Bates Dance Festival

What Bates Dance Festival does

Bates Dance Festival (BDF) is a nonprofit summer dance education program and banner initiative of Bates College, founded in 1983 at the college's Lewiston, Maine campus. The festival operates a roughly six-week summer season offering intensive training programs for professional dancers, pre-professional teens, and youth ages 6-17, alongside artist residencies, a curated performance series, and community events. Its core products include the Professional Training Program (a three-week intensive for adults), the Young Dancers Intensive (ages 14-18, established 1996), and the Youth Arts Program (ages 6-17, established 1993). Since 1988, the festival has also functioned as an artist incubator, commissioning new work and providing residency time to choreographers such as Doug Varone, David Dorfman, Rennie Harris, Liz Lerman, Bebe Miller, Kyle Abraham, and Zoe|Juniper, several of whose Bates-originated projects have gone on to national and international touring.

The festival's business model combines three revenue streams: training program fees from participants, ticket sales from public performances, and charitable donations/institutional support. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and enrollment is direct-to-consumer via the festival's website. The festival is a member of the National Performance Network (since 2003), a founding member of the Africa Contemporary Arts Consortium, and has hosted international cultural exchange programs including the 1997 Triangle Arts Project with the Asian Cultural Council, New England Foundation for the Arts, and Saison Foundation. Marketing relies on owned digital channels (website, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Vimeo, YouTube, Constant Contact newsletter) plus earned media through trade publications such as Dance Magazine. The organization has 11-50 employees and is led by Director Shoshona Currier, who assumed the role in Fall 2017 after Laura Faure's 30-year tenure.

There is no proprietary technology platform underlying the festival's operations; it is an in-person, place-based arts education and performance organization. Its competitive position is grounded in 35+ years of curated commissioning history, a distinctive non-audition, residential community model that requires no competitive selection, and direct institutional backing from Bates College including access to campus facilities, dormitories, and dining common during summer months. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and no external investors are involved.

Name

Bates Dance Festival

Legal name

Bates Dance Festival

Website

https://batesdancefestival.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bates Dance Festival is a nonprofit summer dance training and performance program at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, serving professional dancers, teens, youth, and choreographers through residencies, classes, and a curated performance series since 1983.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Education & Training

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Summer dance training
• Contemporary dance festival
• Dance education programs
• Choreographic residency
• Youth arts instruction

Headquarters

HQ city

Lewiston

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Training Program Fees: Revenue generated from summer training programs including Professional Training Program, Young Dancers Intensive, Youth Arts Program, and specialized workshops for dancers of all ages and skill levels.
2. Performance Series: Public performances featuring innovative contemporary artists each summer, generating revenue through ticket sales.
3. Donations and Support: Support page exists on website indicating charitable donations and institutional support from supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Bates Dance Festival is a nonprofit summer dance festival and training program that delivers multi-week residential dance instruction to participants of all ages, alongside a public performance series and choreographic residencies. Core programs include the Professional Training Program (adults), Young Dancers Intensive (teens 14-18), and Youth Arts Program (children ages 6-17), supplemented by Artists-in-Residence opportunities and ticketed performances at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

Product overview

Bates Dance Festival is a summer dance festival offering multiple training programs for dancers of all ages and levels. The core offerings include the Professional Training Program (three-week intensive for adults), Young Dancers Intensive (for teens), and Youth Arts Program (for children ages 6-17). The festival also provides Artists in Residence programs, performance opportunities, and special events including BDFête. All programs emphasize community, collaboration, and artistic development without competitive pressure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Professional Training Program A three-week intensive summer training program for adult and pre-professional dancers providing daily classes, workshops, master classes, and performance opportunities with world-renowned faculty. For adult dancers and emerging professionals seeking advanced contemporary dance training.
• Young Dancers Intensive A summer dance training program for teens ages 14-18 providing high-quality contemporary dance instruction. Launched in 1996. For teen dancers seeking structured pre-professional training.
• Young Dancers Intensive: Extensions An extension of the Young Dancers Intensive providing additional training components for teen participants.
• Youth Arts Program (YAP) A three-week summer program for children ages 6-17 offering dance, music, and visual arts education, with students divided into groups by age. For young dancers and youth interested in multi-disciplinary arts.
• Artists in Residence Residency programs providing studio access, opportunities to work with Festival dancers and musicians, and informal showings with peer feedback. For choreographers and emerging artists developing new work.
• Performance Series A full summer Performance Series of innovative contemporary artists featuring gala concerts, Moving in the Moment, and the Musicians' Concert. For general audiences and the local community.
• BDFête An annual celebration and event within the festival programming for participants, supporters, and the community.

