Margaret Jenkins Dance Company

What Margaret Jenkins Dance Company does

Margaret Jenkins Dance Company (MJDC) is a San Francisco-based nonprofit contemporary dance organization founded in 1973 by choreographer Margaret Jenkins. The company operates as a collaborative body of approximately nine dancer/collaborators working with writers, composers, and visual designers on original choreographic works. Over its 50+ year history, MJDC has created more than 90 works, performed nationally and internationally, and developed a distinctive collaborative studio process in which dancers serve as co-authors of each piece rather than as performers executing pre-set choreography.

The company's core offerings are live dance performances presented at Bay Area venues (Z Space, Presidio Theatre, de Young Museum, Paul Dresher Ensemble Studio) and through international touring. Its technical and artistic differentiators include long-standing collaborations with composer Paul Dresher (40+ years) who, with Daniel Schmidt, created invented musical instruments such as the Quadrachord and Hurdy Grande that blur the line between musician and dancer; and a sustained creative partnership with poet Michael Palmer since the company's founding. MJDC also operates two ongoing programs: CHIME (Choreographers in Mentorship Exchange, launched 2004) for emerging choreographers, and Encounters Over 60 for older practitioners. A 2024-2026 Legacy in Motion project is depositing the company's full archive at UC Berkeley Bancroft Library while producing a documentary and conducting oral histories with 30+ collaborators.

MJDC is funded through a mix of individual donations, foundation grants (Bernard Osher Foundation, Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, NEA, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, and ten other named funds), and ticket sales ($15-$50 per ticket). The organization has a staff of approximately four full-time administrative personnel plus the artistic director, with no commercial revenue model, no parent company or external ownership, and no disclosed annual financial figures. The company is governed by a five-member board and led by Executive Director Kegan Marling alongside founder-artistic director Margaret Jenkins.

Name

Margaret Jenkins Dance Company

Legal name

Margaret Jenkins Dance Company

Website

https://mjdc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Margaret Jenkins Dance Company is a San Francisco-based nonprofit contemporary dance organization founded in 1973, producing original collaborative choreographic works with live music for Bay Area audiences and international touring, supported by foundation grants and individual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental) (MPAGADAC), Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

Keywords

• Modern dance performances
• Contemporary dance company
• Choreographic commissions
• Dance education programs
• Performing arts nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Individual Giving: MJDC relies heavily on individual donor generosity to fund its projects, particularly the Legacy in Motion campaign. Donors at various levels contribute to the company's operations and specific initiatives.
2. Foundation and Corporate Grants: The company receives support from foundations including Bernard Osher Foundation, Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, Cathy and Jim Koshland Fund, Dianne and Daniel Vapnek Fund, John Pritzker Family Fund, John Sanger Family Foundation, Judith Brown Meyers Fund, Dr. Leonard & Chandra Gordon Fund, Nancy D. Lilly Fund, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, Stanlee Gatti Fund, and others.
3. Ticket Sales and Performance Revenue: MJDC generates revenue through ticket sales for live performances. Ticketed events include productions at venues like DZINE (128 Utah Street), Presidio Theatre, Z Space, and Paul Dresher Ensemble Studio, with ticket prices ranging from $15 (students) to $50 (support).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Margaret Jenkins Dance Company is a nonprofit contemporary dance organization that creates and tours original modern dance works, commissions choreography from other artists, and delivers dance education and community engagement programming. Its home venue, the Margaret Jenkins Dance Lab, supports rehearsals, performances, and residencies, while programs such as CHIME mentor emerging choreographers and Encounters Over 60 engages older adults in dance.

