Movement Research
Movement Research is a New York City non-profit founded in 1978 that supports experimental dance through festivals, classes, workshops, residencies, and community engagement programs serving choreographers, dancers, and presenting audiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Movement Research does
Movement Research is a New York City-based non-profit organization founded in 1978 that supports experimental dance and movement-based artistic practice. It serves a community of choreographers, dancers, performing artists, students, and audiences through a portfolio of programs including performance festivals (notably the Movement Research Festival), classes, workshops, residencies, and the A.M.P. artist residency, supported by an associated publication and community engagement work.
Its core 'product' is curated live programming and artist development rather than a software platform. Programs share fixed infrastructure at the recently completed 122 Community Center (122CC) facility, which functions as the operational and presentation hub. There is no notable underlying technology stack or proprietary platform described in the available material — the organization's outputs are experiential (performances, classes, residencies, published writing) and the technology surface is conventional non-profit administrative and ticketing tooling.
Movement Research operates a diversified non-profit revenue model. Income is drawn from government grants, foundation grants, program and class fees, an annual gala, a 'Friends' individual giving program, and a separate capital campaign tied to the 122CC build-out. Its customer base is correspondingly heterogeneous: individual artists and students, presenting audiences, foundation and government funders, and individual donors — with no single fee-paying customer segment dominating earned revenue.
Movement Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Movement Research
- Legal name
- Movement Research, Inc.
- Website
- https://movementresearch.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Movement Research is a New York City non-profit founded in 1978 that supports experimental dance through festivals, classes, workshops, residencies, and community engagement programs serving choreographers, dancers, and presenting audiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Movement Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Services
- NAICS
- Dance Companies (71112), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental) (MPAGADAC), Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)
Keywords
Where Movement Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Movement Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Government Grants: Movement Research receives public funding from New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), Materials for the Arts (NYC program), and City Council Member Carlina Rivera.
- Foundation Support: Private foundation grants from Mellon Foundation, Harkness Foundation for Dance, Howard Gilman Foundation, James E. Robison Foundation, Jerome Foundation, Lotos Foundation, Marta Heflin Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, The New York Community Trust, Robert Rauschenberg Foundation, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Trust for Mutual Understanding, and Dance/NYC's New York City Dance Rehearsal Space Subsidy Program.
- Program Fees: Revenue from class cards, workshop registrations, and MELT intensive registrations. The organization offers sliding scale and subsidized pricing to maintain accessibility.
- Annual Gala: The annual Movement Research Gala serves as both a fundraising event and recognition ceremony, generating revenue through ticket sales and donations. The 2026 Gala takes place May 19 at Judson Church.
- Friends Program: Individual donor program called 'Friends of Movement Research' where individuals contribute financial support on an ongoing basis.
- Capital Campaign: Capital Campaign fundraising for the build-out of permanent studio spaces at 122 Cultural Center. The campaign aims to raise $200,000, with $22,000 remaining as of the most recent report.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Class Cards for ongoing classes and workshops |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | MELT Intensive Workshop Series |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Subsidized Rehearsal Space |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Movement Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Movement Research is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit artist services organization that delivers free and low-cost programming for experimental dance and movement-based artists, including ongoing classes and workshops, MELT summer and winter intensives, artist residencies, subsidized rehearsal space, performance series (MR at the Judson Church, Open Performance, Studies Projects), national and international exchange programs (MRX/GPS), and publications (Critical Correspondence and the Movement Research Performance Journal). Programming is delivered at its permanent home in 122 Cultural Center in New York City and at partner venues, supported by public and private foundation grants, individual donors, and program fees.
Product overview
Movement Research is a non-profit arts organization offering 11 interrelated core programs as a unified portfolio of services for experimental dance and movement-based artists. The core programs include: Classes & Workshops (daily drop-in classes and MELT summer/winter intensives), Performance Series (MR at the Judson Church, Open Performance, Studies Projects, GPS Chats), Artist Residencies (Artist-in-Residence program, A.M.P. Residency for disabled dance artists, Van Lier Fellowship), Exchange Programs (MRX and GPS global exchanges), Publications (Critical Correspondence web journal and Movement Research Performance Journal), Subsidized Rehearsal Space, Artists of Color Council, and the biannual Movement Research Festival. Programs are delivered at MR's home at 122 Cultural Center, Eden's Expressway, Judson Memorial Church, Danspace Project, and online. The organization provides free and low-cost access to support artists at all career stages through the entire arc of creative development from classes to performance to publication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Classes and Workshops Daily drop-in classes and workshops in technique, somatics, improvisation, and composition for professional dancers and non-dancers, including Feldenkrais, Klein Technique, Alexander Technique, and specialized series such as Sounding Body. Accessed via Class Cards (subscription) or single-class registration at subsidized rates.
- MELT Intensives Multi-week series of daily workshops held each summer and winter covering technique, somatics, improvisation, composition, and other areas of movement investigation, with registration fees and an associated MELT Event performance series.
- Artist Residencies Year-long creative research support including rehearsal space, mentorship, performance opportunities, and career development, including the Artist-in-Residence program and the Van Lier Emerging Artist of Color Fellowship.
