Stomping Ground educates, entertains, and empowers the community – connecting people through comedy. And we won’t stop till everybody’s laughing.
Stomping Ground is Dallas’ only non-profit theatre dedicated to comedy. And we do the things that comedy clubs and theaters do; we host live comedy shows that feature stand-up, improv, scripted comedy, and more. We also teach comedy classes for adults and classes and camps for children. Through our Improv for Work program, we host team-building and customized trainings using organizational psychology to companies and organizations all over the world. But what sets us apart from most comedy clubs is our Improv for Life program, where we use improv as a tool for mental wellness, social-emotional learning, and therapeutic purposes for unique populations. Led by Psychotherapist Andrea K. Baum, the Improv for Life Program offers classes and trainings for people caring for those with Alzheimer’s or dementia, classes for people with anxiety and those on the autism spectrum, and many more.
Why Nonprofit?
Stomping Ground has no owner, no shareholders, and no bottom line. What we do have is a group of passionate people with a common goal. Not having a bottom line means that we can focus on how best to serve our students, patrons, and community.
Our funding comes from entertainment revenue, educational programs, individual donations, and state or federal grants applied to our therapeutic programs for those with special needs. And when we have a great year, our funding goes back into making our programs even greater.
We simply want to share what we love with those who love what we do and make an impact while making people laugh. Below we listed a few other things we feel passionately about.
Outreach
By working closely with charities, advocacy centers, organizations, schools, and more, we hope to bring laughter to the community at large. We believe the study of comedy has the power to liberate creativity, empower communication, and build bridges within our community. We also offer scholarships, discounts, and internships to ensure the art of comedy is accessible to all. Check out all of our clients, partners, and sponsors.
Inclusion and Diversity
At Stomping Ground, our mission is to make comedy accessible and inclusive to diverse voices in an effort to have students and performers that reflect the Dallas-Fort Worth community. Diversity is the range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs. We are an inclusive space where the diversity of our world is celebrated and reflected in all who are a part of it- audiences, students, instructors, staff members, performers, producers, directors, and board members; where you are encouraged to be your authentic self, and where you will always be seen and heard. We welcome and embrace all people.
Black Lives Matter
The improv world was built on the concept of “I got your back” and now more than ever we want to say unequivocally to the Black community that we have your back and we stand alongside you.
Read our full statement and updates on our efforts toward becoming an anti-racist organization here.
Coopertition
When it comes to other comedy-makers, we believe in “coopetition” over competition. When we support our competitors as we explore the craft of comedy it benefits the art form as a whole. Coopetition encourages learning from each other and assisting your “competitors” when you can, which leads to a more skilled, knowledgeable community producing higher-quality work!
Collaboration
Collaboration cultivates creativity. We offer a hub for comedians to explore and experiment together, so we can continue to expand our existing arts community.