Quantifiable outcome

• Festival has operated for 35+ years, demonstrating sustained impact on the dance field
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Performance NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003In 2003, the Bates Dance Festival became a member of the National Performance Network, a partnership that connects artists with progressive presenters, arts organizations, and communities across the country. This membership provides touring and touring readiness support for artists.
• Triangle Arts ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997The Festival served as a key host site for the Triangle Arts Project in 1997, a collaborative program of the Asian Cultural Council, the New England Foundation for the Arts, and the Saison Foundation, dedicated to cultural exchange among Japan, the U.S., and Indonesia.
• Asian Cultural CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Partner in Triangle Arts Project (1997) dedicated to cultural exchange among Japan, U.S., and Indonesia, providing support for Asian artists to participate in the festival.
• New England Foundation for the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Partner in Triangle Arts Project (1997) supporting cultural exchange and providing foundational support for international artists.
• Saison FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Partner in Triangle Arts Project (1997) supporting cultural exchange among Japan, U.S., and Indonesia through funding and programming.
• Africa Contemporary Arts ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Festival is a founding member of The Africa Contemporary Arts Consortium and has been hosting artists from across the African continent for cultural exchange and artistic development.
• Bates CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBates Dance Festival is a banner program of Bates College. The college provides full backing, utilizing campus facilities during summer months. A new dance major at Bates College is raising the program's profile on campus and nationally.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mark Morris Dance Group: Mark Morris Dance Group operates a professional company and the Dance Center, offering classes, workshops, and community programs. Similar mission of contemporary dance performance combined with educational access.
• Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival: Jacob's Pillow is a summer-long dance festival in Becket, Massachusetts offering intensive training programs, artist residencies, and a performance series. It is the most direct comparison to Bates Dance Festival in mission, format, and audience.
• Perry-Mansfield Performing Arts School & Camp: A summer performing arts program in Steamboat Springs, CO offering dance, theater, and equine training for youth and teens. Comparable in seasonal residential format and youth-to-pre-professional pipeline serving young dancers.
• Pilobolus: Pilobolus is a Connecticut-based dance company with summer programming, residencies, and educational workshops. Comparable as a creative contemporary dance organization combining performance with intensive training.
• American Dance Festival: American Dance Festival, based at Duke University in Durham, NC, is a multi-week summer contemporary dance festival offering training programs, residencies, and performances. It competes for the same pool of choreographers, faculty, and serious pre-professional students.
• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago is a contemporary dance company with extensive education and outreach programs including summer intensives. Comparable in combining professional company work with training programs for emerging dancers.

Broad incumbents

• The Ailey School (Alvin Ailey): The Ailey School offers year-round professional-level dance training under the Alvin Ailey organization, including summer intensives. Broader dance institution with overlapping training focus but year-round, NYC-based delivery.
• Tisch School of the Arts (NYU Department of Dance): NYU Tisch's dance programs offer BFA, MFA, and summer intensive tracks for contemporary dance. Comparable in combining rigorous contemporary dance training with summer programming for emerging professionals.
• Juilliard Dance Division: Juilliard's Dance Division is a premier conservatory-style dance program offering BFA and certificate tracks. Comparable as a top-tier dance training institution, though serving degree-seeking students rather than short-format summer training.

Emerging players

• Cal Performances / UC Berkeley Dance Residency Programs: University-affiliated performing arts presenter offering residencies, commissions, and educational programming with leading contemporary choreographers. Comparable as a university-anchored presenter integrating training, residencies, and performances.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/batesdancefest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BatesDanceFestival
• Facebookfacebook.com/BatesDanceFestival
• Instagraminstagram.com/batesdancefestival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bates-dance-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bates Dance Festival