The Dance Institute of Washington (DIW) was founded in 1987 by Fabian Barnes. DIW is a dance education institute committed to providing children and youth the opportunity to develop socially, emotionally, intellectually, and artistically through the discipline of dance. DIW operates:
Each of the three main aspects of DIW use dance education and performance to grant children and youth, from diverse backgrounds, a chance to experience the performing arts and develop important skills needed for a successful future - in dance and beyond. DIW students have performed and received honors on prestigiou stages regionally and nationally, including: Wolf Traps Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods, the Lincoln Theatre, Carter Barron Amphitheatre, the Kennedy Center, and the Youth America Grand Prix.
Students at DIW have gone on to continue their education and training at universities and colleges such as the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Marymount Manhattan, SUNY Purchase, and Temple University. Additionally, several students have gone on to professional careers at companies such as the Dance Theatre of Harlem, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, the San Jose Ballet, and the Suzanne Farrell Ballet.
In 2006, DIW relocated to its current state-of-the-art facility located in the heart of the Columbia Heights neighborhood in Washington, DC.