Santa Barbara Dance Arts

What Santa Barbara Dance Arts does

Santa Barbara Dance Arts (SBDA) is a privately-held dance studio founded circa 1997 and operating from a single 10,000 square foot facility at 531 E. Cota Street in Santa Barbara, California, comprising seven dance studios and a 2,519 square foot performance/exhibition space. The studio delivers recreational and pre-professional dance instruction across ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, acro, and tap to students ranging from 12-month-old infants through adults, anchored by two core subscription programs—First Steps/Boppin' Babies ($72/month) for early childhood and the Growth Program for ages 3-18—alongside the STEP Accelerated pre-professional track for dedicated dancers ages 8 and older. Performance pathways include recreational Crews, pre-professional Emerge Pre-Company, the elite five-team Company, and the Team Dance Arts (TDA) competitive program, with annual events such as Inspire Recital, December Showcase, and Configuration at Center Stage Theater.

The business operates as a multi-revenue-stream service company. Beyond monthly memberships, revenue is generated through week-long Destination Dance summer camps, one-on-one private lessons ($120/placement assessment), studio rentals (serving external companies such as Boxtales, Danceworks, and Flamenco Arts Festival), wedding choreography, themed birthday parties, merchandise pre-orders, visiting-choreographer master classes, workshops/bootcamps, and an Independent PE Program partnering with local schools. The company is bundled with two sister entities under a "Three Brands, One Purpose" initiative—Empowered Mothers (community programming for mothers) and Move With Purpose (a non-profit scholarship vehicle under fiscal sponsorship of the Santa Barbara Foundation)—with SBDA matching over $40,000 in scholarships for the 2025-2026 season. Technology infrastructure is standard small-business SaaS: Squarespace-hosted marketing site, Mainstreetsites-powered member portal and registration, Google Workspace for forms/calendar/storage, plus YouTube and Instagram for community engagement; no proprietary software, API, or AI capabilities are present.

Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, driven by word-of-mouth, an annual event calendar, a $75 referral credit program, and earned media coverage in local outlets (Santa Barbara Independent, Noozhawk, KEYT). Leadership is concentrated under founder/owner Alana Tillim, with named functional leads across TDA (Hannah Hawyard), cardio programming (Krystal Belluomini), financial assistance (Maria), and Independent PE (Sunny). The studio holds YPAD, NDEO, and More Than Just Great Dancing! affiliations, and in 2026 its Sea of Love team earned a perfect score and the Black Onyx Award at the Hollywood Connection competition, reflecting the operational depth of its competitive program.

Name

Santa Barbara Dance Arts

Legal name

Santa Barbara Dance Arts

Website

https://sbdancearts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Santa Barbara Dance Arts is a privately-held Santa Barbara dance studio offering recreational and pre-professional instruction across multiple styles for students ages 12 months through adult, delivered from a 10,000 sq ft facility with seven studios.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Education and Performing Arts Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Dance Companies (71112)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI)

Keywords

• Dance education services
• Recreational dance classes
• Pre-professional dance training
• Summer dance camps
• Studio rental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Dance Classes and Memberships: Recurring monthly membership fees for First Steps program (babies/toddlers) and Growth Program (ages 3-18). Classes offered in ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, acro, tap, and specialty programs.
2. Private Lessons: One-on-one or small group dance instruction. $120 per dance style for private placement assessments. Semi-private lessons available for up to 4 students.
3. Summer Camps: Week-long summer dance camps for various age groups including mini camps (ages 3-5), youth camps (ages 5-8), tween camps (ages 8-17), and STEP intensive camps.
4. Studio Rentals: Rental of studio space to artists, troupes, companies, and private instructors. Over 500 individuals visit the space weekly.
5. Birthday Parties and Events: Themed birthday party packages for children and adults including bachelorette parties. DIY facility rental package option available.
6. Wedding Dance Lessons: Customized first dance choreography and lessons for couples, families, and wedding parties.
7. Merchandise: Pre-order merchandise cycles sold through online store. Items available for pickup only.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Santa Barbara Dance Arts is a dance school delivering recreational and pre-professional dance instruction for students from 12 months through adult across ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, acro, and tap disciplines. The studio operates from a 10,000 square foot, ADA-accessible facility with seven studios and a performance/exhibition space, running year-round class programs, summer camps, performance teams, private lessons, wedding choreography, and studio rentals. Revenue is generated primarily through monthly recurring class memberships, performance team fees, summer camp tuition, private lessons, event services, and facility rentals.

