They Dance For Rain

They Dance For Rain is a dance-making project that works with arts-for-social-change organizations and individual artists in urban Nairobi, Kenya. We bring Tap shoes and the art form of Tap Dance to people with an interest and need for this unique kind of artistic self-expression. In this area of the world, Tap Dance is still quite young and the eagerness to learn it is immense. They Dance For Rain also seeks to bring visibility to an otherwise underrepresented population of dancers and slum dwellers through photography and film, and the sharing of photographic skills and equipment. Through a continuing global exchange of artistic dialogue They Dance For Rain inspires a new generation of peacemaking artists and builds robust action-based relationships across platforms with established artists.

Through the work of They Dance For Rain, we are often made aware of additional supports that can help to improve the quality of life for the dancers, artists, and organizations that we work with. We listen, assess, plan, and implement for each expedition an additional activity with these needs in mind. In 2016, our focus was the sustainable menstrual care and health education of the young female-bodied dancers in the Banjuka Project in the Baba Dogo settlement in Nairobi. 

Since December 1, 2011They Dance For Rain has been directed by action-based dance artist Stefanie Weber with the addition of fine arts photographer Monika Pizzichemi in 2013 as associate director. Both artists are based in the U.S. in post-industrial Pittsfield, MA. In 2014, they welcomed project assistant and dancer Josephine McDonald to the team.

They Dance For Rain has been funded predominantly by a community of loving and dedicated individual donors in the U.S.; grants from the World Hoop Day Fund (2012, 2013), Capezio Ballet Makers Dance Foundation (2015), Margaret T. Biddle Foundation (2014); corporate sponsorship from British Knights (2015).