Martha Graham
The Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance operates the oldest U.S. professional dance company, school, and licensing program built around a proprietary 181-ballet repertoire and trademarked technique, serving professional companies, 100+ universities, and global audiences through performances, licensing, and donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1926
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Martha Graham does
Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance (operating as Martha Graham Dance Company) is a New York-based nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1926 and the oldest professional dance company in the United States. Its core product is the performance of a 181-ballet repertoire built around the proprietary Martha Graham Technique — a contraction-and-release movement methodology trademarked by the Center — supported by continuous commissioning of new works from contemporary choreographers. The organization is structured as a federation of wholly owned operating units: the Martha Graham Dance Company (professional touring ensemble), the Martha Graham School (the oldest professional dance school in the U.S.), Graham 2 (pre-professional second company), and Martha Graham Resources (licensing and archives).
The business model is multi-stream and characteristic of a mid-tier nonprofit arts institution. Performance revenue is generated through ticket sales at major U.S. venues (Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center) and international touring across more than 50 countries, with bookings handled by Rena Shagan Associates in North America and Opus 3 Artists globally. Licensing revenue comes from fees paid by 100+ colleges/universities and professional companies (including American Ballet Theatre, Paul Taylor Dance Company, and Royal Ballet of Flanders) to stage Graham reconstructions, augmented by archive research fees ($100–$150). Donations are a critical revenue layer, organized through the GRAHAM100 tiered membership ($100–$10,000) and Patreon subscriptions. Facility revenue is generated by renting six state-of-the-art dance studios at the new 1501 Broadway headquarters. Customer segments split across B2B (professional dance companies, higher education institutions, high schools), B2C (performing arts audiences, dance students), and philanthropic supporters. The organization is currently in the culminating season of its three-year 100th anniversary celebration (2025–26) and has no venture capital or private equity backing; it is governed by a Board of Trustees led by Co-Chairs Javier Morgado and Barbara Cohen, with LaRue Allen (President/ED) and Janet Eilber (Artistic Director) in operational leadership since 2005.
Martha Graham firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Martha Graham
- Legal name
- Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance
- Website
- https://marthagraham.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1926
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance operates the oldest U.S. professional dance company, school, and licensing program built around a proprietary 181-ballet repertoire and trademarked technique, serving professional companies, 100+ universities, and global audiences through performances, licensing, and donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Martha Graham industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts / Dance Company
- NAICS
- Dance Companies (71112), Dance Companies (711120), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (7115), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
- 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), Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD)
Keywords
Where Martha Graham is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Martha Graham business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Performance Revenue: Revenue from ticket sales for performances at venues across the US and internationally, including touring engagements at major venues such as the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and international locations.
- Donations and Membership: Donations through the GRAHAM100 campaign with tiered membership ($100-$10,000+) offering exclusive access to behind-the-scenes rehearsals, private events, cocktail hours with artistic leadership, and dress rehearsals. Includes Patreon subscriptions.
- Licensing Fees: Revenue from licensing Graham ballets to professional dance companies, colleges, universities, and high schools. Professional licensing includes top-level regisseurs and reconstruction materials. Research fees of $150 for film/photographs licensing and $100 for on-site archive access.
- Studio Rentals: Rental of six state-of-the-art dance studios suitable for classes, auditions, seminars, lectures, rehearsals, and photo shoots. May qualify for NYSCA subsidized hours for New York State dance companies.
- Booking Fees: Revenue from booking the company for performances, master classes, film screenings, gallery shows, lectures, and workshops at various venues.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | GRAHAM100 Membership Tiers ranging from $100 to $10,000 |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels6 records
Martha Graham product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance operates the oldest professional dance company in the United States (founded 1926), producing and touring Graham masterworks and new commissioned contemporary dance performances. The organization also runs the oldest professional school of dance in the U.S. (Martha Graham School), a pre-professional second company (Graham 2), and a licensing division (Martha Graham Resources) that licenses 181 Graham ballets along with reconstruction materials to professional companies and educational institutions.