Product overview

Santa Barbara Dance Arts is a full-service dance studio offering a comprehensive, multi-level program portfolio. The core offering includes the Growth Program for ages 3-18 with recreational and pre-professional tracks (including the STEP Accelerated Program), the First Steps/Boppin' Babies program for ages 12 months-3 years, and Adult Classes for ages 16+. Seasonal offerings include Destination Dance Summer Camps with themed programming for all ages and skill levels. Add-on services include Wedding Dance Lessons, Birthday Parties, Studio Rentals, Master Classes with visiting professionals, Private Lessons, Workshops/Bootcamps, an Independent PE Program, and SBDA Merch. Performance and competition pathways include recreational Crew teams (Tiny Crew, Mini Crew, Next Crew), pre-professional Emerge (Pre-Company), elite Company with 5 teams, and Team Dance Arts (TDA) competitive option. Major annual performances include Inspire Recital, December Showcase, Configuration, Student Showcase, and Debut! for youngest dancers. Financial assistance is provided through Move With Purpose scholarship partnership with over $40,000 matched annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dance Classes (Growth Program) Recreational and pre-professional dance instruction for ages 3-18 offering structured progression through youth, tween/teen, and STEP accelerated levels across multiple dance styles including jazz, ballet, hip hop, contemporary, acro, and tap.
• First Steps / Boppin' Babies & Tots Dance and movement program for infants and toddlers ages 12 months to 3 years using Boppin' Babies proprietary curriculum to support socialization and motor skill development. Non-performing classes with optional Debut! showcase.
• Destination Dance Summer Camps Multi-week summer camp programs for ages 1 through teens featuring themed camps (Disney Dance, Hip Hop, KPop, Acro, Pop Star), youth full-day camps, tween/teen intensives, and STEP accelerated programs culminating in weekly performances.
• STEP Accelerated Program Pre-professional accelerated dance track for dedicated dancers ages 8+ requiring placement, featuring advanced training in jazz, ballet, contemporary, and hip hop with performance opportunities and competitive options.
• Adult Classes Dance classes for adults ages 16+ including Adult Cardio Hip Hop series with early bird ($17) and regular ($21) pricing options, designed for fitness and community.
• Wedding Dance Lessons Customized wedding dance instruction for couples, families, and wedding parties including first dance choreography, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and event entertainment.
• Birthday Parties Themed dance party experiences for children and adults including professional instruction, cake and gifts, plus a DIY Bronze package option with facility rental.
• Studio Rentals Professional dance studio space rental for troupes, companies, groups, and private instructors featuring 7 studios plus performance/exhibition space, with rental subsidy available upon request.
• Master Classes and Dance Intensives Specialized workshops taught by visiting professional choreographers and celebrity instructors including Phil Wright, Trisha Miranda, Alvin Ailey Company, and others for advanced training and artistic development.
• Private Lessons One-on-one or small group dance instruction with professional faculty for personalized goal-setting, choreography development, and skill advancement for kids and adults.
• Workshops/Bootcamps Specialized dance workshops including Audition Boot Camp and Team Training for dancers preparing for competition teams and performance groups.
• Independent PE Program Authorized provider of Independent PE for local schools enabling students to earn physical education credits through dance instruction.
• Performance and Competition Teams Structured team programs including recreational Crew teams (Tiny Crew, Mini Crew, Next Crew), pre-professional Emerge (Pre-Company), elite Company (5 teams), and Team Dance Arts (TDA) competitive program with multiple levels and performance opportunities.
• Financial Assistance and Scholarships Need-based scholarship program through Move With Purpose non-profit partnership with trade opportunities, payment plans, and referral credits to ensure accessibility; over $40,000 matched in 25-26 season.
• SBDA Merchandise Pre-order merchandise program including apparel and dance wear, ordered monthly with a 15th of the month ordering deadline and 1st of the following month pickup at the studio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $40,000 in scholarships matched for 25-26 season
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Other Dance Studios (Online Classes)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 May 2020During COVID-19 pandemic, SBDA helped other studios implement online classes using Zoom. Alana Tillim was instrumental in helping other studios get running with virtual classes.
• Move With PurposecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit corporate partner providing need-based scholarships. SBDA matches all funds raised, with over $40,000 matched in the 25-26 season. Move With Purpose is under fiscal sponsorship of Santa Barbara Foundation. Also hosts Student Showcase fundraiser for Move With Purpose scholarships.
• Empowered MotherscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister brand under 'Three Brands, One Purpose' initiative. Rooted in community, driven by creativity, made for impact. Offers events and community programming for mothers.
• Discount DanceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline dance retailer partner. SBDA provides discount dance store link with studio-specific teacher ID (27879) for student discounts on dancewear and supplies.
• Santa Barbara FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiscal sponsor for Move With Purpose non-profit, which partners with SBDA for scholarship funding.
• Old Spanish DaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Santa Barbara cultural event. Performers from Summer Solstice and Old Spanish Days have used SBDA studio space.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Peridance Center: NYC-based dance school offering open classes, certificate programs, youth divisions, and studio rentals. Comparable to SBDA as a multi-discipline dance education provider with tiered programming from beginner to pre-professional and parallel youth/adult tracks.
• Broadway Dance Center: New York City-based professional dance studio offering drop-in classes, intensives, children's programming, and studio rentals. Comparable to SBDA across recreational and pre-professional tracks, multi-style curriculum, and short-format workshop offerings.
• Arthur Murray International: Long-established franchised dance studio chain offering ballroom and social dance instruction. Comparable to SBDA in core business model (private/group lessons, membership programs, wedding dance services) with a global footprint and similar instructor-led delivery.
• Millennium Dance Complex: Major Los Angeles-based dance studio offering classes, master classes, studio rentals, and competitive training across multiple styles. Closely comparable to SBDA in product mix (multi-style classes, master classes with celebrity choreographers, performance/competition teams, and studio rentals).
• Fred Astaire Dance Studios: Largest franchised ballroom and social dance studio network in North America. Directly comparable to SBDA as a multi-location dance instruction business with subscription-based private and group lessons, performance programming, and wedding dance services.

