What See Chicago Dance does

See Chicago Dance (SCD) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit service organization founded in 2005 in Chicago that operates as the central information and marketing platform for the city's dance community. Its flagship product is SeeChicagoDance.com, a community-sourced website that aggregates event listings, reviews, and promotional content for over 400 dance artists and organizations, serving as what SCD describes as one of the largest websites in the United States dedicated to dance. The platform was completely overhauled in early 2025 and is paired with a monthly eNewsletter, weekly Hot Deals email feed, dedicated e-blasts, sponsored social posts, and a physical Flyer Distribution Program reaching 65 cultural locations across 22 Chicagoland neighborhoods.

The organization produces Chicago Dance Month, an annual June citywide celebration now in its 13th season (2026), featuring performances at Navy Pier, neighborhood workshops via the NeighborhoodMOVES program, and a print brochure distributed throughout the region. SCD also runs free membership for individual artists, companies, and organizations, quarterly community convenings, and a Dance Writing Program staffed by roughly eight contributing writers and editors.

Revenue is generated through a mix of charitable donations and foundation grants (institutional funders include the City of Chicago DCASE, Illinois Arts Council, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, and The Service Club of Chicago), advertising sales (banner ads, homepage features, sponsored posts, social media ads, and a tiered Chicago Dance Month brochure sponsorship program ranging from $80 to $2,500), and an NBC5/Telemundo Chicago media partnership. Membership is free, and SCD operates with 1–10 employees.

Name

See Chicago Dance

Legal name

See Chicago Dance

Website

https://seechicagodance.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

See Chicago Dance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating SeeChicagoDance.com, a community-sourced platform serving 400+ Chicago dance artists, organizations, and thousands of ticket buyers, along with the annual Chicago Dance Month festival and advertising, membership, and convening programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing arts and dance community services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

Keywords

• Nonprofit dance services
• Performing arts marketing
• Community dance platform
• Audience development dance
• Arts advertising services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, See Chicago Dance relies on charitable donations from individual donors and foundations. The organization mentions generous donor support and foundation funding as key support sources.
2. Advertising and Promotional Services: SCD offers various advertising and marketing services including banner ads (30-day runs), homepage features, eNewsletter placements, dedicated e-blasts, Hot Deals listings, sponsored posts, and social media ads. Also offers Chicago Dance Month Brochure advertising with tiered member/non-member rates.
3. SCD Membership: Free membership for individual artists, companies, and organizations offering exclusive opportunities that help dancers thrive. Membership is a key engagement tool to build community.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

See Chicago Dance operates SeeChicagoDance.com, a community-sourced website serving over 400 dance artists and organizations and thousands of ticket buyers as the most comprehensive source for information on Chicago dance. The organization produces Chicago Dance Month annually, sells advertising and promotional services (banner ads, e-blasts, sponsored posts, social media ads, brochure ads), runs the Hot Deals discount program, and offers free SCD Membership and community convenings to support Chicago's dance ecosystem.

Product overview

See Chicago Dance is a nonprofit service organization operating as a content and marketing platform for the Chicago dance community. The primary product is SeeChicagoDance.com, a community-sourced website that serves as the most comprehensive source for Chicago dance information. The flagship annual program is Chicago Dance Month, a citywide celebration in June featuring performances and classes. Additional products include Hot Deals (discount promotions), Advertising Services, Neighborhood*MOVES* (community workshops), SCD Membership (free membership program), Dance Writing Program (reviews and coverage), Flyer Distribution Program, and Community Convenings. The SeeChicagoDance.com website underwent a complete overhaul in early 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SeeChicagoDance.com: Chicago's nonprofit dance service organization website, the most comprehensive source for information on Chicago dance
• Chicago Dance Month
• Flyer Distribution Program
• Hot Deals
• NeighborhoodMOVES

