Contemporary Movement
Designing movement through collaboration.
Who we are
– Our Mission
Kristin Damrow & Company’s (KDC) mission is to share the art form of dance through collaboration, performance, and outreach. Our live performances are developed from the physical exploration of design concepts. This research is then brought to life with dynamic movement, original soundscapes, and thematic scenic design by a diverse group of dancers, musicians, and creatives. KDC provides artist commissions through Merde Project and free classes throughout the Bay Area with Bodies of Empowerment.
What we believe
– Our Values
We believe that celebrating the human experience through movement is vital to understanding what draws us together.
In the spaces we hold, diverse bodies are celebrated and stories of individuals and communities are honored by sharing leadership.
We strive to uphold equity and exploration in all aspects of our art. Each of our collaborators’ voices and artistic input is deeply valued within our organization: open board meetings, feedback in the creative process, and shared learning in EDI workshops.
We value live performance and believe it should be accessible to everyone. We provide this through free ticket programs, scholarships, and ensuring all accessibility needs are supported.
– The History
Where we came from
Kristin Damrow & Company (KDC) is an Isadora Duncan Award-nominated contemporary dance company based in San Francisco. Since 2010, KDC has showcased 18 original works including three evening-length dances. The company’s performances are often inspired by design and its relationship to movement through architecture, design elements, and design philosophy. KDC has been commissioned to create work for the Oakland Museum of California, Airbnb Design, Iowa State University, and Lindenwood University. KDC is honored to have received support from the Phyllis C. Wattis Foundation, Zellerbach Family Foundation, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, CA$H grant, and the Center for Cultural Innovation. The company’s work earned notices in Fast Company, Backstage and Disegno magazines, among others.
Commitment to Antiracism:
Kristin Damrow & Company and its collaborators stand against racism and recognize how white supremacy has negatively impacted the dance community and the arts. We acknowledge our responsibility to ongoing education as individuals and as an organization to promote safety, empower, protect and project voices of BIPOC. We see that it is our duty to dismantle systems that induce harm and suppress BIPOC artists by creating spaces for everyone to thrive through art. This is continuous work. Allyship is never done until racism is gone. KDC works year-round with Sarah Crowell and Shaunna Vella in EDIA trainings.
About KDC
Read about our mission, values, and how we got started
Programs
Learn with us. LIVE classes, online courses, and performance opportunities
Support
Help us achieve our goals of creating great art and teaching the craft to everyone