Regional players

• ODC Dance Commons: San Francisco-based dance and performance campus combining a school, Company, and rental spaces. Comparable to SBDA in combining education, performance company, and facility rental under one community-focused brand in a high-cost California market.

Broad incumbents

• Club Pilates: Large franchised boutique fitness brand offering recurring class subscriptions. Comparable to SBDA in subscription-based group class economics, instructor-led delivery, and membership-driven revenue, though not directly competitive in dance content.

Others

• More Than Just Great Dancing!: Network of independently owned dance studios SBDA is affiliated with. Comparable as a peer set of similar-sized private dance studios sharing curriculum, branding, and best practices, providing useful valuation and operating benchmarks for the SBDA model.

Emerging players

• Debbie Allen Dance Academy: Los Angeles-based nonprofit dance education organization serving youth with multi-style curriculum and performance opportunities. Comparable to SBDA in mission-driven youth dance education, age-tiered programming, and emphasis on access/scholarships.
• The LAB Studios: Multi-purpose dance and movement studio offering classes, workshops, and rental space. Comparable to SBDA's rental and community-programming model, focused on inclusive access and breadth of class offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/alanadancer
• Instagraminstagram.com/sbdancearts
• Facebookfacebook.com/SantaBarbaraDanceArts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santa-barbara-dance-arts

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Santa Barbara Dance Arts