What Dance Ontario does

Dance Ontario (legal name: Dance Ontario Association) is a not-for-profit membership-based umbrella organization founded in 1976 as the regional arm of the Dance In Canada Association (DICA) and incorporated as a not-for-profit in 1985. Headquartered at 410 Jarvis Street in Toronto, Ontario, the organization serves Ontario's dance community through seven regional networks (Halton, Dufferin, London, Windsor, Sudbury, Ottawa, Soo/Algoma) impacting approximately 14,000 people, with a membership that includes over 150 schools plus individual dancers, choreographers, teachers, companies, and studios. As of May 2025, executive management transitioned to Dance Umbrella of Ontario following the departure of Executive Director Amy Hampton.

The organization's core offerings include the annual DanceWeekend festival (30+ years running, showcasing 30+ dance forms), the DanceON Series professional development program, the Creative Partnerships Program (commissioning choreographers at $4,000 each for new works), Film Projects, International Dance Day events, the Headlines newsletter, and a Recognition Awards Program. Supporting infrastructure comprises a Member Directory, Jobs Board, and negotiated group rates for SOCAN ($90/year) and Re:Sound music licensing. The technology stack is a standard WordPress website providing self-serve membership registration, event listings, job postings, and newsletter distribution — there is no proprietary platform, mobile app, or AI capability.

Dance Ontario's revenue model is diversified across four streams: tiered annual membership dues ($25-$140), donations (it is not a registered charity and cannot issue tax receipts), SOCAN/Re:Sound licensing pass-through, and web advertising. The organization is heavily reliant on government grants from the Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Canada Council for the Arts, Toronto Arts Council, and Canadian Heritage. With only 8 employees and no publicly disclosed revenue, Dance Ontario operates as a lean association whose scale is best measured by community reach rather than financial throughput.

Name

Dance Ontario

Legal name

Dance Ontario Association

Website

https://danceontario.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dance Ontario is a Toronto-based not-for-profit umbrella association founded in 1976 that serves Ontario's dance community through seven regional networks, over 150 member schools, flagship programming including DanceWeekend and Creative Partnerships, and negotiated SOCAN/Re:Sound music licensing for members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Association Services

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI)

Keywords

• Dance association services
• Dance community advocacy
• Choreographer commissioning programs
• Dance professional development
• Membership association programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from five tiers (Student $25, Individual $60, Not-for-profit groups $100, For-profit businesses $140) provide core revenue. Memberships are valid for the calendar year and auto-renew for online registrations.
2. Donations: Donations are solicited from the public to support Dance Ontario's advocacy, promotion, and services for Ontario's dance community. Note: as a non-charity, Dance Ontario cannot issue tax receipts.
3. SOCAN and Re:Sound License Administration: Dance Ontario negotiates group rates for SOCAN music licenses ($90/year incl. HST) and Re:Sound licenses for its members, acting as a licensing intermediary. Revenue is generated through the sale of licenses to members.
4. Web Advertising: Dance Ontario sells web ads on its high-traffic website year-round. Members receive free and discounted advertising rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Dance Ontario is a not-for-profit umbrella dance association that delivers tiered annual memberships, advocacy, and a portfolio of programs including the flagship multi-day DanceWeekend festival, the DanceON professional development series, the Creative Partnerships choreographer commissioning program, film projects, regional network coordination, and administered SOCAN and Re:Sound music licensing for the Ontario dance community.

