Dances Patrelle

What Dances Patrelle does

Dances Patrelle is a New York City-based nonprofit ballet company founded in 1988 by Francis Patrelle. The organization produces original and adapted ballet works that blend classical technique with theatrical storytelling, with its flagship production being The Yorkville Nutcracker — Francis Patrelle's uniquely New York City adaptation of the holiday classic set on Manhattan's Upper East Side in 1895 — now in its 30th anniversary season. The company serves two principal audiences: NYC families seeking holiday and cultural entertainment, and professional and emerging dancers (including a Children's Repertory Program for ages 6-13+).

The company's "products" are live theatrical performances. Its core production, The Yorkville Nutcracker, is staged at The Kaye Playhouse in December, with auditions for young performers held at Ballet Academy East. Beyond the flagship, the company maintains a library of dozens of original ballets by Francis Patrelle spanning literature, history, and fairy tales. The technical footprint is minimal: the website is hosted on Wix, there is no proprietary software or platform, and distribution is conducted via venue ticket sales and direct online booking.

The business model is a nonprofit performing arts model funded through ticket sales, donations, and fundraising (including a PayPal charity fundraiser and an annual Pearl Party gala). Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Marketing is driven by the company website, a publicist (Michelle Tabnick), email communications, and event-based promotion. Following Francis Patrelle's passing in 2025, Christopher Charles McDaniel was appointed Artistic Director, with stated intent to expand the repertoire while preserving theatrical standards. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and has no parent company, subsidiaries, or institutional investors.

Name

Dances Patrelle

Legal name

Dances Patrelle

Website

https://dancespatrelle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dances Patrelle is a New York City nonprofit ballet company founded in 1988 that produces original and adapted ballets, anchored by its signature 30-year annual production, The Yorkville Nutcracker, serving NYC family audiences and professional and emerging dancers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from sales of tickets to ballet performances, including The Yorkville Nutcracker annual production and other theatrical performances.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Nonprofit organization accepting donations via PayPal fundraiser to support operations and mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dances Patrelle is a nonprofit ballet company that produces and presents live theatrical ballet performances in New York City, anchored by its signature annual holiday production The Yorkville Nutcracker. The company also creates original ballets drawing on literature, history, and fairy tales, and runs a Children's Repertory Program that places young performers alongside professional dancers on stage.

Product overview

Dances Patrelle is a single-product nonprofit ballet company centered around its signature production, The Yorkville Nutcracker, Francis Patrelle's uniquely New York City adaptation of the holiday classic set in 1895 Manhattan. The company also creates original ballets blending classical technique with theatrical storytelling, and operates a Children's Repertory Program that provides performance opportunities for young artists alongside professionals. The portfolio is unified around the company's mission of bringing stories to life through dance, with The Yorkville Nutcracker serving as the anchor production celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Yorkville Nutcracker Francis Patrelle's iconic New York City adaptation of the holiday classic ballet, set on Manhattan's Upper East Side in 1895. The production features professional dancers performing alongside talented young artists and has become a cherished annual holiday tradition for NYC families.
• Original Ballet Productions Dozens of original ballets created and presented by the company that blend classical technique with theatrical storytelling, drawing inspiration from literature, history, fairy tales, and New York City themes.
• Children's Repertory Program Performance opportunities for young performers (ages 6–13+), directed by Becka Vargus as Children's Repertory Director, providing meaningful stage experience for emerging artists alongside professional dancers in company productions.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ballet Academy EastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBallet Academy East is where Christopher Charles McDaniel first met company founder Francis Patrelle as a teenager. The academy serves as the venue for all Nutcracker auditions and is a key partner in the company's talent development pipeline.
• Dance Theatre of HarlemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristopher Charles McDaniel began his ballet training at the Dance Theatre of Harlem School at age 10 and performed with the company, dancing leading roles. He also served as company teacher. Deep historical and personnel connection.
• School of American BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFollowing his performing career, Christopher Charles McDaniel joined the faculty of the School of American Ballet, one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the United States.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristopher Charles McDaniel served as company teacher for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, indicating professional collaboration in dance education and talent development.
• Trouble Maker: Public WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChristopher Charles McDaniel continues to collaborate on community engagement initiatives through Trouble Maker: Public Works, aligning with the company's community-focused mission.
• The Kaye PlayhousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Kaye Playhouse serves as the venue for The Yorkville Nutcracker 30th Anniversary Season performances, hosting the company's flagship annual production.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Dance Theatre of Harlem: NYC-based classical and contemporary dance company of comparable scale and nonprofit structure. Christopher Charles McDaniel trained and performed there, and both companies blend classical ballet technique with theatrical storytelling for NYC audiences.
• Paul Taylor Dance Company: NYC-based nonprofit dance company sustaining a founder's repertoire after his passing, providing a useful analog for Dances Patrelle's leadership-transition and legacy-management trajectory.
• Martha Graham Dance Company: NYC-based nonprofit dance company built around a founder's choreographic legacy and original works, mirroring Dances Patrelle's identity as a repository of one choreographer's theatrical storytelling.
• Mark Morris Dance Group: Mid-sized NYC-based nonprofit dance company with a substantial original repertoire and active education/outreach programming. Comparable in operating model and mix of ticketed performances plus community engagement.
• Complexions Contemporary Ballet: NYC-based contemporary dance company of comparable scale that combines classical technique with theatrical, narrative-driven work - closely aligned with Dances Patrelle's stated artistic positioning.
• Ballet Hispánico: NYC-based nonprofit dance company with a comparable mid-sized footprint, strong educational/outreach arm, and emphasis on original works. Operates in the same regional market with a similar donation-and-ticket revenue mix.
• New York Theatre Ballet: Small NYC-based nonprofit ballet company producing family-friendly and narrative-driven classical works for local audiences. Highly comparable in scale, regional footprint, and audience-development focus.

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Major NYC-based modern dance institution with national reach; McDaniel taught at its company school. A much larger incumbent in the same NYC dance ecosystem with overlapping talent networks.
• New York City Ballet: Dominant NYC-based classical ballet institution whose annual Nutcracker production is the principal market alternative to The Yorkville Nutcracker. Substantially larger in scale, budget, and audience reach.
• Joffrey Ballet: Major US ballet company operating a competing holiday Nutcracker production in a major metropolitan market. Comparable artistic product (classical Nutcracker) at substantially greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dancespatrelle
• Facebookfacebook.com/dancespatrelle
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dances-patrelle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Dances Patrelle