

Through all the changes and mandatory flexibility, our WCDW dancers rose to the occasion and flourished. Many found a new dedication and focus on their dance, saying it gave them something to work on outside of home. Directors and choreographers saw dance become a new retreat for many and a confirmation for others that dance is what brings them true happiness.

3 4

FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE

2020-2021 DONORS Krisen Aigeldinger The Algarins Amazon Smile Jyoti Arora Kristy & Alan Bangoura Sumidha Bhatia Wanda Brown Julie & Kyle Brun Camilla Hall Loretta Chaney Chester County Community Foundation Kimberly Clark Theresa Collins Brian & Michele Daniszewski Susan J Davis Dunwoody Village Elsie & Ted Erwin Facebook Donors Sheila Fisher Tracy Flanagan Madeline Fortin Sara Hertz Barbara Hollie

The 2020-2021 season began as it ended – in a pandemic. However, the pandemic did not stop the program directors from pushing their creativity to produce innovative ways of presenting dance and our wonderful donors from expanding their generosity. As a result, West Chester Dance Works continued its mission of “reaching communities through dance” in new and different ways.

A review of the 2020-2021 season revenue mix as compared to 2019-2020 showed an increase in individual donations, as well as the receipt of foundation grants. As for WCDW’s expenses, 0.57 cents of every dollar spent went towards supporting the mission of WCDW, while 0.43 cents went towards general and administrative costs and fundraising. This is compared to the prior year where 0.61 cents of every dollar was spent on programming and 0.39 cents on G&A and fundraising.

A majority of the dance content in 2020-2021 was presented via electronic media. As a result, video editing and related production activities contributed to the increase in labor and general administrative costs when compared to 2019-2020. However, these increases were tempered with reduced costs in printing and reproduction, innovative use of existing wardrobes, elimination of space rental, as well as print marketing and advertising. WCDW management took full advantage of social media platforms to bring dance to the community. Once again, due to the generosity of our community of friends and donors, as well as conservative spending by management, dance was presented to the community in new and accessible ways. In the process, a net income was achieved placing us in a position to continue our mission in the 2021-2022 season.

Donna Hymes JD2 Environmental, Inc Kathleen McBratnie Memorial Fund, CCCF Sue Kelley Ingrid Lijoi Mary Lynch Maris Grove Suman Maurya Michael & Rebecca McBratnie Ann M McNally Vendetta Meaux Mennonite Home Communities Hope Merkert Craig Milliken Alyssa Novak Rachel Owen Keith & Sandra Patton Christina Pepe Sabrina Percy Emily Aguilo-Perez Crystal Dodson Pulley Guillermina Rios Cassandra Rompala

William Rompala James & Jean B Russel Barbara & David Scheer Stacie Scheer Patricia Scott Mabel Simms James Smith Randolf & Charleen Smith Jocelyn Strong Brian & Tiana Threadgill Darien & Grace Threadgill Diane Toaltoan Joel Todd Donna Usher Kristine Walters Shabree White Mark & Sharon Williams Catrina Wolfe West Chester Dance Works Family Members Many additional anonymous donors of time & resources & in-kind support

WEST CHESTER DANCE WORKS Total Revenue: $52,551 3.6% 4.4%

0.9%

0.1%

Total Expenses: $41,772 1.2% 2.4% 2.7% 2.4%

0.9%

•

Signature/Training Company is a professional modern dance company offering performances, lecture demonstrations, and residencies for artistic, cultural, and educational outreach.

•

D.M. Dance Machine uses an energized compilation of jazz, contemporary, and hip-hop dance to reach peer audiences.

•

Junior Performers gives youth ages 9-12 an opportunity to dance in an atmosphere that develops professionalism and individual dance growth while offering performing experiences.

•

Annointed Dance and Annointed Too use dance skills in Christian ministry. Songs are interpreted through dance movement and faith, and shared in community outreach.

0.6%

3.6% 3.8%

6.5% 6.5% 8.6%

44.4% 26.6%

55.8%

25.0%

5

Program Fees: $23,326 Individual Giving: $13,127 Dance Concerts: $4,531 Corporations: $3,424 Foundations: $3,405 Fundraisers: $2,324 Apparel Supplies: $1,869 Miscellaneous: $495 Pg.Special 1 pg. Engagements: $50 Contributed Services: $27,500 (excluded from chart)

Salaries: $23,308 General & Administrative: $11,125 Public Relations/Events: $1,595 Apparel Supplies: $1,505 Fundraising: $1,125 Dance Education: $1,000 Costumes: $982 Space Rental: $512 Marketing & Advertising: $371 Production: $249 Contributed Services: $27,500 (excluded from chart)

4 6