ABOUT US
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Lesole’s Dance Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is an internationally renowned professional dance company whose objective is to present high quality performances highlighting South African traditional dances, American Modern Dance and AfroFusion Dance.
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OUR MISSION AND MANDATE
Lesole's Dance Project (LDP) seeks to empower youth and community members to engage in healthy, creative self-expression by providing educational arts programming and opportunities for cultural exchange.
Working in the United States and South Africa, LDP promotes the unique movement vocabulary and choreographic style inspired by the Southern African heritage, and faciltates learning spaces that honour Black artistic excellence.
Lesole’s Dance Project keeps the following values in every intention: - Cultural preservation - High quality performance - Cultural education and exchange.
Lesole's Dance Project works in communities, and in partnerships with organizations including schools, juvinille detention centres, prisons, and other spaces, to offer residencies, long-term education programs, workshops and classes.
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OUR HISTORY
Founded by Lesole Z. Maine in 2003, Lesole’s Dance Project (LDP) dance company has been transforming economically challenged communities across the globe for over a decade by supporting youth development through the arts. Through our generous volunteers, donors, and sponsors we were able to provide scholarships to more than 50 at-risk students at area elementary schools within the DC Metro area. Facilitating cultural exchange and further increasing awareness of dance as a vital educational tool available to everyone, LPD provides educational residency programs on the movement and history of popular traditional South African dances such as Gumboots, Indlamu and Pantsula.
In addition to our community involvement, LDP was the 2003 recipient of The Washington Post’s: “Bringing the Arts to Our Community” Grant, and in 2007, LDP was nominated for the Emerging Performer/Group at the Metro DC Dance Awards. The company has performed nationally at the National Museum of African Art in Philadelphia, Miami International Book Fair, Cincinnati Play House in Ohio, Michigan State University, and The Harris Theater-Dance Africa Chicago and in the Washington DC area at Dance Africa DC-Dance Place, University of Maryland, The Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, and the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. Internationally, the company has toured the Tarapacá region of Chile, presented by Dance-Forms Productions 64th annual International Choreographer’s Showcase. In August 2009, LDP launched an International Edu-dance Program in the townships of Sebokeng, South Africa. We teach leadership, self-esteem, and civic responsibility to primary school youth in economically challenged communities.
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