Product overview

The Margaret Jenkins Dance Company is a dance performance organization founded in 1973 by Margaret Jenkins. The company offers live dance performances featuring original choreographic works performed with live music, spoken word, and visual design elements. The product portfolio includes: (1) a core offering of dance performances ranging from full evening works to site-specific productions; (2) mentorship programs including CHIME (Choreographers in Mentorship Exchange) and Encounters Over 60; (3) the Legacy in Motion initiative (2024-2026) combining documentary film, oral history collection, and archival preservation at UC Berkeley Bancroft Library; and (4) an ongoing content series featuring conversations on artistic practice. The company operates from San Francisco and maintains collaborations with international artists from China, India, Israel, and Sweden.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Dance Performances Original modern dance works choreographed and performed by MJDC dancers and collaborators, presented to live audiences at the Margaret Jenkins Dance Lab and on tour. Aimed at individual arts audiences in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
• CHIME Choreographers' Mentorship Program A mentorship and residency program that supports emerging choreographers through studio time, artistic guidance, and development opportunities at the Dance Lab. Intended for early-career dance makers.
• Encounters Over 60 A community dance program tailored to adults over 60, offering movement-based engagement opportunities. Aimed at older adult community members in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Margaret Jenkins Dance Lab Studio Rental Rental of the Margaret Jenkins Dance Lab, the company's permanent studio facility, for rehearsals, classes, and performances. Serves the broader Bay Area dance community and visiting artists.
• Commissioned Choreographic Works Commissioned choreography created by outside artists in collaboration with MJDC, developed and presented at the Dance Lab. Aimed at institutional presenting partners and foundation funders who support new work.
• Dance Education and Outreach Programs Educational dance programming for students, community members, and adult learners, delivered through the Dance Lab and partner organizations. Aimed at learners and community members across age groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90+ works created and performed internationally over 50+ years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• UC Berkeley Bancroft LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMJDC's archival collection of notebooks, photographs, videos, programs, and other archival documentation will become part of UC Berkeley Bancroft Library's Western Americana Collection. The Bancroft Library is one of the largest and most heavily used libraries of manuscripts, rare books, and unique materials in the United States. Their stewardship will ensure materials are well cared for and fully accessible for generations to come.
• Tanusree Shankar Dance Company (India)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term international collaborative partner. Tanusree Shankar and her company have collaborated with MJDC across multiple projects spanning decades, including performances in India and the 'Other Suns' trilogy world premiere at YBCA (2009).
• Kolben Dance Company (Israel)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration with Amir Kolben and the Kolben Dance Company, including a month-long residency in Israel in 2013 and collaboration on a new work that premiered during MJDC's 40th Anniversary Season.
• Cross Move Lab (China/US)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaborator on Global Moves project, with Guanglei Hui (Artistic Director) and Yahui Lu (Resident Choreographer) working with MJDC dancers and participating in cross-cultural choreographic exchange.
• Ginkgo (Tokyo, Japan)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerModern dance company in Tokyo, Japan that has commissioned work from Margaret Jenkins.
• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYBCA has commissioned and presented multiple MJDC works including the complete 'Other Suns' trilogy world premiere in September 2009, and Jenkins served on YBCA's Board of Directors for six years.
• Paul Dresher EnsemblecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term creative partnership with composer Paul Dresher and the Paul Dresher Ensemble. Dresher has collaborated with MJDC for over 40 years, creating invented instruments and compositions for numerous works including Global Moves, Trace Figures, and Breathing at the Boundaries.
• de Young MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSan Francisco museum hosting MJDC performance of Wheel excerpts at the Osher Sculpture Garden on May 23, providing performance venue and audience access.
• Presidio TheatremajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSan Francisco performance venue that hosted the Global Moves production in June 2022.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ODC (Oberlin Dance Collective): San Francisco-based contemporary dance company with a long-running company and school, programming original modern works at local venues — directly comparable to MJDC in geography, contemporary-modern orientation, and venue-based presenting model.
• Alonzo King LINES Ballet: Bay Area contemporary ballet company producing original works with long-tenured collaborators and a focus on cross-disciplinary collaboration. Directly comparable as a San Francisco contemporary dance company with a sustainable institutional donor base.

Broad incumbents

• Mark Morris Dance Group: Established U.S. contemporary dance company with international touring, a school, and music-driven choreography. Comparable as a performing-arts nonprofit with foundation grant revenue and touring-based audience development.
• San Francisco Ballet: The largest and oldest professional ballet company in the U.S., based in San Francisco. Comparable as a Bay Area dance presenting organization with major institutional donor support, though its repertoire and scale are far larger than MJDC's.
• Paul Taylor Dance Company: Major American modern dance company with a 60+ year repertory and an associated school. Comparable to MJDC as a long-tenured U.S. modern dance organization with deep archival legacy and foundation-corporate-individual donor mix.
• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: Mid-size contemporary dance company with international choreographic commissions and a strong education/outreach arm. Comparable to MJDC as a contemporary dance nonprofit that combines touring seasons with community/mentorship programming.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Iconic American modern dance company with a large repertory, international touring, and a school. Comparable as a U.S. modern dance organization with national touring and a robust foundation-funded operating model, though at much greater scale.

Regional players

• Batsheva Dance Company: Israel's premier contemporary dance company with international touring and a repertory-based model. Comparable to MJDC as an internationally touring contemporary dance company; one of MJDC's documented collaboration partners (Kolben Dance Company is Israeli).

Others

• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA): San Francisco presenting institution that has commissioned and presented MJDC works (e.g., 'Other Suns' trilogy, 2009). Directly comparable as a venue/presenter in the same contemporary dance ecosystem, though not a producing peer.

Emerging players

• Pilobolus: Connecticut-based modern dance company known for collaborative choreographic creation and cross-disciplinary productions. Comparable to MJDC's collaborative process model and its use of invented/avant-garde visual staging.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/mjdanceco
• Facebookfacebook.com/mjdanceco
• Instagraminstagram.com/margaretjenkinsdanceco
• Xx.com/MJDanceCo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/margaret-jenkins-dance-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

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 Margaret Jenkins Dance Company