Kinesis Dance

What Kinesis Dance does

Kinesis Dance Society, operating as soma anima arts, is a Vancouver-based federally registered charity (#118981448RR0001) founded in 1986 by Greek-Canadian choreographer Paraskevas Terezakis. The organization produces interdisciplinary contemporary dance works that integrate live performance, music, spoken word, digital projections, and community collaboration. Its portfolio includes more than 40 original works over four decades, with recent productions such as Bright Shadow, Gentle Glory, Artemis' Embrace, Luminous Web, Reverence for the Rebels, and What is Us & Eternal, alongside community programs including Generations (care-facility outreach), Freedom Floor (at-risk youth improvisation), and French-language school workshops. Under Artistic Director Rachel Helten, who assumed the role in April 2024 after a 2023 associate directorship, the organization began rebranding to soma anima arts in summer 2024 while retaining the Kinesis Dance Society legal entity.

The company's business model is a non-profit charitable structure with no ticket revenue: all workshops, flash mob performances, and community events are free. Revenue is generated through project grants from BC Arts Council, the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, and Metro Vancouver; individual donations via Zeffy, Canada Helps, PayPal Giving Fund, e-transfers, and mailed cheques; an annual silent-auction fundraiser called Reveries; and small affiliate or eco-fundraising channels (TruEarth product commissions and Return-It recycling refunds). Distribution runs through co-presented programming at The Dance Centre, North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission venues, public parks and plazas, schools (notably École des Colibris), and direct outreach to healthcare facilities, supported by an 11-person staff headquartered at The Dance Centre on Davie Street in downtown Vancouver.

Name

Kinesis Dance

Legal name

Kinesis Dance Society

Website

https://kinesisdance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kinesis Dance Society (operating as soma anima arts) is a Vancouver-based registered charity producing interdisciplinary contemporary dance works and free community programs. Founded in 1986, it serves Metro Vancouver residents including seniors, youth, and Francophone school students through grants, donations, and fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Services

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental) (MPAGADAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI), Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Arts & Culture Service/Support Organizations (Networks, Advocacy, Capacity Building) (BPAGAHAL)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance productions
• Interdisciplinary performance art
• Community dance workshops
• Arts education programs
• Live performance events

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Funding from BC Arts Council, Province of British Columbia, City of Vancouver, and Metro Vancouver for artistic projects and community programs.
2. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations through Zeffy platform, Canada Helps, PayPal Giving Fund, e-transfers, and mailed cheques.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual silent auctions and fundraiser celebrations like Reveries, generating revenue through ticket sales and auction items donated by businesses and individuals.
4. Eco-fundraising: Return-It recycling donations (20% of Tru Earth product purchases through their affiliate link).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kinesis Dance Society, operating as soma anima arts, is a Vancouver-based registered charity and interdisciplinary contemporary dance company that creates original live performance works combining dance, music, spoken word, and multimedia. It delivers free community workshops, flash mob performances, and outreach programs for diverse audiences including general public, seniors in care facilities, youth, and at-risk populations, funded by government arts grants, donations, and fundraising events.

Product overview

soma anima arts is a Vancouver-based interdisciplinary arts organization (formerly Kinesis Dance Society/Kinesis Dance somatheatro) that offers a portfolio of dance productions, community programs, and educational workshops. The company's core offerings include original interdisciplinary dance works such as Bright Shadow, Gentle Glory, Artemis' Embrace, What is Us & Eternal, Reverence for the Rebels, Luminous Web, Generations, Aethernet, Rift, Against, and Noxious. These productions range from immersive flash mob community experiences to solo contemporary dance works, often incorporating live music, digital projections, and multimedia elements. Beyond performances, the organization provides community outreach programs including youth dance workshops, the Generations program for care facilities, Freedom Floor sessions for at-risk youth, and older adults' creative dance classes. The company also conducts Dance Out Loud (DOL) professional workshops worldwide and hosts the annual Reveries fundraiser event. The organization was founded in 1986 and transitioned to new artistic leadership under Rachel Helten in 2024, with rebranding to soma anima arts completed in Summer 2024.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Named customers6 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Dance CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue partner and co-presenter. Hosts Dance Lab residencies, Dance In Vancouver biennale performances, and International Dance Day events. The Dance Centre is a hub for BC's dance community with an estimated 87,000+ visits annually.
• North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission (NVRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for community workshops and flash mob events including Artemis' Embrace and Luminous Web. Provides venues, promotion, and partial funding through Arts & Culture Grants Program.
• Dance West NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenter of Des Arts Dehors / Arts Outside (DADAO) program. Provided opportunity for Gentle Glory performance at Alliance Française de Vancouver.
• École des ColibrisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench-immersion school whose students and teachers participate in community dance projects including Artemis' Embrace.
• The Carnival BandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLive music ensemble that performs at Aethernet and other community flash mob events.
• Balkan ShmalkanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEast Vancouver funk brass orchestra providing live music for Artemis' Embrace performances.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Royal Winnipeg Ballet: Canada's longest-operating ballet company and a major Canadian dance producer. Comparable in producing original works and touring, but geographically distant and substantially larger than Kinesis Dance.
• Les Grands Ballets Canadiens: Montréal-based contemporary and classical dance company producing original works and national touring. Comparable repertoire strategy but a much larger institution based in a different Canadian market.

Direct peers

• Ballet BC: Vancouver-based contemporary dance company producing original works and touring internationally. Operates in the same city, same contemporary dance market, and draws on overlapping BC Arts Council and municipal funding pools.
• Wen Wei Dance: Vancouver contemporary dance company creating original works and community programs. Overlaps with Kinesis Dance in funding sources, regional venues, and the small-company contemporary dance positioning in BC.
• Kidd Pivot: Vancouver-based contemporary dance company founded by Crystal Pite, producing original narrative and experimental works for national and international touring. Directly comparable in scale, repertoire strategy, and Vancouver institutional ecosystem.
• Company 605: Vancouver-based contemporary dance company working at the intersection of dance, theatre, and multimedia. Strongly comparable interdisciplinary practice and small-team operating model.
• Joe Ink: Vancouver contemporary dance company creating original ensemble works and community engagement programs. Comparable in city, scale, and reliance on BC arts grants.
• MascallDance: Vancouver-based contemporary dance company producing interdisciplinary works that blend movement, text, and visual design. Highly comparable artistic approach and similarly small team scale.

Broad incumbents

• Batsheva Dance Company: Internationally renowned Israeli contemporary dance company known for narrative-driven, interdisciplinary ensemble work. Comparable artistic philosophy (gaga-based movement language, socially engaged repertoire) but operates at far larger scale.
• Arts Umbrella: Vancouver arts education and dance training organization running professional dance programs and youth performance companies. Larger and broader scope than Kinesis, but operates in overlapping dance education and community workshop space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KDsomatheatro
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHdIhlRMsJwjAFQOfHez8wg
• Facebookfacebook.com/somaanimaarts
• Instagraminstagram.com/somaanimaartskds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kinesis-dance

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 Kinesis Dance