KAREN PETERSON AND DANCERS, INC.

What KAREN PETERSON AND DANCERS, INC. does

Karen Peterson and Dancers, Inc. is a Miami-based nonprofit dance company founded in 1990 that specializes in physically integrated dance, a methodology bringing professional dancers with and without disabilities onto the same stage. The company is the only full-time physically integrated dance organization south of Georgia and operates the Forward Motion Dance Festival, the only international physically integrated dance festival in the Southeast United States. Its product portfolio includes an annual performance season at South Florida venues, the Forward Motion Festival and Conference, the 'Everyone Dances' 10-week school residency for Miami-Dade teens with special needs, ongoing educational workshops, and a Vimeo-hosted video gallery of past productions. The company has performed in nine countries and reached more than 5,000 teens with special needs through its school programming since 2006.

The business model blends earned revenue with institutional philanthropy. Ticket sales are processed through the Thundertix platform for individual performances, festival passes, and conference/workshop registrations. Donations and institutional grants from Knight Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts (three grants: 2018, 2019, 2022), Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, The Miami Foundation, and others fund the majority of operations. Ancillary revenue comes from workshop and conference fees and rental of the Excello Dance Space studio. Distribution occurs through direct ticket sales, venue partnerships (Miami-Dade County Auditorium, Koubek Center, Sandrell Rivers Theatre), school-based residency delivery, and invited performances at national and international festivals.

The customer base comprises dance audiences and arts patrons, students with special needs and their families in Miami-Dade Public Schools, the disability and rehabilitation community (including partnerships with Jackson Memorial Hospital / U Health), and dance professionals participating in the Forward Motion Conference. The organization employs 6 people, is led by Founding Artistic Director Karen Peterson Corash, and has been recognized with multiple awards including two Miami New Times 'Best Dance Company' designations (2019 and 2025) and the 2022 Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alumni Achievement Award.

Name

KAREN PETERSON AND DANCERS, INC.

Legal name

Karen Peterson and Dancers, Inc.

Website

https://karenpetersondancers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Karen Peterson and Dancers is a Miami-based nonprofit physically integrated dance company, founded in 1990, that produces professional performances, the annual Forward Motion Festival, and school residency programs serving teens with special needs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts (Physically Integrated Dance)

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Dance Companies (71112)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Physically integrated dance
• Contemporary dance performances
• Inclusive dance education
• Arts education residencies
• Nonprofit dance company

Headquarters

HQ city

Miami

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual performance tickets and festival/conference passes sold through the Thundertix platform. The company presents an annual season of new work at multiple South Florida venues plus the Forward Motion Festival.
2. Donations and Grants: Charitable donations from patrons via the website, combined with institutional grant funding from arts councils and foundations including Knight Foundation, NEA, Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs, and Florida Division of Cultural Affairs.
3. Workshop and Conference Fees: Registration fees for the Forward Motion Conference workshops and professional development sessions, including specialized dance workshops led by guest choreographers.
4. Venue Rental (Excello Dance Space): The company rents out its studio space (Excello Dance Space) for rehearsals and third-party events, generating ancillary rental income.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Karen Peterson and Dancers is a nonprofit physically integrated dance company that creates, produces, and presents contemporary dance performances featuring professional dancers with and without disabilities. The company runs an annual South Florida performance season, produces the international Forward Motion Dance Festival and Conference, and delivers the Everyone Dances school residency program plus educational workshops for teens with special needs in Miami-Dade Public Schools.

Product overview

Karen Peterson and Dancers is a physically integrated dance company founded in 1990, dedicated to the development, education, and presentation of physically integrated dance. The company brings together professional dancers with diverse abilities (with and without disabilities) on the same stage. The product portfolio includes an annual performance season presenting new ensemble works, the annual Forward Motion Dance Festival (an international physically integrated dance festival and conference), the Everyone Dances school residency program for teens with special needs, educational workshops in Miami-Dade Schools, and a video gallery of past productions. The company has performed nationally and internationally in nine countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Forward Motion Dance Festival: Miami's International Physically Integrated Dance Festival and Conference, produced annually by Karen Peterson and Dancers since 2018.

