Shawl-Anderson Dance Center

What Shawl-Anderson Dance Center does

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center (SADC) is a 501c3 nonprofit dance education organization founded in 1958 in Berkeley, California by Frank Shawl and Victor Anderson. It operates two physical locations — a flagship studio at 2704 Alcatraz Ave in Berkeley (with three studios including a marley floor and sprung sub-floor system) and a satellite at BANDALOOP Studios (1601 18th Street) in Oakland — and serves participants from approximately 1.5 years old through adults. The organization runs a Youth & Teen Program (creative movement, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, K-Pop, and specialty intensives; ~500+ students) and an Adult Program (50+ weekly drop-in classes and multi-week courses across 11+ dance styles including modern, ballet, belly dance, Afro dance, yoga, and Pilates). Beyond instruction, SADC operates a fiscal sponsorship program supporting 40+ independent artists and small dance organizations, an Artist in Residency Program in partnership with the Black Choreographers Festival and Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival, and signature events including the Queering Dance Festival (founded 2019), Summer Salon, and Dance Up Close/East Bay.

SADC's revenue model combines youth semester tuition ($440–$1,000 per 16-week semester), adult drop-in classes ($15–$28) and a Monthly Unlimited subscription ($300/month), summer camps and intensives ($500–$800), donations and fundraising (Future Movers Fund, Warry Millar Scholarship, Victor Anderson Scholarship, Stephanie Jacob Scholarship, and the 'Meet Us on the Dance Floor' capital campaign), fiscal sponsorship administrative fees on 40+ sponsored artists, event ticket sales, and studio space rentals. Customer acquisition is direct-to-consumer via the Momence registration platform, supported by Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, a weekly email newsletter, community partnerships with Berkeley High School, El Cerrito High School, College Prep, Saint Mary's College of California, AileyCamp, and a referral partnership with Bay Area Dancewear. Financial accessibility is maintained through Work Exchange (WEX), Discounted Training Program (DTP), College Student Incentive, and multiple scholarship funds. The technology stack is entirely third-party: Momence (registration), Stripe (payments), Bloomerang (donations), and Qgiv (event ticketing).

The center is governed by a 7-member Board of Directors and transitioned in January 2025 to a co-leadership model under Co-Executive Directors Suhaila Salimpour (Education and Operations; also Board Chair) and Jill Randall (Finance and Staff Support). The organization is independent and community-based with no parent company or venture backing (EIN: 94-1630594), sustained by a mix of earned program revenue, philanthropic donations, and grants. SADC holds 60+ years of brand history and multiple industry recognitions including the Isadora Duncan Award for Sustained Achievement (1990), Ruth Beckford Award (2001), Goldie Lifetime Achievement Award (2012), and a 2024 Gerbode Foundation Grant. The center has 11–50 employees and a faculty of 40+ teaching artists.

Name

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center

Legal name

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center

Website

https://shawl-anderson.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center is a 501c3 nonprofit dance school founded in 1958 in Berkeley, California, serving youth, teens, and adults through semester classes, summer intensives, fiscal sponsorship, and signature festivals across two East Bay locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD), Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI), Dance Fitness Classes (e.g., Zumba) (HSADABAD)

Keywords

• Dance education
• Youth dance classes
• Adult dance programs
• Performing arts studio
• Artist fiscal sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Dance Class Tuition: Primary revenue stream from semester-based and drop-in class fees for youth, teen, and adult dance programs. Youth tuition ranges $440-$520 per semester; adult classes $15-$28 per session; Monthly Unlimited subscription $300/month.
2. Summer Programs: Revenue from summer camps, intensives, and workshops. Dance Playground $500, Dance Jam $750, Teen Ballet Intensive $750, High School Intensives $800.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Donations to various scholarship funds including Future Movers Fund, Warry Millar Scholarship, Victor Anderson Scholarship, Stephanie Jacob Scholarship. Studio flooring campaign 'Meet Us on the Dance Floor'. EIN: 94-1630594.
4. Fiscal Sponsorship Services: Administrative infrastructure support for independent artists, choreographers, and small dance organizations. Provides tax-deductible contribution handling, grant application support, and organizational development services for a network of 40+ sponsored artists.
5. Event Revenue: Ticket sales for produced events including Summer Salon performances (August 1, 2026), SHOUT IN THE DARK (July 18-19, 2026), and Dance Up Close/East Bay series.
6. Space Rental: Studio space rental for external events and performances. Class packs and course registrations can be applied toward space rental through WEX program.
7. Community Donations (In-Kind): Approximately $3,000 annually contributed in in-kind donations to schools and non-profit organizations throughout the Bay Area through auction items and fundraiser support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center is a 501c3 nonprofit dance studio founded in 1958 that provides dance education for youth (ages 1.5-18), teens, and adults through semester-based and drop-in classes across 11+ dance styles. The center also produces performance events including the Queering Dance Festival, Summer Salon, and Dance Up Close/East Bay series, and operates a fiscal sponsorship program supporting 40+ independent dance artists and small organizations with administrative infrastructure.

