Dancing Grounds was founded in 2012 to bring the benefits of dance to New Orleans residents of all ages. What began as a grassroots, all-volunteer effort in a living room has become a driving force for arts and education in the city. With youth dance companies, summer camps, and the annual Dance for Social Change Festival, we create safe and inclusive spaces in which the lived experiences of youth are truly valued and their unique creative talents are recognized, developed, and celebrated. We also host the most comprehensive adult dance programs in the city. Our work is guided by a set of core values: equity, racial justice, integrity, relationships, learning, collaboration, abundance, and joy. Dancing Grounds provides physically and artistically rigorous dance training in Modern, Hip Hop, and African-diasporic dance forms with a focus on social-emotional development, physical health, leadership skills, and social justice for youth as well as community classes for adults ranging from Salsa fitness to somatic improvisation.