WHO ARE WE?
McKoy Dance Project (MDP) is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) contemporary dance organization rooted in equity, advocacy, artistic excellence, and community care. As an inclusive dance company and service organization, MDP exists to break down barriers to access in dance by amplifying the voices of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, and historically underrepresented communities through performance, education, mentorship, and public engagement. Led by Founding Artistic Director & CEO Derick McKoy, Jr., the organization uses bold storytelling, cultural dialogue, and high-impact performance as tools for healing, visibility, and systemic change.
Since its first performance in 2019—a collaboration with the Opus 87 Piano Quartet on the evening-length ballet Looking Out: A Stonewall Memorial—MDP has premiered original works, produced dance films, launched initiatives including Collective Voices Dance Festival, Choreographer’s Institute, Black Dance Series, Tea Talks, and Community Grooves, and presented performances and educational programming throughout New York City. Through these programs, MDP has served more than 3,000 individuals while creating paid opportunities for dancers, choreographers, educators, and cultural collaborators.
In 2021, MDP was honored with a special invitation to perform on Juneteenth, the newest U.S. federal holiday and the first established in 38 years. With each project, the organization fosters reflection, joy, and critical dialogue by confronting societal inequities, preserving cultural traditions, and creating spaces where communities can feel seen, valued, and connected.
MDP believes artists are not simply performers or makers of work, but human beings whose lived experiences hold the power to inspire empathy, healing, and understanding. At a time when many cultural spaces are searching for deeper community connection, MDP is committed to rebuilding arts spaces grounded in accessibility, resource-sharing, mentorship, and genuine human exchange. More than a performance company, MDP serves as a home for opportunity and a cultural bridge—connecting artists and communities through creative experiences that nurture the human spirit and remind people of their shared humanity.
OUR REASON WHY (OUR MISSION)
McKoy Dance Project (MDP) exists to break down barriers to access by amplifying the voices of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities through bold storytelling, community engagement, and high-impact performance. As an inclusive contemporary dance company and service organization, MDP champions opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds to connect and grow through performances, youth and adult education, and public cultural events.
Our work is rooted in:
- A dynamic, hybrid movement language that fuses contemporary dance with diasporic, queer, and experimental forms.
- Culturally-responsive programming that honors and uplifts historically excluded identities.
- Deep community investment, from free education and outreach to collaborative performances.
- We believe dance should be a tool for joy, visibility, and liberation. At MDP, we don’t just reflect culture—we build the future of it.
MDP is Hope. MDP is vision.
We are a culmination of reflection, celebration, and triumph.
