Dance to Unite

What Dance to Unite does

Dance to Unite, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in October 2009 and headquartered at 222 West 14th Street in New York City. It operates a free, full school year-round dance education program (October through June) for underserved elementary and middle school students residing in Manhattan's Lower East Side, Chinatown, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. In the 2025-2026 school year the organization is delivering 15 weekly classes across 12 after-school program sites to 287 students, and has cumulatively served close to 3,000 students since inception through 18 after-school agency partnerships.

The core product is the Dance to Unite Teaching Method, which combines weekly dance instruction with Circle Talk™, a guided-conversation component that teaches cultural diversity, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and the proprietary "13 Steps to Unity" framework. Classes are supplemented by special workshops led by professional guest artists drawn from institutions such as American Ballet Theatre, Juilliard, Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, and Broadway. The organization also runs a two-tier internship pipeline (Assistant Teacher and Accelerator/Lead Teacher) that trains aspiring educators in the Teaching Method and can convert into paid Teaching Artist positions in NYC public schools.

The organization is funded entirely by donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations, supplemented by an annual benefit event held since 2013. It has no commercial revenue stream: all classes are free for students, and pricing, billing, and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. There is no proprietary technology platform, app, or API; the organization operates on a Squarespace-hosted website and a small staff of approximately 13 employees supplemented by Teaching Artists, interns, and volunteer guest artists.

Name

Dance to Unite

Legal name

Dance to Unite, Inc.

Website

https://dancetounite.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dance to Unite is a NYC-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers free weekly dance classes integrated with Social Emotional Learning to underserved elementary and middle school students across all five NYC boroughs through after-school agency partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Arts Education (Non-Profit)

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI)

Keywords

• Youth dance education
• Social emotional learning
• After-school arts programs
• Cultural diversity education
• Non-profit arts outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Dance to Unite relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations can be made through the website or by mailing checks to the organization's address.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Dance to Unite is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers a free, full school year-round dance education program (October to June) to underserved elementary and middle school youth across all five boroughs of NYC. Classes combine weekly dance instruction with the proprietary Circle Talk™ methodology to teach Social Emotional Learning (SEL), cultural diversity, and universal values, supplemented by Special Guest Artist Workshops and culminating in End-of-Year Dance Performances featuring the 13 Steps to Unity. The organization also offers free internship programs that train aspiring educators in the Dance to Unite Teaching Method and can lead to paid Teaching Artist positions.

