CITADEL DANCE AND MUSIC CENTER INC

What CITADEL DANCE AND MUSIC CENTER INC does

Citadel Dance and Music Center Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan, providing year-round dance and music instruction to approximately 300 students ranging in age from 18 months through adult. The organization operates two purpose-built facilities in the Benton Harbor Arts District — a dance building at 91 Hinkley Street and a music building at 204 Water Street (a renovated historic Brammall Supply Company structure) — and is the only nonprofit provider of combined dance and music instruction in Southwest Michigan, a position it has held for roughly 25 years.

The product portfolio spans a Dance Program (ballet, modern, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, Horton, acro, musical theatre, with three tiered performance companies), a Music Program of private instruction across all instruments and voice taught by 20 professional faculty, supplementary offerings (Kindermusik, Citadel Young Musicians, Musical Theatre Program, birthday parties, wedding dance choreography, the Some Strings Attached adult orchestra, and summer intensives), and a recurring performance calendar anchored by biennial productions of "A Steamed Nutcracker" and "The Citadel Spectacular" staged at Lake Michigan College's Mendel Center. There is no proprietary technology platform; the organization uses the third-party Jackrabbit Class registration system, Squarespace-hosted website, and standard email communications.

The revenue model is a hybrid of session-based dance tuition, monthly-billed private music lessons (with auto-debit), ticketed performances, ancillary event revenue (birthday parties, wedding dance prep), and a substantial philanthropic component that includes a $600,000 five-year Legacy Capital Campaign, an annual "Fly Me to the Moon" fundraiser, and grant support from federal (NEA), state (Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs), regional (Berrien Community Foundation, Schalon Foundation, Upton Foundation, Carolyn Hanson Fund), and local (Benton Harbor Sunrise Rotary, Howard Youth Grant) funders. The Board of Directors is led by President Chris Kwon, with Susan Dietrich-Reed serving as Executive Director and Director of Music and Lari Lawrence-Gist as Director of Dance.

Name

CITADEL DANCE AND MUSIC CENTER INC

Legal name

Citadel Dance and Music Center Inc

Website

https://citadeldmc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Citadel Dance and Music Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization in Benton Harbor, Michigan, providing year-round dance and music instruction to approximately 300 students ages 18 months through adult across two facilities in the Benton Harbor Arts District.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE), Performing Arts Programs (Band, Choir, Orchestra, Theater) (EDAJAJAE), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Dance education
• Music instruction
• Arts education
• Musical theatre training
• Youth performing arts

Headquarters

HQ city

Benton Harbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Dance Class Tuition: Year-round dance instruction fees for various levels from toddlers (18 months) through adult classes. Revenue generated through session-based tuition payments.
2. Private Music Lessons: Comprehensive music instruction on all instruments and voice. Lessons priced at $29-$32 (30 min), $37-$42 (45 min), $52-$57 (60 min). Annual fee of $60 per person or $75 per family. Monthly billing with auto-debit option.
3. Musical Theatre Program: Seasonal musical productions with tuition fees: $375 for current students, $425 for non-students. Additional fees for workshops and auditions.
4. Birthday Parties: Party hosting services at $225 for up to 10 children, $10 per additional child. Includes dance class, t-shirt, and goodie bags.
5. Wedding Dance Services: Wedding preparation sessions at $50 per session (no choreography) or $200 with choreography.
6. Donations and Grants: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization generating revenue through donations, grants, and sponsorships. Capital campaign seeking $600,000 over five years. Major donors at various giving levels from $1 to $50,000+.
7. Performance Tickets: Ticket sales for public performances including A Steamed Nutcracker, The Citadel Spectacular, musical productions, and dance concerts. General admission typically $15, family packages available.
8. Summer Programs: Summer intensive camps and classes for various age groups and skill levels, including youth camps at $135 per week and adult classes at $60 per month.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Citadel Dance & Music Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts education organization providing year-round dance instruction (ballet, modern, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, acro dance, musical theatre) for ages 18 months through adult, and private music lessons on all instruments and voice for ages 5 through adult. The organization operates from two historic buildings in Benton Harbor, Michigan, supported by 25 professional faculty and serves nearly 300 students annually.