Product overview
The Martha Graham Dance Company offers a portfolio of interconnected performing arts products and services. At its core is the professional dance company (the oldest in the U.S.), which performs both Graham masterworks and newly commissioned works through its touring/booking services. The company is supported by the Martha Graham School (training) and Graham 2 (pre-professional development). Revenue-generating products include the licensing program through Martha Graham Resources (licensing ballets to other companies and institutions), studio rentals at their Midtown headquarters, and the GRAHAM100 sub-brand encompassing the 100th anniversary celebration with its global Lamentation Variations project. All offerings are unified by the preservation and continuation of Martha Graham's artistic legacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Martha Graham Dance Company The oldest professional dance company in the United States, performing Graham masterworks and new works by contemporary choreographers. The company tours nationally and internationally.
- Martha Graham School The oldest professional school of dance in the United States and the only one primarily focused on the Martha Graham Technique and repertory. Provides training in the Graham Technique for beginning, intermediate, and advanced students.
- Graham 2 A pre-professional company and second company of the Martha Graham Dance Company, providing training and performance opportunities for emerging dancers as a development pipeline to the main Company.
- Martha Graham Resources Licensing Program Licenses Graham ballets (181 works) to professional dance companies, colleges, universities, and high schools. Provides professional regisseurs, reconstruction materials, Noguchi sets/props rental, and company-quality costumes. Also provides archival research access (film, photographs) at fixed research fees.
- Lamentation Variations An ongoing creative project where choreographers create short dances inspired by Martha Graham's iconic solo Lamentation. Performances are shown with a film of Graham followed by three variations.
- Booking and Touring Services Domestic, national, and international touring services for presenting the Graham Company at venues, supplemented by auxiliary events such as master classes, film screenings, gallery shows, lectures, and workshops.
- Studio Rentals Rental of six state-of-the-art dance studios at the 1501 Broadway Midtown Manhattan headquarters, suitable for classes, auditions, yoga, Pilates, seminars, lectures, rehearsals, and photo shoots. NYSCA subsidized hours are available for qualifying New York State dance companies.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 400 dancers have performed as members of the Company since founding in 1926
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Martha Graham
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Martha Graham technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Martha Graham partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PHILADANCO!coreA collaboration for 'in case of fire, speak' choreographed by Tommie Waheed-Evans, featuring four Graham dancers and four from PHILADANCO!. The work is inspired by Graham's 'American Document' (1938) which premiered in reaction to the rise of fascism in Europe. Partnership with ArtPhilly.
- Long Beach OperacoreA three-season collaboration with Long Beach Opera as part of GRAHAM100 celebration, including productions such as 'The Feast' starring countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński and creative projects with Artistic Director Janet Eilber.
- PBScoreDocumentary in development with PBS as part of GRAHAM100 celebration documenting Martha Graham's legacy and the Company's 100th anniversary.
- NYC Dance ProjectminorBook by NYC Dance Project featuring today's Graham dancers and archival photos from the past 100 years as part of GRAHAM100 celebration.
- Chapman UniversityminorChapman University's College of Performing Arts and Musco Center for the Arts collaboration where dance students will perform alongside Chapman's orchestra. Dean Anne Hogan leads this interdisciplinary initiative as part of the University's strategic vision.
- American Ballet TheatrecoreProfessional licensing partner that has licensed Graham masterworks for their productions with professional regisseurs and reconstruction materials provided by Martha Graham Resources.
- Paul Taylor Dance CompanycoreProfessional licensing partner that has licensed Graham masterworks with professional regisseurs and reconstruction materials provided by Martha Graham Resources.
- Royal Ballet of FlanderscoreInternational professional licensing partner that has licensed Graham masterworks for their productions.
- Graham/Noguchi CollaborationcoreSet exhibitions celebrating the artistic partnership between Martha Graham and Isamu Noguchi, featuring iconic sets and props from Graham's ballets.