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 dance artists and organizations served through SeeChicagoDance.com platform
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Navy PiercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue partner for Chicago Dance Month, hosting Kickoff Celebration at Lake Stage and Ferrara Candy Wave Wall Stage for Wave Wall Moves and Pier Dance programs every Saturday and Wednesday in June.
• Collaboraction Theatre at Kimball Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborhoodMOVES venue partner for June 8 program featuring community workshops, cyphers, improvisation jams, panel discussions, and dance film screenings.
• Instituto CervantescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborhoodMOVES venue partner for June 16 program featuring panel discussions and dance film screenings.
• Reva & David Logan Center for the ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborhoodMOVES venue partner for June 26 program and host of Chicago Dance Month Wrap Party & Celebration.
• City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special EventsmajorOthersInstitutional funder providing general operations grants to support See Chicago Dance and Chicago Dance Month programming.
• Illinois Arts CouncilmajorOthersInstitutional funder providing general operations grants to support See Chicago Dance programming.
• NBC5/Telemundo ChicagomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Media Partner for See Chicago Dance, providing promotional coverage for Chicago Dance Month and organizational activities.
• 3ArtssupportingOthersFeatured in Hot Deals section for Chicago House Kobe project - organization supporting Chicago dance artists.
• Cultural Locations (65 venues)supportingOthers65 cultural locations across 22 Chicagoland neighborhoods that receive Flyer Distribution Program materials and Chicago Dance Month brochures.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Performance Network: NPN is a national nonprofit network supporting performing artists and presenters through partnerships, convenings, and touring programs. Comparable in the convening/community-building role SCD plays at the Chicago level, but at a national scale and broader performing arts scope.
• Fractured Atlas: Fractured Atlas is a national arts services nonprofit that provides fiscal sponsorship, insurance, marketing tools, and event ticketing to artists and small arts organizations. Overlaps with SCD's role as an enabling organization for dance artists, though at much larger scale and broader arts scope.
• Dance/USA: Dance/USA is the national service organization for the professional dance field, providing advocacy, research, and convenings. While national rather than city-focused, it is the closest direct analog in mission and serves overlapping audiences (dance companies, presenters, service organizations).
• The Joyce Theater: The Joyce Theater is a major NYC-based dance presenting organization that produces seasons, festivals, and educational programming. While a presenter/venue rather than a service organization, it operates in the same value chain SCD serves and shares the dance community-aggregator audience.

Regional players

• Dance/NYC: Dance/NYC is a nonprofit service organization that advocates for and aggregates the dance community in New York City — the same role See Chicago Dance plays for Chicago. Comparable mission (community service + advocacy + resource aggregation) and comparable business model (nonprofit, programs, events), but focused on a different metro.
• DC Dance (Dance Coalition of Washington DC): A Washington DC-area dance service organization supporting the local dance community through events, advocacy, and resources. Directly analogous in role to SCD as a regional dance aggregator/community convener, but serving a different metro.
• New England Foundation for the Arts: NEFA is a regional arts funder and service organization supporting artists and communities across New England through grants and programming. Functions as a peer-type intermediary in the regional arts ecosystem — overlapping with SCD's grant-funded nonprofit model — but focused on a different geography and broader arts disciplines.
• Bay Area Dance Coalition: A regional dance service organization supporting the San Francisco Bay Area dance community through events, resources, and convenings. Directly comparable to SCD's regional service-organization model but operating in a different geography.

Others

• Harris Theater for Music and Dance: SCD's physical host (mailing address c/o The Harris Theater at 205 E Randolph) and a major Chicago presenter of music and dance. While primarily a presenting venue rather than a service organization, the relationship makes it a closely intertwined ecosystem participant.

Direct peers

• Pentacle: Pentacle is a nonprofit management support organization that provides administrative, financial, and promotional services to dance companies and artists — overlapping significantly with SCD's promotional services, community convenings, and capacity-building support for the dance sector.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SeeChicagoDance
• Facebookfacebook.com/seechicagodance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seechicagodance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 See Chicago Dance