Meet the Innovator: Ballet After Dark
Get to know the Social Innovation Lab’s Accelerator Cohort 2021–22 over the coming weeks. For this interview, we spoke with Tyde-Courtney Edwards, founder of Ballet After Dark. A Baltimore native, Tyde-Courtney is a trained ballerina, art model, and entrepreneur.
SIL: Tell us about your company. What are you working on?
Ballet After Dark provides the only somatic intervention program that uses a trauma-informed dance therapy curriculum and holistic resources to encourage survivors of sexual violence and various levels of trauma to heal their bodies using movement. With an emphasis on amplifying and prioritizing the healing of Black and brown youth and women, our mission is to help survivors reprocess, rebuild and reclaim relationships with their bodies following sexual abuse and trauma using the healing power of dance.
What I am working on in the Social Innovation Lab is the process of launching BAD Studios, an interactive, subscription-based database of trauma-informed, holistic dance therapy tutorials and videos for customers interested in a fun, gentle, and low-impact series of dance therapy classes and workshops that culminate in choreographic sequences no matter their level of dance experience. With a focus on highlighting the expertise and talent of local dance creatives from the BIPOC community, BAD Studios uses the healing power of dance to empower all bodies to get moving.
Facilitated by local somatic providers, certified dance therapists, and dance creatives, this warm and welcoming library of live streams and recorded content engages dance enthusiasts of all levels, sizes, and abilities with a variety of dance therapy and fitness tutorials, including ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, yoga, heels, African, burlesque and mindfulness.
SIL: Why did you decide to start Ballet After Dark?
In a world of no, you create a yes. Trauma can affect us physically, change our behavior and leave us feeling disconnected from our bodies. Surviving assault left me searching for new ways to love myself and my body again. Not only was I trying to mend the broken relationship I had with my body, I was searching for a support system of women with similar experiences that looked like me.
Ballet After Dark, then, was born out of necessity. The possibility of meeting and associating with other women is essential for the advancement of human rights. Sisterhood and community is rooted in the history of Black culture. Through the creation of safe spaces, women can speak about their experiences and realize they are not alone. Black women especially are able to experience healing in a space free of oppression from both racial and gender lenses.
The idea for BAD Studios came from recognizing the lack of local databases that listed and fully represented local dance creatives, dance therapists and somatic providers offering trauma-informed dance and movement resources. Historically, Black and brown communities have been underserved, underrepresented, and underexposed by society. For centuries, we’ve been expected to endure trauma to the point where the act of self-care and healing is considered radical. Even today, there are very few trauma-informed, somatic-focused resources that center the black community.
Dance is a universal form of expression that has ties to just about every culture. It has been researched and described as directly connected to the body’s emotional interplay. It’s proven to be good for both the mind and body.
SIL: What constitutes success for you?
I’ll feel successful when affordable and accessible trauma-informed dance therapy and holistic resources are an option for Black and brown communities everywhere. Small-picture success is knowing that my city understands and recognizes the impact of trauma-informed dance therapy.
SIL: What have you accomplished so far?
Since 2018, more than 220 individuals, of which 70% are Black and brown in Baltimore city, have taken part in the Ballet After Dark dance therapy cohort. It’s a 9-month commitment broken into three quarters and focuses on 12 class workshops centered around dance, including ballet and burlesque. We have an 85% graduation success rate for participants completing our entire curriculum, which in addition to the dance therapy, includes units on mental health, financial literacy and self-defense. We have had women who have reported a better sense of self, security, well-being and connection with body/kinesiology and how the body moves.
We’ve also implemented a one-time international residency for our program in Mexico City and plan to launch our first youth program engaging in beginners ballet, financial literacy and self-defense workshops. We’ll be working with Baltimore city and Baltimore county Social Services to provide a six-month program for their youth aged 13–18 in the foster care system.
We have had two graduates who will be our brand ambassadors moving forward because of the technical skills they developed. Another graduate of our financial literacy course is co-facilitating the cohort in partnership with Smalltimore homes.
We’ve been featured by local, national and international media. Currently, our short film is streaming on discovery+.
SIL: How can people get involved in supporting you in your venture?
Volunteers! We’re always looking for fantastic community members to volunteer with our program to assist with events, boost visibility, and volunteer for dance training as interns. We’re also looking for donations in the form of event space and program sponsors. Donations can be made by visiting www.balletafterdark.com/donate.
Program Sponsors! We’re always looking for program sponsors to support our efforts of spreading awareness of the benefits of dance therapy and somatic intervention by sponsoring program supplies and equipment such as cohort uniforms, transportation stipends and workbook curriculums.
Funding! We are looking for funding for a few initiatives, including:
- launching and scaling our youth program;
- launching a professional development program to dancers (we will offer PD to dance instructors who want to integrate trauma-informed practices into their curriculum);
- Platform and content development for BAD Studios.
SIL: What have been some of the biggest challenges in scaling your venture during the pandemic?
Some of the biggest challenges have been staying motivated and understanding that pivoting from original plans and ideas is necessary to understand the community’s needs. But to understand a community’s needs, we must stay connected at every level.
In terms of personal challenges, I have had two:
First, a personal challenge has been imposter syndrome — not allowing myself to sit with or appreciate what I have developed so far in the short amount of Ballet After Dark has been around. Since incorporating almost four years ago, we have accomplished a lot and I am learning how to be proud of this accomplishment.
Second, a personal challenge has been not to fall into compassion fatigue. You sometimes can find yourself tired of being empathetic/compassionate. Stay human and prioritize self-care.
SIL: What do you like most about the Baltimore entrepreneurial community? What would you like to see more of?
I like that Baltimore is an unexpected hub. Baltimore is recognized for a lot of things that don’t necessarily spark joy or innovation. I love that SIL provides an opportunity to be connected with people you didn’t realize were doing such great things.
As for the ecosystem, I would love to see more professional opportunities become available for BIPOC dance entrepreneurs and innovators and train them to pivot if their professional career doesn’t work out the way they had intended. One of the biggest challenges that dancers face is they are trained to find employment but then go elsewhere to find opportunities. Not everyone will make it to the stage. Some people will prepare for 10–15 years and teach, and some may not ever become a teacher.
I’d love to see more transitional training for professional dance creatives who are now looking for work. More professional development and performance opportunities reflecting the diversity of the dance scene in Baltimore.
SIL: What advice do you have for would-be social entrepreneurs thinking about starting a venture?
You’re smarter than you think and you’re stronger than you know. Take a chance on yourself.
SIL: Why did you apply to SIL?
For the opportunity to develop skills and resources to scale my venture and be part of a network of like-minded individuals who understand the struggle of developing that has a social impact or cultivating change in community.
SIL: How have you grown personally during your time in the Accelerator?
I’m learning to take more breaths and sit with myself. One of the best things SIL offers is structure and community. Since I started receiving my first round of grant funding, everything has been go-go-go. Even with the deadlines and tasks that I’ve set for myself, I’m learning that I can get it done and still take care of myself with structure.
I’ve been doing this by myself so long that I don’t want to do this alone anymore. I want a group of friends with whom I can grow, especially social innovators with a mission-driven venture.
