BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance

What BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance does

BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization headquartered at 2474 Westchester Avenue in the Bronx, New York. Founded in 1998 by Arthur Avilés and Charles Rice-González, it operates as the physical home of Arthur Avilés Typical Theatre (AATT), a contemporary dance company founded in 1996 that builds its movement vocabulary on Avilés' proprietary Swift/Flow technique — a water-imagery-based fusion of ballet, contemporary dance, gymnastics, wrestling, swimming, and diving. The organization runs the AATT Academy youth dance program for Bronx children ages 6-9, and maintains a 24/7 venue with subsidized rental rates for independent dance artists and 501(c)(3) organizations.

The product surface centers on six recurring annual festivals — Get Tough! Get BAAD!, BAAD!Ass Women, Boogie Down Dance Series, Out Like That!, BLAKTINX, and Los Nutcrackers — supplemented by a summer series and programming that includes film screenings, wellness events, courageous conversations, residencies (Dancing Futures), and co-presented work with partners such as Pepatián, Juilliard, Carnegie Hall (Nuestros Sonidos 2025), NYU's Hemispheric Institute, and Black Trans Media. Distribution is hybrid: a single in-person venue, paid/free Eventbrite ticketing ($0–$25, with sliding-scale options), and Zoom/virtual streaming for select events.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit funding stack. Earned revenue from ticket sales and venue rentals is a minority component and is intentionally kept accessible; the majority of operating support comes from foundation and government grants — including The Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Scherman Foundation, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Jerome Foundation, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYS Council on the Arts, and SHS Foundation — supplemented by individual donations via Network for Good and modest program registration fees from the AATT Academy. The organization employs 14 staff and is governed by a board of directors; primary audiences are LGBTQ+ (queer, Latinx, trans, gender non-conforming) community members in the Bronx and NYC, youth dance students (ages 6-9), and independent dance artists seeking affordable rehearsal space.

Name

BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance

Legal name

BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance

Website

https://baadbronx.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bronx-based nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1998, home of Arthur Avilés Typical Theatre. Operates six recurring annual festivals, a 24/7 subsidized rehearsal venue, and the AATT Academy youth dance program serving Bronx LGBTQ+ communities, independent dance artists, and children ages 6-9.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Services

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

Keywords

• Performing arts programming
• Community arts festivals
• Dance education programs
• Venue rental services
• Queer arts advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Bronx

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from paid performances and events through Eventbrite, with ticket prices ranging from free to $25 for various events.
2. Foundation and Government Grants: Major funding from The Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, NYS Council on the Arts, and numerous other foundations supporting arts and cultural programming.
3. Rental Income: Revenue from renting BAAD! venue 24/7 for rehearsals, performances, auditions, and classes. Subsidized rates available for independent dance artists and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations through NYS Council on the Arts funding.
4. Individual Donations: Private donations from individuals supporting the organization's mission to bring queer perspective to the socio-political/cultural dialogue of the Bronx.
5. Program Registration Fees: AATT Academy summer program registration fees for children ages 6-9 participating in athletic dance training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BAAD! is a Bronx-based nonprofit performing arts organization that produces dance, theater, film, and community programming through multiple annual festivals (Get Tough! Get BAAD!, BAAD!Ass Women, Boogie Down Dance Series, Out Like That!, BLAKTINX, Los Nutcrackers, BAAD! Summer). It serves as the home of Arthur Avilés Typical Theatre (AATT) contemporary dance company, runs the AATT Academy youth dance program for children ages 6-9, and rents out subsidized rehearsal/performance space to independent dance artists and 501(c)(3) organizations.