Product overview

Dance to Unite is a non-profit organization offering a unified cultural dance education program for inner-city youth in NYC. The core offering is the Dance to Unite Teaching Method, which combines weekly dance classes with Circle Talk™ guided conversations about universal values and Social Emotional Learning. The program includes an Assistant Teacher Internship Program and an Accelerator Internship Program (Lead Teacher track) for aspiring educators. Weekly classes are supplemented with Special Guest Artist Workshops, and the program culminates in End of School Year Dance Performances. All services are free for students, with programs running full school year-round from October to June.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dance to Unite Teaching Method A proprietary teaching methodology that combines dance instruction with guided conversations about universal values and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) education, including the Circle Talk component. Used to deliver free dance classes to underserved NYC youth.
• Full School Year-Round Dance Program Weekly dance classes offered from October to June, serving elementary and middle school students in NYC, featuring free classes for underserved youth with cultural dance education and SEL components.
• Assistant Teacher Internship Program A non-paid internship program that provides training in the Dance to Unite Teaching Method, offering professional development workshops, class observation feedback, and coaching for aspiring dance educators.
• Accelerator Internship Program (Lead Teacher) An advanced internship for assistant teachers who have completed their first year, deepening their experience in the Dance to Unite Teaching Method, potentially leading to paid Teaching Artist positions.
• Special Guest Artist Workshops Supplemental interactive cultural education workshops taught by diverse professional guest artists, complementing weekly dance classes with additional cultural learning experiences.
• End of School Year Dance Performances Culminating performances where students showcase dance routines learned throughout the school year, complemented by presentations of the 13 Steps to Unity.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 3,000 underserved students served since 2009
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• New York YankeesmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 June 2024The Yankees Foundation honored Dance to Unite during HOPE Week (Helping Others Persevere & Excel) on June 21st, 2024. The organization was presented with The White House and President's Lifetime Achievement Award at the Yankees' Pregame Ceremony.
• Marcus Paul JamesminorOthers · 1 January 2024Broadway singer and performer conducted a special Broadway workshop for Dance to Unite students in 2024 and performed at the 10th Annual Benefit.
• ABC7NY / WABC-TVmajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 September 2023ABC7NY featured Dance to Unite in the special 'Finding Inspiration: Kids in the Arts' on September 17, 2023, hosted by Sandra Bookman. Ongoing media coverage and support from WABC-TV and Chad Matthews, President of ABC Owned Television Stations.
• Caleb TeicherminorOthers · 1 January 2022NYC-based dancer and choreographer conducted a special tap dance workshop for Dance to Unite students through partnership with PS130 during school hours in 2022.
• Alicia Graf Mack (Juilliard)minorOthers · 1 January 2019Director of Dance Division at Juilliard conducted a special modern dance workshop for Dance to Unite students at P.S 140 and P.S 64 in 2019.
• International School for Liberal ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Current partner since 2017, providing dance programs in the Bronx. Hosts Dance to Unite classes at M.S International School of Liberal Arts.
• Peridance Contemporary Dance CompanyminorOthers · 1 January 2017Conducted a special contemporary dance workshop for Dance to Unite students at P.S 140 through partnership with Educational Alliance.
• Chinese American Planning Council (CPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Current partner since 2016, providing dance programs in Chinatown, Brooklyn and Queens. CPC is an after-school agency that hosts Dance to Unite classes at schools including P.S 2 and P.S 42.
• Daniil Simkin (American Ballet Theatre)minorOthers · 1 January 2016Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre conducted a special ballet workshop for Dance to Unite students in 2016 at P.S 140.
• Paul Boos (Former NYC Ballet)minorOthers · 1 January 2014Former New York City Ballet principal dancer and Balanchine Trust Repetiteur conducted a special American Ballet workshop for Dance to Unite students.
• Vishavjit Singh (SikhToons)minorOthers · 1 January 2014Nation's first and only Sikh editorial cartoonist conducted a superhero cartoon-art workshop teaching about Sikh culture and acceptance.
• Educational AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Current partner since 2013, providing dance programs at Manhattan's Lower East Side. Educational Alliance is an after-school agency that hosts Dance to Unite classes at multiple schools including P.S 140, P.S 64, and P.S 142.
• Nicole TongueminorOthers · 1 January 2012Former ballerina at England's Birmingham Royal Ballet and Advisory Board Member conducted a British Ballet workshop for Dance to Unite students.
• Atif ToorminorOthers · 1 January 2011Award-winning creative director and Advisory Board Member conducted Islamic Art and Art of Henna workshops for Dance to Unite students.
• Bhavani LeeminorOthers · 1 January 2011Former Cirque Du Soleil soloist conducted Indian Kathak dance and Yoga & Meditation workshops for Dance to Unite students.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ballet Hispánico: NYC-based dance education non-profit delivering arts and SEL programming to underserved Latino and other communities of color, with in-school residencies and community programs closely paralleling Dance to Unite's school-based, free-to-student model.
• Dance Theatre of Harlem: NYC-based non-profit ballet company with a dedicated education and community engagement arm serving youth of color in Harlem and across NYC, combining classical dance training with SEL and cultural identity — overlapping mission and demographic with Dance to Unite.
• Creative Arts Team (NYU): NYU-based arts-in-education non-profit delivering interactive drama and dance programs in NYC public schools with an explicit SEL/youth-development framework, serving many of the same underserved student populations as Dance to Unite.
• Marquis Studios: NYC arts-in-education non-profit that places teaching artists in public schools for dance, music, theater, and visual-arts residencies serving K-12 students — directly comparable in-school, after-school delivery model and SEL/arts integration.
• Ballet Tech Foundation: NYC-based non-profit that identifies and trains public-school children in classical ballet tuition-free from elementary through pre-professional levels — directly comparable free dance-education-to-underserved-youth model in the same city.
• National Dance Institute: NYC-based non-profit founded by Jacques d'Amboise that provides free dance education to children, including underserved public-school populations, with a teaching-artist pipeline and end-of-year performances — the closest direct analogue to Dance to Unite's operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Iconic NYC modern-dance organization operating Ailey Arts In Education, AileyCamp, and school-based residencies that combine dance with SEL for underserved youth — overlapping programming and target audience but at meaningfully larger scale and broader portfolio.
• American Ballet Theatre: Major national ballet company running ABT Project Plié and other in-school/community dance-education programs for diverse and underserved youth. Dance to Unite has even hosted ABT principal dancers as guest artists, evidencing programmatic overlap.

Others

• Peridance Contemporary Dance Company: NYC contemporary dance school and company that has served as a guest-artist workshop provider for Dance to Unite; comparable dance-education curriculum and instructor pipeline though operating on a tuition-based rather than free model.
• The Joyce Theater Foundation: NYC dance presenter running education and community engagement programs (including dance access initiatives for schools) — adjacent rather than directly competing, but overlapping dance-education funding sources and partner-school relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC60PI0W8DT6eJ9pDcVLGQpw
• Facebookfacebook.com/DancetoUnite
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dance-to-unite
• Instagraminstagram.com/dancetounite/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@wearedancetounite?_t=8W2Quw3HpnP&_r=1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 to Unite