Products and services

• Annual Performance Season Annual season of professional contemporary dance performances featuring new works by multiple choreographers, presented at multiple venues throughout South Florida including Miami-Dade County Auditorium, Koubek Center, and Sandrell Rivers Theatre. Features professional dancers with and without disabilities performing physically integrated contemporary dance.
• Forward Motion Dance Festival Miami's International Physically Integrated Dance Festival and Conference, an annual event bringing together leading physically integrated dance companies from around the country and internationally for performances, workshops, and a conference. Now in its 7th edition.
• Everyone Dances Program A 10-week dance residency program for Miami-Dade teens with special needs in public schools, culminating in a final performance at The Miami Senior High School. Delivered in partnership with Miami-Dade Public Schools.
• Educational Workshops Ongoing educational and training workshops conducted in Miami-Dade Schools, teaching dance techniques and movement skills to teens with special needs.
• Video Gallery Online video library of past performances including works such as 'Samsara', 'Lost and Found', 'Warmamas: a Performance', 'LOVE: Untold Stories', and 'SCRUTINY - the world gone astray', distributed via Vimeo.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 teens with special needs have participated in KPD's educational dance programs since 2006
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

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

• Dancing WheelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading physically integrated dance company from Cleveland, Ohio. Partnered on the NEA-funded 'Beyond Barriers, Boundaries and Beliefs' national tour in June 2022, performing together in Cleveland, Brooklyn, and Miami.
• Heidi Latsky DancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York-based physically integrated dance company. Co-toured with KPD on the NEA-funded 'Beyond Barriers, Boundaries and Beliefs' national tour in June 2022.
• Candoco Dance CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based physically integrated dance company that has performed at the Forward Motion Festival in Miami, representing international collaboration in the field.
• Axis Dance CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading physically integrated dance company from Oakland, California. Featured as guest artists at Forward Motion Festival.
• Full Radius DancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlanta-based physically integrated dance company featured as guest artists at Forward Motion Festival.
• KIADA Festival (Korea International Accessible Dance Festival)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKorean International Accessible Dance Festival in Seoul. KPD performed 'THE AXIS' trio at the ARKO Theatre in August 2024. KPD's workshop featured on Korean news.
• Light Sound Friends (LSF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Korean non-profit artistic corporation for the disabled. Runs MADE dance education program and LSF Dance Company. Hosted KPD at KIADA Festival 2024. Led workshops at Forward Motion 2025 Conference.
• REVolutions DancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive dance company that performed at Forward Motion 7 Dance Festival (2025/2026). Led inclusive dance workshop at Forward Motion 2025 Conference.
• Miami Dance HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal dance advocacy and presenting organization in Miami. KPD has performed as guest company at Miami Dances events and collaborative programming.
• Jackson Memorial Hospital / U HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare institution that hosted KPD's lecture demonstrations at the SCI Summit at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
• Miami-Dade Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term partnership for educational dance programming since 2006, delivering inclusive dance workshops to teens with special needs across multiple schools including Miami Senior High, Cutler Bay Middle School, Hialeah Sr. High School, and others.
• WLRNminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal NPR affiliate and media partner for the Forward Motion Festival.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Full Radius Dance: Atlanta-based physically integrated dance company featured as guest artists at Forward Motion Festival. Direct regional peer operating the same inclusive dance model.
• Heidi Latsky Dance: New York-based physically integrated dance company that co-toured with KPD on the 2022 NEA-funded national tour. Direct peer operating in the same niche with shared funding sources and audiences.
• Candoco Dance Company: UK-based physically integrated dance company that has performed at KPD's Forward Motion Festival, representing the international counterpart in the same dance sub-genre.
• Light Sound Friends (LSF) Dance Company: South Korean non-profit for disabled artists, hosts MADE dance education program, and runs LSF Dance Company. Direct international peer that hosted KPD at KIADA 2024 and led workshops at Forward Motion 2025 Conference.
• Axis Dance Company: Oakland-based physically integrated dance company and one of the field's most prominent organizations. Direct peer offering professional dance works that integrate disabled and non-disabled dancers, and featured as guest artists at KPD's Forward Motion Festival.
• Infinite Flow Dance: Physically integrated dance company featured alongside KPD and REVolutions at the 2025/2026 Forward Motion 7 Festival. Direct peer operating comparable inclusive dance programming.
• REVolutions Dance: Inclusive dance company that performed at Forward Motion 7 (2025/2026) and led an inclusive dance workshop at the Forward Motion 2025 Conference. Direct peer working in the same niche.
• Dancing Wheels: Cleveland-based physically integrated dance company co-touring with KPD on the NEA-funded 'Beyond Barriers, Boundaries and Beliefs' national tour. Directly comparable in artistic model and audience positioning.

Emerging players

• Infinity Dance Theater: New York-based physically integrated dance company with a long history in the field. Comparable in artistic mission (integrating dancers with and without disabilities), though smaller and less touring-heavy than KPD.

Broad incumbents

• Miami City Ballet: South Florida's flagship ballet company - a broader regional incumbent in Miami's dance ecosystem. Comparable as a Miami-based professional dance organization serving similar local audiences, though operating in classical ballet rather than physically integrated contemporary dance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kpdance
• YouTubevimeo.com/karenpetersondancers
• Facebookfacebook.com/karenpetersondancers
• Instagraminstagram.com/karenpdancers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karen-peterson-and-dancers-inc-

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 KAREN PETERSON AND DANCERS, INC.