Boston Dance Theater

What Boston Dance Theater does

Boston Dance Theater (BDT), founded in 2019 and incorporated as a Massachusetts nonprofit (Boston Dance Theater, Inc.), is a contemporary dance repertory company headquartered in Medford, MA. The organization produces professional contemporary dance performances, educational/training programs (Trainee Program, Summer Immersion Project, Public Classes at Mosesian Center for the Arts), and community engagement initiatives. Its signature program, SURGE, is a 45-minute participatory dance work that integrates climate-change science through collaboration with Dr. Larry J. Pratt of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, with the accompanying SURGE Fellowship providing paid two-month residencies for BIPOC movement artists in coastal communities vulnerable to sea level rise.

BDT serves a hybrid audience: professional dance artists seeking full-time employment with touring opportunities, advanced dance students ages 18+ seeking intensive training, general arts patrons in the Boston region, and BIPOC community members in coastal geographies. The company's revenue model is multi-stream and typical of small performing-arts nonprofits: ticket sales from live performances, individual donations via a 'BDT Friend Circle' ($5/month recurring to $200+ one-time), tuition from the Trainee Program ($13,000/year) and Summer Immersion Project ($600), and institutional grants from sources including the National Endowment for the Arts, The Boston Foundation, and partner venue organizations.

The company operates with 1-10 employees, tours domestically (Jacob's Pillow, Mosesian Center for the Arts, deCordova Sculpture Park, Hibernian Hall) and internationally (Copenhagen's Bellevue Theater; Germany), and is led by founder and co-artistic director Jessie Jeanne Stinnett, a Climate Reality Leader and Trinity Laban MFA. Partnerships with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, The Yard, The Trustees of Reservations, Boston Center for the Arts, and Boston Dance Alliance provide rehearsal space, production support, and funding infrastructure otherwise unavailable to a micro nonprofit.

Name

Boston Dance Theater

Legal name

Boston Dance Theater, Inc.

Website

https://bostondancetheater.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Boston Dance Theater is a Medford, MA-based nonprofit contemporary dance repertory company offering professional performances, dancer training programs, and the SURGE arts+science climate initiative serving coastal communities and Boston-area arts patrons.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Contemporary Dance

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental) (MPAGADAC), Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ), Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance performances
• Professional dance training
• Dance education programs
• Arts science collaboration
• Community dance outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

Medford

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales/Performance Revenue: Revenue from live dance performances and events open to the public
2. Donations and Contributions: Individual donations through the BDT Friend Circle and general support campaigns
3. Educational Program Tuition: Revenue from Trainee Program ($13,000/year) and Summer Immersion Project ($600)
4. Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from National Endowment for the Arts, Boston Foundation, and other institutional donors for SURGE and other programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Boston Dance Theater is a contemporary dance repertory company that produces live dance performances and operates professional dancer training programs. It runs the full-time Trainee Program, the week-long Summer Immersion Project (SIP) for advanced dancers, and public dance classes at Mosesian Center for the Arts. The company also operates the SURGE Fellowship and SURGE Performance, an arts+science+climate initiative developed in collaboration with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, addressing sea level rise and coastal impacts.

Product overview

Boston Dance Theater operates as a contemporary dance company offering a portfolio of programs including professional performances, training programs, and community engagement initiatives. The core offerings include the Trainee Program (full-time professional dancer training with touring opportunities) and Summer Immersion Project (intensive week-long training for adult dancers). The SURGE Fellowship and SURGE Performance represent the company's environmental/climate-focused initiative combining dance with science and community engagement. Additional offerings include public classes, open call auditions, and educational programming for coastal communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trainee Program

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Trustees of ReservationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for SURGE Fellowship pilot in East Boston (2022) and SURGE MV on Martha's Vineyard (2024). Provided venues including Piers Park and deCordova Sculpture Park for performances.
• The YardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator for SURGE MV Coastal Community Fellowship taking place on Martha's Vineyard in 2024.
• Woods Hole Oceanographic InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience collaborator providing access to researchers and virtual presentations for the SURGE Sea Level Rise project. Dr. Larry J. Pratt serves as Lead Science Collaborator.
• Jacob's PillowminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPresented Boston Dance Theater on their Henry J. Leir outdoor stage in August 2022 where an excerpt of SURGE was performed.
• Boston Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided 6 weeks of rehearsal space, technical and production support for in-progress showings, admin and marketing support for public workshops, rehearsal fees for dancers, choreographer stipend. Hosted Boston Dancemakers Residency.
• Boston Dance AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided 3-day retreat at Jacob's Pillow including transportation, housing, per diem, and rehearsal fees for dancers, Stinnett, and Pratt.
• Vineyard Arts ProjectminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvided one-week rehearsal residency on their Martha's Vineyard campus during summer 2021.
• MAGMA (Movement Arts Gloucester)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvided subsidized rehearsal space in their studio during summer 2021.
• Massachusetts Rivers AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented with BDT an artist talk with Stinnett about SURGE.
• TEDxCambridgeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPresented Stinnett's choreography for their 2019 salon at WBUR's City Space.
• Brookline Ballet SchoolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides subsidized space rental for the creation of new works.
• Hibernian HallminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHosts an immersive residency led by Stinnett for college-age dance students in Roxbury.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mark Morris Dance Group: Internationally touring contemporary dance repertory company with a strong educational and community engagement arm. Closely comparable to BDT in repertory-driven contemporary programming, dancer training, and multi-channel mission.
• Pilobolus: Innovative contemporary dance company known for experimental, collaborative choreography and educational programs. Comparable to BDT in its emphasis on original contemporary work, training offerings, and unconventional performance formats.
• Paul Taylor Dance Company: Established contemporary dance repertory company performing modern masterworks and new commissions. Comparable to BDT in operating as a touring repertory company built around commissioned contemporary choreography.
• Martha Graham Dance Company: Iconic contemporary dance repertory company with a large back catalog and active commissioning program. Comparable to BDT in its repertory-driven contemporary model and educational/outreach programming.
• Urban Bush Women: Contemporary dance company that integrates social commentary and community activation into its performances. Closely parallels BDT's use of dance to address civic and environmental issues and engage under-represented coastal/urban communities.
• Camille A. Brown & Dancers: Contemporary dance company producing narrative, culturally rooted work with strong educational and community engagement programming. Comparable to BDT in scale, mission, and integration of community-facing work alongside repertory.
• STREB Extreme Action: Experimental action-driven dance company producing original, non-traditional performances with strong public engagement. Comparable to BDT in its experimental/contemporary approach and emphasis on participatory, site-specific work.

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Large, established contemporary dance company with broad repertory, extensive touring, and major educational programs. Relevant as a much larger incumbent shaping the same market for contemporary dance and dancer training in the U.S.
• Boston Ballet: Major Boston-based dance institution that dominates local performance, training, and donor mindshare. Sets the regional competitive context for BDT's contemporary programming in the Boston/New England market.

Regional players

• The Yard: Martha's Vineyard-based dance and performing arts presenter that hosts residencies and community programming. Directly comparable because it is BDT's active partner on SURGE MV and operates in the same Martha's Vineyard ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/bostondancetheater
• Instagraminstagram.com/bostondancetheater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boston-dance-theater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Boston Dance Theater