Product overview

Citadel Dance & Music Center is a nonprofit arts education organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of dance and music programs. The core offerings consist of a Dance Program (with ballet, modern, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, and musical theatre) and a Music Program (private lessons on all instruments and voice). Supporting programs include Kindermusik for early childhood music education, Citadel Young Musicians for musical foundations, a Musical Theatre Program, and three intensive Dance Companies (Principal, Corps, Junior). Additional services encompass Birthday Parties, Wedding Dance choreography, Some Strings Attached adult string orchestra, Summer Programs, and regular performances including the biennial A Steamed Nutcracker and The Citadel Spectacular. The organization also conducts Capital Campaigns and accepts donations to support programming and facility acquisition. All programs serve ages 18 months through adult with approximately 300 students enrolled annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dance Program Year-round dance instruction offering classes in ballet, modern, jazz, tap, contemporary, hip hop, Horton technique, improvisation, acro dance, and musical theatre for ages 18 months through adult, with three performance companies (Principal, Corps, Junior).
• Music Program (Private Lessons) Private music lessons on all instruments and voice for ages 5 through adult, taught by 20 professional faculty members, many of whom are active performers and symphony orchestra members.
• Young Dancers Program Early childhood dance education for ages 18 months to 6 years, including Tutu's for Toddlers, Preschool Dance Explorations, and Level 1 classes that create a foundation in dance and music.
• Kindermusik Program Research-based music and movement curriculum for infants through age 7, including Kindermusik Village, Wiggle and Grow, and Sing & Play classes that promote school readiness and lifelong learning.
• Citadel Young Musicians Pressure-free group class introducing young children to musical concepts, notation, vocabulary, instruments, and composers as preparation for private lessons.
• Musical Theatre Program Classes teaching singing, dancing, and acting skills for ages 5 through adult, with annual productions and workshops including Matilda Jr. and Hadestown Teen Edition. Tuition is $375 for current students and $425 for non-students.
• Birthday Parties Dance-themed birthday party hosting with 45-minute dance class, t-shirt for birthday child, goodie bags with free class vouchers, and space for cake and games for groups of 6-25 children. Priced at $225 for up to 10 children with $10 per additional child.
• Wedding Dances Choreography and preparation sessions for wedding party dances including bride/groom, parents, and entire wedding party, with venue available at The Oak Room at the Citadel. Priced at $50 per session without choreography or $200 with choreography.
• Some Strings Attached Adult string orchestra ensemble providing opportunities for adults to play in a group setting, founded by Citadel string instructors, meeting in terms throughout the year.
• Dance Companies (Principal, Corps, Junior) Three intensive dance companies offering advanced training, guest artist collaborations, performances, and college prep support. Principal Company for advanced dancers, Corps Company for intermediate (ages 12-15), Junior Company for beginners (ages 8-11).
• Summer Programs Summer camp offerings including Young Dancers/Musicians/Artists Camps for ages 3-6, intensives for Level 2/3 and Levels 4-6, and adult classes such as Adult Sampler, Tap, and Ballroom. Youth camps at $135 per week, adult classes at $60 per month.
• Dance Recitals and Performances Performance opportunities including Spring Concert of Dance, A Steamed Nutcracker (biennial), The Citadel Spectacular (biennial), Citadel Dance Companies Gala, and Dance, Music & Dessert events. Tickets typically $15 general admission.
• Music Recitals Student performance events where music students share their progress through recitals held at various venues including Citadel Music Center, churches, and The Oak Room.
• Adult Classes Adult recreational dance classes including Adult Sampler, Adult Tap, Ballroom, Silver Swans (ballet for older adults), priced at $60 per month with $20 drop-in rate.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving nearly 300 students year-round with dance and music instruction
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 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 minor.

• The Southwest Michigan Symphony OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with symphony orchestra for performances and to broaden students' awareness of the arts, encouraging students to be active, life-long patrons of the arts.
• The Ghostlight TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal arts organization partnership for collaborations and community performances, including hosting concerts at Ghostlight Theatre venue.
• Lake Michigan CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue partner for major productions including The Citadel Spectacular and A Steamed Nutcracker at the Mendel Center Mainstage, Hanson Theatre, and Grand Upton Ballroom. Also hosts Spring Concert of Dance.
• The Conservatory of Dance (Granger, IN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership for the Gala Concert. Citadel Dance Companies partner with The Conservatory of Dance to present this concert at Lake Michigan College.
• Lake Effect Jazz Big BandmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerFeatured performers at annual Fly Me to the Moon fundraiser event. Multi-instrumental jazz ensemble performing alongside Citadel dancers and vocalists.
• Benton Harbor Area SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership bringing arts opportunities to elementary, middle, and high schools. Citadel faculty serve as artists-in-residence in local school districts.
• Children's Music WorkshopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal arts organization collaboration to broaden students' awareness of the arts and encourage lifelong arts engagement.
• Curious Kids MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership for arts programming and educational outreach.
• The Oak Room at the CitadelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity gathering place adjacent to dance building, available for rental for weddings, bridal showers, and events. Part of capital campaign purchase opportunity.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Dance Institute: Nonprofit organization providing dance education to children, with strong school partnership programming. Comparable as a nonprofit focused on expanding access to dance education for young people through in-school and community programming.
• Grand Rapids Ballet School: Michigan nonprofit ballet school and company offering dance education across multiple levels and ages. Comparable as a regional, nonprofit dance training organization with school and company components serving a similar Michigan student base.
• Mark Morris Dance Group: Nonprofit dance organization combining professional company performances with robust community dance education programming. Comparable as a nonprofit pairing professional performances with multi-level community dance instruction, though operating at a much larger scale.
• Cincinnati Ballet Otto M. Budig Academy: Nonprofit ballet academy attached to a regional ballet company offering graded dance curriculum from beginner through pre-professional. Comparable as a regional nonprofit dance school with a multi-level company track and community education programming.
• Joy of Motion Dance Center: Community-based nonprofit dance center offering multi-genre dance instruction for children and adults across multiple locations. Comparable as a community-serving dance school with a similar breadth of genres (ballet, modern, jazz, tap) and recreational-to-intensives pathway.
• Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp: Michigan nonprofit arts education organization offering summer programming in dance, music, and visual arts. Comparable as a Michigan-based nonprofit arts education institution serving youth, though more concentrated on summer intensive programming.
• Houston Academy of Dance: Private dance school offering multi-genre instruction (ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop) for children through adults with performance companies. Comparable as a multi-genre dance school with a similar recreational-to-company pathway.

Others

• Kindermusik International: Curriculum and licensing organization supplying the Kindermusik early-childhood music program used by Citadel. Adjacent rather than competitive—functions as a supplier/curriculum partner enabling the Citadel's early-childhood music offerings.
• Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra: Regional symphony orchestra in Southwest Michigan with which the Citadel collaborates for live-orchestra performances (A Steamed Nutcracker). Listed as a peer because of overlapping audience, region, and joint programming rather than direct competition.

Broad incumbents

• Interlochen Center for the Arts: Michigan-based nonprofit arts education organization offering multi-disciplinary instruction in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts. Comparable as a nonprofit, Michigan-rooted arts education institution serving K-12 through pre-professional students, though substantially larger and broader in scope than Citadel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/citadel-dance-and-music-center-inc

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 CITADEL DANCE AND MUSIC CENTER INC