Product overview

Shawl-Anderson Dance Center (SADC) is a Berkeley-based 501c3 nonprofit dance studio founded in 1958, offering a comprehensive suite of dance education and community programs. The organization operates two core educational programs: the Youth & Teen Program (serving ages 1.5-18 with semester classes, trial options, and summer camps/intensives) and the Adult Program (50+ weekly offerings for all skill levels). Beyond traditional class instruction, SADC produces signature events including the annual Queering Dance Festival, Summer Salon performances, and the Dance Up Close/East Bay presenting series. The center also supports the broader dance community through a Fiscal Sponsorship Program for independent artists and an Artist in Residency Program partnering with the Black Choreographers Festival and Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival. Financial accessibility is supported through multiple aid programs including scholarships, work exchange, and discounted training options. SADC maintains a podcast, Studio 5, and operates from two locations: the flagship Berkeley studio and BANDALOOP Studios in Oakland.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Expanded from 6 to 11 dance styles per week between 2019-2024
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Black Choreographers FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSADC has partnered with BCF since 2016 to select one or two artists annually for residency. Artists receive 25 hours of studio space and a stipend. The 2026 Artist in Residence is Marianna Hester.
• Bay Area International Deaf Dance FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFestival began at SADC building and now flourishes throughout Bay Area. SADC partners with Antoine Hunter (founder/director) to offer summer residency with 50 hours of space and stipend toward the festival.
• Saint Mary's College of CaliforniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBFA and MFA program partnership. Faculty members Dana Lawton (Full Professor) and Rogelio Lopez teach at the college. SADC hosts student internships and practicums.
• BANDALOOPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpace sharing partnership providing wheelchair-accessible facilities at 1601 18th Street, Oakland. Offers adult classes, youth classes, Winter Dance workshop, and Queering Dance Festival rehearsals. BANDALOOP Artistic Director Melecio Estrella teaches at SADC.
• Family Matters/Elizabeth HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership providing dance programming access for families served by Family Matters/Elizabeth House.
• Berkeley High SchoolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal high school dance program connection and student pipeline to SADC programming.
• El Cerrito High SchoolminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal high school dance program connection and student pipeline to SADC programming.
• College PrepminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal independent school dance program connection and student pipeline to SADC programming.
• AileyCampminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPipeline partnership connecting AileyCamp participants with SADC programming.
• Bay Area DancewearminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNewest partnership with locally woman-owned business serving East Bay dance shoe and attire needs. Bay Area Dancewear gives back to SADC when customers mention the center.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ODC: San Francisco-based dance organization operating the ODC Dance Commons, offering classes, performances, and a residency program. Direct peer as the closest comparable Bay Area dance education and presenting organization with a similar dual-focus model (school + company/presenting).
• Alonzo King LINES Ballet: San Francisco-based ballet company with LINES Ballet BFA program and community classes at their Dogpatch facility. Direct peer as a Bay Area dance education and performance company with similar offerings to professional and pre-professional dancers.
• Luna Dance Institute: Berkeley-based nonprofit focused on dance education for children, educators, and families with emphasis on equity and inclusion. Direct peer sharing Berkeley geography, nonprofit model, child-centric programming, and DEIA focus aligned with SADC's Queering Dance Festival and inclusive programming.
• Mark Morris Dance Group: Brooklyn-based dance organization with a major dance center offering classes for all ages, professional company, and community programs. Direct peer as a long-established, multi-discipline dance education and performance organization with comparable structure of school + company + community programs.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater / Ailey Extension: NYC-based iconic dance institution offering Ailey Extension adult classes, Ailey School for pre-professionals, and the Alvin Ailey company. Direct peer as a globally recognized dance education organization with comparable youth-to-adult pipeline and community programming model.
• Joffrey Ballet School: NYC-based ballet school offering open adult classes, children's programs, and pre-professional training. Direct peer as a multi-discipline dance school with comparable youth track (Creative Movement through teen), adult drop-in classes, and intensive summer programs.
• Peridance Capezio Center: NYC-based dance center offering open classes for all ages and levels across multiple styles plus pre-professional programs. Direct peer as a long-established multi-style dance school with drop-in/class-pack pricing and teacher-training pipelines.

Emerging players

• AXIS Dance Company: Oakland-based physically integrated dance company that creates and performs work integrating disabled and non-disabled dancers. Emerging player in the same inclusive/deaf-accessible dance space as SADC's BANDALOOP programming and Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival partnership.

Regional players

• Margaret Jenkins Dance Company: San Francisco-based contemporary dance company with education/outreach programming and studio at Fort Mason. Regional peer in Bay Area contemporary dance ecosystem with comparable presenting and educational programming.

Broad incumbents

• Berkeley Repertory Theatre: Major Tony Award-winning regional theater in Berkeley offering performances and education programs. Broad incumbent in the same Berkeley performing-arts ecosystem with overlapping donor base, school partnerships, and community programming audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ShawlAnderson
• Instagraminstagram.com/shawlanderson
• TikToktiktok.com/place/Shawl-Anderson-Dance-Center-22535796489427603?lang=sv-SE
• Xx.com/shawlanderson
• Facebookfacebook.com/shawlanderson
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shawl-anderson-dance-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Shawl-Anderson Dance Center