Product overview

BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance is a Bronx-based performing arts organization that operates multiple interconnected programs. The core offerings include: the main BAAD! organization hosting festivals (Get Tough! Get BAAD!, BAAD!Ass Women, Boogie Down Dance Series, Out Like That!, BLAKTINX, BAAD! Summer, and Los Nutcrackers); Arthur Avilés Typical Theatre (AATT), the resident contemporary dance company; AATT Academy, the youth dance education program for children ages 6-9; and a subsidized rehearsal space rental program. These programs collectively serve the LGBTQ+ and Latinx communities through dance, theater, film, and community events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arthur Avilés Typical Theatre (AATT): A Bronx-based contemporary dance company that creates works exploring life on the margins of Latinx and queer cultures, employing 'Swift/Flow' dance technique.
• AATT Academy

Products and services

• BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance A Bronx-based performing arts organization that brings a queer perspective to the socio-political and cultural dialogue through dance, theater, film screenings, festivals, and community programs; home of Arthur Avilés Typical Theatre.
• Arthur Avilés Typical Theatre (AATT) A Bronx-based contemporary dance company that creates works exploring life on the margins of Latinx and queer cultures, employing the Swift/Flow dance technique developed by Arthur Avilés.
• AATT Academy

Named customers4 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Carnegie Hall's 2025 Nuestros Sonidos festivalmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Bárbara Herr's 'Golden Girl: Celebrating 50 Years On Stage' is included as part of Carnegie Hall's 2025 Nuestros Sonidos festival
• Hemispheric Institute at NYUcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Arthur Avilés was Artist in Residence at NYU for Fall 2021; the Institute houses the Arthur Avilés Collection in the Hemispheric Institute Digital Video Library (HIDVL) and co-presented programming including 'Naked Vanguard' series and 'Origin Stories'
• Pepatián: Bronx Arts ColLABorativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership producing Hip-Hop Homelands showcase (7th/8th annual), Dancing Futures residency program (12th edition), Health & Hip Hop workshops, and various co-programmed events
• Black Trans MediamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-producing partner for Get Tough! Get BAAD! festival events including Show Me Love Trans Day of Visibility celebrations
• Bronx Filmmakers CollectivemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership presenting BAAD!Ass Perspectives film and dance programs featuring Bronx-based filmmakers
• PRIDEnet / The PRIDE StudyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting PRIDE + PURPOSE virtual awareness event for The PRIDE Study health research initiative created by and for LGBTQIA+ communities
• JuilliardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAAD x Juilliard: A Celebration of Women in the Arts - student-designed recital across Music, Drama, and Dance divisions highlighting underrepresented female creatives
• In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenting Amara Sapienza as part of In Scena! Italian Theater Festival programming at BAAD!

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Bronx Museum of the Arts: A Bronx-rooted cultural institution presenting exhibitions and programs for the borough's diverse communities. Comparable as a Bronx-anchored arts nonprofit serving local audiences, though visual-arts-focused rather than dance/theater-presenting.

Direct peers

• Pepatián: Bronx Arts ColLABorative: A Bronx-based community arts producer co-programming festivals and residencies with BAAD! (Hip-Hop Homelands, Dancing Futures). Comparable as a peer collaborator serving Bronx artists of color.
• Danspace Project: A NYC nonprofit presenting experimental dance through curated platforms and residencies. Directly comparable as a presenter and platform-builder for independent choreographers, though located downtown rather than in the Bronx.
• New York Live Arts: A downtown NYC performing arts presenter and producer specializing in contemporary dance and performance, with a residency and commissioning model closely comparable to BAAD!'s festival and residency programming.
• Abrons Arts Center: A Lower East Side performing arts center presenting experimental dance, theater, and community programs with subsidized space access. Comparable presenting and venue-rental model, though serving a different NYC neighborhood.
• Pregones Theater: A Bronx-based Latino performing arts organization producing theater and music. Directly comparable as a Bronx-rooted, Latinx-focused presenter and previously connected to Arthur Avilés via the NEA Master's Grant.
• La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club: A long-running NYC nonprofit theatre and performance organization supporting experimental, queer, and multicultural artists. Comparable mission and community-rooted presenting model, though theatre-leaning rather than dance-centered.

Broad incumbents

• The Joyce Theater: A larger, established NYC dance presenter offering a year-round performance season across multiple venues. Comparable as a contemporary-dance presenter but with substantially broader scale and a broader repertoire than BAAD!'s community-rooted focus.
• Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company: The acclaimed contemporary dance company where Arthur Avilés trained for eight years. Comparable as a Bessie-recognized dance organization with national touring scale, though with much larger institutional resources.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: A flagship NYC-based modern dance institution with national and international reach. Comparable as a contemporary-dance presenter and education provider, though at substantially greater scale than BAAD!.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/baad-bronx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about BAAD! The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance