To transcend: to go beyond the range or limits of something; to climb so high you cross some boundary.
Our name speaks to our purpose.
At transcenDANCE, our mission is to guide young people in underserved San Diego County communities to transcend barriers, expand their ambitions, and create positive change for themselves, their families, and communities, through dance and performance.
To our students, transcenDANCE is
- A safe space and a safety net.
- A community of love and support.
- A place where our dancers can be authentic and be seen for who they are.
- A place where young people have a voice
- A teacher of wellbeing and mindfulness.
- A teacher of resilience, collaboration and other 21st century skills
- A compass for navigating through adolescence.
- An opportunity/possibility generator.
- A pathway to careers/college.
- A source of family and community pride.
- A place to learn how to dance.
transcenDANCE values consist of seven C’s
- Community – We provide our students and alumni with a second home that promotes safety and belonging.
- Creative expression –We teach our students and alumni about the power of creative expression in developing emotional and social resilience.
- Courage – We help our students develop the courage they need to challenge the barriers they face and expand their ambitions.
- Collaboration – We create strong partnerships, programs and performances with its students, alumni, staff, artists, grant-givers, donors, and community partners.
- Compassionate communication – We treat each other with kindness and respect. We listen and help our students give voice to their experience.
- Change making – We have a passionate commitment to collective action to improve our students’ well-being and success. We create a platform to amplify their voice in the communities they live in.
- Cultural Competence – We demonstrate the highest degree of sensitivity to social, economic, and political issues that affect our students in our interactions with them, their families, the community and each other.