NDC showcases, year-round, the breathtaking diversity of African-influenced dance in a historical context. From the rituals of traditional Africa to the glamorous chorus girls of the swing era, and various dance styles of today, NDC brings joyous, fascinating life to the different dance cultures that have influenced contemporary American dance.

NDC is a member of the Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project (CBDLP) which was created to assist Black dance companies to strengthen their financial and operational capacity and ensuring the long-term survival of their work.

The CBDLP was initially developed through a partnership between Bill Michel, Emily Hooper Lansana, and Princess Mhoon Cooper, Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at The University of Chicago and Tracie D. Hall, Director of The Joyce Foundation’s Culture Program, this initiative leveraged the strategic resources of the Logan Center and UChicago to facilitate access to funding, support dance programming and training, and provide key administrative support to eight and with additional support has expanded to ten Chicago-based Black dance companies.