- Access. Movement. Play. (A.M.P.) Residency First-of-its-kind national residency program designed by and for multi-marginalized disabled dance artists, housed in Movement Research's fully ADA-compliant studios at 122 Cultural Center.
- Exchange Programs (MRX/GPS) National and international exchange programs connecting movement-based artists: MRX (Movement Research Exchange) and GPS (Global Practice Sharing), facilitating artist residencies and exchanges with partners in countries including Sweden, Spain, Japan, Mexico, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Australia, Netherlands, France, and the MENA region.
- MR at the Judson Church Free Monday evening performance series presenting work-in-progress by artists, held at Judson Memorial Church, with open discussion between audience and artists following performances.
- Open Performance Monthly series for artists and students to present works-in-progress to small audiences, followed by open discussion of the work.
- Studies Projects Critically acclaimed discussion-based series featuring artists presenting work with moderator-led discourse on dance and movement-based forms.
Companies that use Movement Research
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Movement Research technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Movement Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.
- Judson Memorial ChurchcoreLong-term hosting partner for MR at the Judson Church performance series. Church has been a beacon for free spirits in the arts since 1892.
- Danspace ProjectcorePartnership venue for classes, workshops, and MELT intensives. Historic collaborator dating back to the Studies Project.
- 122 Cultural CentercoreMovement Research's permanent home since 2019. Organization moved into 122CC at 150 First Avenue as its first long-term dedicated space.
- Coalition of Small Arts NYCminorMovement Research is a member of this coalition supporting small arts organizations.
- Gibney Dance CentermajorFounding partner at Gibney Dance Center's Chamber Street location since 2014. Provides additional studio and class space.
- MoMAmajorMovement Research was hosted by MoMA in 2019 for programming during the Judson Dance Theater exhibition.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Movement Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club: East Village nonprofit nurturing experimental performing artists through residencies and productions. Comparable grant-funded artist-services model, NYC venue base, and commitment to free/subsidized access.
- New York Live Arts: Downtown NYC presenter of contemporary dance and performance, successor to the Dance Theater Workshop lineage. Comparable curatorial and residency programming serving overlapping artist communities.
- The Kitchen: Chelsea-based nonprofit presenting experimental performance across dance, music, video, and visual art. Comparable curatorial model, NYC venue base, and audience-overlap with MR's experimental programming.
- Performance Space New York: East Village nonprofit (formerly P.S.122) commissioning experimental live performance. Directly comparable artist-development focus and NYC experimental-performance audience overlap with MR's programming.
- Gibney: NYC dance and social-justice nonprofit operating studios, residencies, and performance programs across multiple locations. Shares MR's artist-services model, NYC studio infrastructure, and foundation-funding base.
- Danspace Project: NYC nonprofit presenting experimental dance through residencies, commissions, and publications at St. Mark's Church. Directly comparable platform and grant-funded model serving overlapping experimental-dance communities.
- Baryshnikov Arts Center: Hell's Kitchen residency and performance center supporting established and emerging artists. Comparable residency model and international artist-exchange programming.
- Abrons Arts Center: Lower East Side performing-arts venue and residency provider where MR previously operated. Shares MR's NYC studio-residency model and experimental-programming audience.
Broad incumbents
- Lower Manhattan Cultural Council: Larger NYC arts funder and workspace provider supporting residencies across disciplines. Comparable artist-services mandate at greater scale; MR has collaborated via shared space at 122CC and 55 Washington Square South.
Others
- Harkness Foundation for Dance: Private foundation that supports MR and other NYC dance organizations. Included as a key funding peer/ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, illustrating the funder ecosystem MR operates within.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Movement Research social profiles
Digital presenceMovement Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Movement Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Movement Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Movement Research 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 Movement Research
What does Movement Research do?
Movement Research is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit artist services organization that delivers free and low-cost programming for experimental dance and movement-based artists, including ongoing classes and workshops, MELT summer and winter intensives, artist residencies, subsidized rehearsal space, performance series (MR at the Judson Church, Open Performance, Studies Projects), national and international exchange programs (MRX/GPS), and publications (Critical Correspondence and the Movement Research Performance Journal). Programming is delivered at its permanent home in 122 Cultural Center in New York City and at partner venues, supported by public and private foundation grants, individual donors, and program fees.
Is Movement Research a public or private company?
Movement Research is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Movement Research founded?
Movement Research was founded in 1978. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Movement Research based?
Movement Research is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Movement Research make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Government Grants are the primary driver. The others are foundation Support, program Fees, annual Gala, friends Program and capital Campaign.
Who are Movement Research's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, New York Live Arts, The Kitchen, Performance Space New York, Gibney, Danspace Project, Baryshnikov Arts Center and Abrons Arts Center. Lower Manhattan Cultural Council is listed as a broad incumbent. Harkness Foundation for Dance is listed as an others.
Does Movement Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Movement Research.
What industry is Movement Research in?
Movement Research's product category is Performing Arts Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAHAB, Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music), with a secondary code of MPAGADAC, Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental). Its NAICS code is 71112 and its SIC code is 7900.