Dear Dance Place Community,
It is with bittersweet emotion that we share that Christopher K. Morgan will be transitioning out of his current position as Dance Place’s Executive Artistic Director to assume a new position as the Director of The Center for Native Arts and Cultures (CNAC) in Portland, Oregon. Under the auspices of the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation, CNAC is a brand new artistic center that will serve as a vibrant gathering place for Indigenous artists by providing spaces for exhibitions, events, practicing culture, and artmaking, as well as areas for cultural ceremonies and celebrations.
Christopher’s last day as Executive Artistic Director at Dance Place will be Friday, December 31, 2021.
The Dance Place Board and staff are both grateful for Christopher’s leadership over the past four years and excited for his next steps in his new artistic leadership role. During his time at Dance Place, Christopher:
- Strengthened our national reputation, attracting renowned artists from across the globe;
- Created a more equitable and sustainable work environment for the staff with an average 21% increase in pay over 4 years;
- Increased funding from the city and federal government;
- Negotiated the acquisition of a $1.55 million building to house Dance Place’s intern program. This purchase is Dance Place’s first property purchase since the main building was bought in 1986, and relieved the organization of renting houses for the intern program.
- Led the organization’s pandemic response prioritizing community health, paying artists, maintaining all staff, and adapting Dance Place’s programs; and
- Guided the creation of an updated mission, vision, values, and five-year strategic plan.
Christopher’s accomplished tenure at Dance Place, and the incredible work and support from the Board of Directors, situates the organization in this transition with the confidence to move forward with sustainability and success.
“My excitement for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deepen my work in support of Native and Indigenous artists as Director of CNAC is tempered with sadness as I prepare to leave Dance Place and the Washington D.C. dance community. For the past 14 years Dance Place and this community have wholeheartedly embraced me as an artist, educator, curator and administrator. I look forward to maintaining my incredible personal and professional relationships in the D.C. dance community in my new work.” – Christopher K. Morgan, Executive Artistic Director
“Christopher’s charismatic and electric style will not be the only thing we will miss here at Dance Place. While we are saddened to lose such an amazing Executive Artistic Director in Christopher, I am confident that the footprint he has established in the Washington D.C. dance community is deep and the Dance Place family is well poised for continued success. CNAC has gained a tremendous leader — and Dance Place will forever have an advocate in Christopher.” Rhea Norwood, Board Co-Chair
Dance Place and the Board of Directors will identify an interim Executive Director who will support the Dance Place staff with administrative, personnel, and financial assistance from December 2021 through August 2022. Simultaneously, Dance Place will engage a consulting firm to conduct a national search for our next leadership. Job description(s) and applications will be accepted from late November through January 31. Prior to the selection, the Dance Place Board and Staff will be assessing emerging trends in leadership models to help inform the future leadership of Dance Place. Dance Place intends to select and announce new leadership in May 2022.
Despite the volatility of the pandemic and current global economic uncertainty, Dance Place is in a stable financial position to navigate this transition. In addition, Dance Place’s extraordinary hard working staff, gorgeous facilities, expansive artistic programming, and in-depth educational programming, are all on stable ground. Dance Place looks toward our future with optimism and is eager to continue working alongside Christopher’s leadership for the rest of 2021.
Dance Place will continue to communicate about the upcoming transition with transparency and wish Christopher all the best in his new position.
– Dance Place