Atlanta Dance Theatre

What Atlanta Dance Theatre does

Atlanta Dance Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pre-professional dance company and school founded in 1981 by Jonnie Kelley, currently operating in its 44th season under Artistic Director Shelley Grames. Headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia, with studio operations at 4150 Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta and performance venue use at The Roswell Cultural Arts Center (950 Forest Street, Roswell), the organization serves aspiring youth dancers ages 7-18 through a conservatory-style training program, audition-based performing company membership, annual productions including The Nutcracker and spring performances, and summer Prince and Princess Dance Camps. ADT participates in Regional Dance America/Southeast competitions and festivals, providing students with scholarship opportunities and national networking across an 11-state regional footprint.

The company's products are organized around three core offerings: the Performing Company program (the primary product serving dancers 7-18 with classes, training, and two annual mainstage productions), Season Performances (ticketed mainstage shows at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center, with Cinderella scheduled for March 27-29, 2026), and Prince and Princess Dance Camps (summer programming). Underlying technology is limited to a Squarespace website, a blog, email newsletter infrastructure, and the DanceStudio-Pro online registration system; no proprietary technology or AI capabilities are present.

Revenue derives from four streams: class tuition and registration fees (subscription/recurring), performance tickets and production fees (transaction-based), donations and grants (subscription/recurring, including multi-year Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta funding), and summer camp fees (subscription/recurring). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled via direct inquiry to the front desk or online registration. The customer base comprises three segments: performing company youth dancers (primary), recreational dance students and families (secondary), and community donors/supporters (secondary). The organization is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Cristine Schulz, Treasurer David Ellis, and Secretary Cathy Daly.

Name

Atlanta Dance Theatre

Legal name

Atlanta Dance Theatre

Website

https://atlantadancetheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Atlanta Dance Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pre-professional dance company and school founded in 1981, serving youth dancers ages 7-18 in North Atlanta through conservatory-style training, an audition-based performing company, annual mainstage productions, and summer dance camps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Education and Performing Arts

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Fine Arts Schools (61161)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGADAC

Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Dance & Ballet Performances

SECONDARYMPAGADAB

Contemporary & Modern Dance

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Dance & Ballet Performances

SECONDARYMPAGADAA

Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Dance & Ballet Performances

SECONDARYEDAMAAAH

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

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Arts & Creative Enrichment (Visual Arts, Music, Theater, Dance)

Keywords

• Dance education
• Pre-professional ballet
• Youth performing arts
• Summer dance camps
• Live dance performances

Headquarters

HQ city

Alpharetta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Class tuition and registration fees: Revenue from dance classes and school programs. Families pay for instruction in ballet and other dance disciplines.
2. Performance tickets and production fees: Revenue from ticketed performances including The Nutcracker and annual spring productions. Dancers in company perform 2 annual performances.
3. Donations and grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Atlanta Dance Theatre receives donations and grants from foundations and individuals to support scholarships, equipment, training, and free community dance classes.
4. Summer dance camps: Revenue from Prince and Princess Dance Camps and other summer programming.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Atlanta Dance Theatre runs a pre-professional dance company and school providing conservatory-style dance training (primarily ballet) to youth ages 7-18, summer dance camps for children, and ticketed live dance performances including annual productions of The Nutcracker and a spring show. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it also solicits donations and grants to fund scholarships, equipment, training, and free community dance classes.

Product overview

Atlanta Dance Theatre is a pre-professional dance company and school offering a comprehensive program centered on its Performing Company for dancers ages 7-18, Prince and Princess Dance Camps, and Season Performances. The company, founded in 1981 and currently in its 44th season, provides conservatory-style training, performance opportunities through annual productions (The Nutcracker, spring performances), and participation in Regional Dance America/Southeast competitions. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on arts education and community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Performing Company

Quantifiable outcome

• Students have gone on to receive college dance scholarships and engage in professional dance careers

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• Roswell Cultural Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresents ADT mainstage productions including upcoming Cinderella (March 27-29, 2026). Venue at 950 Forest Street, Roswell, GA provides professional performance space for the company's annual shows.
• Hotel AvalonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of Atlanta Dance Theatre, providing visibility and community business support.
• City of RoswellminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment sponsor providing support and community visibility for ADT programs.
• Brookhaven OrthodonticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity business sponsor supporting ADT productions and programs.
• FCA*C (Family and Children Assistance Center)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit community sponsor with aligned mission supporting families and children through arts.
• Regional Dance America Southeast (RDA/SE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional association serving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico. Provides annual festival with classes, performances, networking, and over $300,000 in annual scholarships. ADT upper Apprentice and Pre-professional dancers participate in RDA/SE events.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• DanceStudio-Pro (Jackrabbit Dance): Studio management software platform that ADT uses for online registration and enrollment. Indirectly comparable as the technology infrastructure that enables ADT's self-serve signup funnel.
• Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta: Major regional philanthropic institution that has awarded ADT multi-season funding. Relevant not as a competitor but as the key ecosystem enabler underwriting the company's community programming and scholarships.

Direct peers

• Savannah Dance Theatre: Georgia-based pre-professional dance company offering conservatory-style training and annual productions. Closely comparable to ADT in nonprofit structure, school + performing company model, and regional scale.
• Gwinnett Ballet Theatre: Suburban Atlanta pre-professional ballet company with school programming and seasonal performances. Highly comparable as a fellow North-metro pre-professional ballet organization serving youth dancers.
• Carlton Dance Theatre (formerly Ruth Mitchell Dance Theatre): Atlanta-area dance school and performance organization where ADT Artistic Director Shelley Grames previously danced professionally. Comparable in scope as a longstanding Southeast dance training institution.
• Chattahoochee Dance Theatre: Pre-professional dance company in the greater Atlanta area offering ballet, contemporary, and performance opportunities for youth. Mirrors ADT's combination of school training and company performance model.

Broad incumbents

• Atlanta Ballet: The largest professional ballet company in the Southeast and the flagship dance organization in the Atlanta metro. Directly comparable to Atlanta Dance Theatre in geography and artistic discipline, but operates at significantly greater scale with a professional company and academy.

Regional players

• Ballet Spartanburg: Southeast ballet school and performing company serving youth dancers through training and annual productions. Comparable in nonprofit, school-plus-company structure with regional rather than national reach.
• Southern Dance Theatre: Southeast-based pre-professional dance organization that participates in Regional Dance America/Southeast. Comparable as a peer within the same regional competitive and festival circuit.
• Tampa Ballet: Pre-professional ballet school and company operating within the Regional Dance America/Southeast network alongside ADT. Comparable as a regional peer sharing festival, scholarship, and competition pathways.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/atlanta-dance-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Atlanta Dance Theatre