Mission
The Dancing Tree is an alliance of visual and performing artists that is devoted to making the hidden visible. We seek to facilitate, develop, perform, document and publish the stories of people who have been underrepresented because of disability, incarceration, illness, lifestyle, age or circumstance. Combining movement , rhythm, music, writing, video, animation, photography, drawing and painting, we help to create works that develop body and spatial awareness, encourage self-acceptance, self-expression, and self-advocacy among artists from these unseen communities, and at the same time challenge the public's usual notions of "art."

The Dancing Tree provides forums within which its participants have the freedom to develop and express their own artistic voice as it relates to important issues in their lives. We encourage work that's content challenges accepted notions and stereotypes about persons outside of society's mainstream. Any story is a welcome starting point for a workshop or collaboration.

The Dancing Tree is based in San Francisco, California. We work with the disabled and other marginalized communities both locally and internationally to create and present works of visual and performing art that raise relevant questions as they engage audiences aesthetically.

While promoting the integration of people from all backgrounds and abilities, The Dancing Tree is distinctive for reaching beyond "inclusion" and "mixed ability" models in our workshops and performances to produce works whose power, skill, and sense of unique voice stand on their own merit and shatter any preconceptions that audiences may have about art from the margins.

Founders
Amanda Coslor is dedicated to the creative process and honest expressions of individual's personal life experiences and values. She believes that art is a tool that brings value to voices, images and stories that may not be seen by the mainstream media. She seeks to understand the hidden in our society because she believes that is where truth exists. Bringing hidden voices, movement, and images out into the world deepens our understanding of ourselves. She hopes to earn the trust and share her love with the people she collaborates with.

Todd Herman's work as an educator and artist focuses on the essential humanities and strengths that are preserved even within the most neglected environments. He is interested in listening carefully and encouraging others that through their persistence, courage and belief in their own abilities, they will cultivate a climate for change.

Funding
Presently, The Dancing Tree is maintained by grants (last year we received a Theater Bay Area grant, a California Arts Council Technical Assistance award, a grant from The Arts Council of Northern Ireland), private foundations, business contributions and individual donations. The Dancing Tree is fiscally sponsored by AEPOCH.