Product overview

Dance Ontario operates as an umbrella dance organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for the Ontario dance community. The core offerings include DanceWeekend (annual flagship festival), the DanceON Series (professional development), the Creative Partnerships Program (choreographer commissions), Film Projects, Headlines newsletter, International Dance Day celebrations, an Awards Program, and seven Regional Networks. Supporting infrastructure includes a Member Directory, Jobs Board, SOCAN/Re:Sound licensing access, a Donation Program, and a tiered Membership system. The organization functions as a membership-based association supporting dancers, studios, companies, teachers, and choreographers across Ontario.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Program Annual membership program with five tiers providing access to advocacy, promotion, province-wide online directory listings, referrals, professional development, Creative Partnerships eligibility, DanceWeekend showcasing, member discounts, and SOCAN/Re:Sound licensing at negotiated rates.
• SOCAN and Re:Sound Music Licenses Negotiated licensing agreements providing Dance Ontario members access to special rates for SOCAN music licenses ($90 annually incl. HST, valid January 1 to December 31, covering Tariff 19 use of recorded music for dance and fitness classes) and Re:Sound licenses for legally using recorded copyrighted music.
• DanceWeekend Festival Annual 2-3 day dance festival showcasing hundreds of dance artists, companies, and performers across 30+ dance forms including ballet, flamenco, hip hop, Indian Classical, Egyptian, Chinese, and contemporary dance, featuring mainstage performances, workshops, and networking opportunities.
• Creative Partnerships Program Commissioning program providing $2,000 in creation support plus $2,000 performance fee ($4,000 total) to two choreographers for new works premiered at DanceWeekend each January. Open to current Dance Ontario members at any career stage.
• DanceON Professional Development Series Professional development series consisting of workshops, show & share sessions, and expert Q&A events featuring voices from across the dance community, available free to all Dance Ontario members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 schools and numerous organizations represented as members
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dance Umbrella of Ontario (DUO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs of May 1, 2025, Dance Umbrella of Ontario assumed executive management of Dance Ontario. After five years as Executive Director, Amy Hampton stepped down and DUO took over leadership, bringing expertise in arts administration and inclusive, innovative programming. DUO also partners with Dance Ontario on International Dance Day initiatives.
• Ontario Arts CouncilcoreOthersMajor provincial arts funder providing operational and program funding to Dance Ontario. Listed as a primary funder and sponsor.
• Ontario Trillium FoundationcoreOthersMajor provincial foundation providing funding to Dance Ontario. DanceON Series is generously funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Also funds Regional Networks.
• Canada Council for the ArtscoreOthersFederal arts funder providing funding support to Dance Ontario. Listed as a primary funder and sponsor.
• Toronto Arts CouncilcoreOthersMunicipal arts funder providing support to Dance Ontario. Listed as a primary funder and sponsor.
• Canadian HeritagecoreOthersFederal government department providing funding to Dance Ontario. Listed as a primary funder and sponsor, with support for DanceWeekend.
• SOCANcoreOthersSOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) has a negotiated agreement with Dance Ontario, enabling members to access special rates for music licenses for dance and fitness classes (Tariff 19) at $90/year incl. HST.
• Re:SoundcoreOthersRe:Sound is the Canadian not-for-profit music licensing company. Dance Ontario has a negotiated agreement with Re:Sound to help members access association rates and reporting forms in the members-only section.
• Business for the ArtsminorOthersListed as a sponsor and partner on the Dance Ontario website.
• The Dance CurrentminorOthersDance magazine partner offering discounts to Dance Ontario members. Listed as a sponsor on the Dance Ontario website.
• Pivot DancerminorOthersPivot Dancer (founded by Dinah Hampson, physiotherapist) is a partner providing dance science expertise. Co-presented a DanceON Series workshop on back pain and trunk strength for dancers with Toronto Dance Theatre.
• Respect GroupminorOthersRespect Group programs are available at member discounts to Dance Ontario members. Offers training on respectful workplaces and duty to report for protecting young dancers.
• Front Row Insurance BrokersminorOthersInsurance broker partner offering member discounts to Dance Ontario members.
• Loft Cycle ClubminorOthersListed as a sponsor on the Dance Ontario website.
• Dance ImmersionminorOthersListed as a DanceWeekend sponsor/partner alongside Dance Ontario, providing support for the annual flagship festival.
• Harbourfront CentreminorOthersDanceWeekend 2026 venue partner at The Fleck at Harbourfront Centre Theatre, 231 Queens Quay West, Toronto. Harbourfront Centre provides the venue and ticketing infrastructure for DanceWeekend.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Dance Nova Scotia: Provincial dance service organization supporting dance artists, companies, and educators in Nova Scotia through grants, advocacy, and programming. Comparable role within a different Canadian provincial ecosystem.
• Made in BC - Dance on Tour: British Columbia dance touring and presenting network providing performance opportunities, training, and resources for BC-based dancers. Peer in function but operates in a different Canadian province.

Others

• Dance Immersion: Toronto-based organization promoting dance of the African diaspora, listed as a DanceWeekend sponsor/partner. Adjacent ecosystem player with complementary, not overlapping, programming.
• Toronto Arts Council: Major municipal arts funder that funds Dance Ontario. Functions as a grantmaker rather than a service organization, but is a natural adjacency given the funding relationship.
• Harbourfront Centre: Venue partner that hosts DanceWeekend at The Fleck Dance Theatre and provides ticketing infrastructure (OvationTix). Operates as facility-based promoter rather than competing service provider.
• SOCAN: Canadian performing rights organization with which Dance Ontario has a negotiated group licensing deal. Functions as an upstream licensor, not a competing organization, but integral to Dance Ontario's value proposition.
• Dance Current: Canadian dance publication offering member discounts to Dance Ontario members. Adjacent media partner in the dance sector ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Dance/USA: National service organization for the professional dance field in the United States, providing advocacy, research, and convening for dancers and dance companies. Functionally analogous to Dance Ontario at a national scale.
• Dance Umbrella of Ontario (DUO): Ontario-based dance service, advocacy, and resource organization that assumed executive management of Dance Ontario in May 2025. Directly comparable as an umbrella dance-support organization serving the Ontario sector.
• One Dance UK: UK umbrella body supporting the dance sector through advocacy, professional development, and member services. Comparable mission and structure, though operating in a different country and funding environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ldnondancenetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/ldndancefest
• Xtwitter.com/ldndancefest
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dance-ontario

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Dance Ontario