Dance Place Fires Artistic Director Tariq O’Meally Amid Restructuring Controversy

Dance Place, a Washington, DC-based performing arts and dance education center, fired its artistic director, Tariq O’Meally, in May 2024, sparking backlash from local dance professionals and community members. The decision, announced via an unsigned statement from executive director André Mazelin, cited a “dramatically contracting public funding environment” and a push for “deeper community ownership.” O’Meally, who joined the organization in June 2024, said he learned of his role’s elimination via a Google Meet call on May 28. The statement noted that artistic decision-making would now be managed by Mazelin and an artist advisory council, a move criticized by several figures within the dance community.

What Happened at Dance Place?

Dance Place, founded in 1978 by Carla Perlo and Steve Bloom, has long served as a cultural hub for the DC area, offering performances, classes, and youth programs. The organization’s recent restructuring eliminated the artistic director position, replacing it with a seven-member advisory council, including choreographer Sarah Beth Oppenheim. Oppenheim, who was not consulted about the changes, stated, “I do not condone it.” A petition condemning the move, signed by DC-area dance professionals, was delivered to the board on June 12. The group, led by Perlo, co-director emerita Deborah Riley, and former executive artistic director Christopher K. Morgan, called for a town hall meeting to address concerns about “opaque leadership” and “outsourced operations.”

Why Did the Restructuring Occur?

The statement from Mazelin and the board attributed the changes to financial pressures, including a $70,000 loss of a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant in 2023. O’Meally, however, emphasized that the organization maintained programming despite funding challenges. “I’m really proud that we kept the programming going,” he said, noting his efforts to redesign the center’s presentation series and celebrate its 45th anniversary. The board’s decision to shift artistic leadership to an advisory council has drawn comparisons to past transitions. When Perlo and Riley retired in 2017, the organization was described as “in great shape” with a balanced budget and renovated facility, according to Riley.

What Are the Concerns Within the Dance Community?

Oppenheim called the restructuring “apocalyptic,” warning that Dance Place could “go under” without clear leadership. Sali Ann Kriegsman, a former director of Jacob’s Pillow and the National Endowment for the Arts Dance Program, emphasized the center’s unique role: “It’s a living room for the dance community in the DC area.” The petition’s cover letter accused current leadership of being “unwelcoming” to staff and “unsupportive” of artists. O’Meally, who has worked as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher in the region, described Dance Place as “a community center that specializes in interacting with the community.”

What’s Next for Dance Place?

The ad hoc group has demanded a town hall meeting with the board by July 17, ahead of Mazelin’s planned season announcement. Perlo, who has long advocated for artist-led institutions, stated, “Great arts institutions come from visionary artistic leaders.” O’Meally’s departure follows a period of instability at Dance Place, including pandemic-related challenges under his predecessor, Christopher K. Morgan. The center’s future remains uncertain, with critics arguing that the restructuring risks eroding its legacy as a vital cultural institution. O’Meally, in a recent Instagram post, reflected on the ongoing struggle to “persevere” in a climate of shrinking funding: “Our fates are inextricably linked.”