Dance and Dialogue

About Us

Dance and Dialogue was founded on the principles of equity and equality for all. We work with all demographics but particularly with those in the most at-risk communities. Our programs are FREE.

Our program offers participants the chance to come together to learn from and about each other. We provide the chance to break down the barriers that are a result of fear, based on differences that feel insurmountable, but that are, once experienced firsthand, more often than not a chance to grow the world.

We are currently in residence at many schools in vulnerable parts of L.A. Our strong partnership with Wisdom Elementary in South L.A. truly exemplifies what our program is capable of. In the school’s previous Principal, Connie Brandstetter's words:

“In my 21 years as an educator, I have to credit Ricka Kelsch and her Dance and Dialogue program as being the most thoughtful and appropriate program for the children of this generation… They have discovered a platform for speaking about problems and solutions in a judgment free zone. Our students have accepted the power to make changes to their world and the world of others.”

We have garnered recognition from Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Violence Prevention Coalition of Los Angeles and have been featured in The Atlantic, Good Day LA, 93.1 JACK FM, Spectrum News 1, and more. Our Founder was the recipient of the Lester Horton Award for Community Leadership from the Dance Resource Center of Los Angeles. Since our inception, we have served over 20,000 youth, teens, families, and elders.