- New York Public Library for the Performing ArtsminorExhibition at NYPL for the Performing Arts as part of GRAHAM100 celebration showcasing the Company's legacy.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Martha Graham competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Pilobolus: A smaller but innovative dance company with strong commercial licensing and educational programming. Comparable in scale and in monetizing IP through licensing, though with a markedly different creative style.
Direct peers
- Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: The other flagship American modern dance company, founded in 1958 and based in New York. Operates a parallel structure of a professional touring company, school (The Ailey School), and pre-professional second company — directly comparable to Martha Graham's Company/School/Graham 2 architecture.
- Paul Taylor Dance Company: A leading American modern dance company and one of Martha Graham's named licensing partners. Operates a touring company, school, and licensing/educational programming, competing for the same audiences, donors, and higher-ed licensing relationships.
- José Limón Dance Foundation: Another foundational American modern dance company, founded by a Graham contemporary. Operates a touring company and educational programming around a signature technique and repertoire — directly comparable artistic and operational model to Martha Graham.
- Merce Cunningham Trust: The post-legacy organization stewarding Merce Cunningham's choreography, technique, and digital archives through licensing and education. A direct peer in IP monetization, technique preservation, and licensing to professional and educational institutions.
- Mark Morris Dance Group: A major American modern dance company with a robust school and educational outreach. Competes for the same touring venues, school enrollees, and donor base as Martha Graham's New York-based operations.
- Trisha Brown Dance Company: Post-legacy contemporary dance company stewarding Trisha Brown's choreography and technique. Operates a parallel licensing/educational program and was previously led by LaRue Allen — providing both artistic and management comparability.
- American Ballet Theatre: A major American ballet company and named Graham licensing partner. Competes for the same touring venues, premium ticket buyers, and higher-ed dance programs, while also being a customer through Martha Graham Resources licensing.
Broad incumbents
- New York City Ballet: A larger, more broadly commercial performing arts institution at Lincoln Center. Competes for premier New York performance venues, donors, and touring audiences, but operates a much larger scale and primarily classical-ballet repertoire.
Others
- Juilliard School Dance Division: The preeminent dance education institution where Artistic Director Janet Eilber trained and now collaborates. Functions as both a feeder for Graham talent and a partner for cross-institutional educational programming (e.g., the Chapman University cross-disciplinary initiative).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Martha Graham social profiles
Digital presenceMartha Graham financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Martha Graham leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Martha Graham subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Martha Graham funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Martha Graham M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Martha Graham
What does Martha Graham do?
The Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance operates the oldest professional dance company in the United States (founded 1926), producing and touring Graham masterworks and new commissioned contemporary dance performances. The organization also runs the oldest professional school of dance in the U.S. (Martha Graham School), a pre-professional second company (Graham 2), and a licensing division (Martha Graham Resources) that licenses 181 Graham ballets along with reconstruction materials to professional companies and educational institutions.
Is Martha Graham a public or private company?
Martha Graham is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Martha Graham founded?
Martha Graham was founded in 1926. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Martha Graham based?
Martha Graham is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Martha Graham make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Performance Revenue is the primary driver. The others are donations and Membership, licensing Fees, studio Rentals and booking Fees.
Who are Martha Graham's main competitors?
Pilobolus is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Paul Taylor Dance Company, José Limón Dance Foundation, Merce Cunningham Trust, Mark Morris Dance Group, Trisha Brown Dance Company and American Ballet Theatre. New York City Ballet is listed as a broad incumbent. Juilliard School Dance Division is listed as an others.
Does Martha Graham have an API?
No public API is recorded for Martha Graham.
What industry is Martha Graham in?
Martha Graham's product category is Performing Arts / Dance Company. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGADAB, Contemporary & Modern Dance, with a secondary code of MPAGADAC, Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental). Its NAICS code is 71112.