Nova Dance

What Nova Dance does

Nova Dance is a Toronto-based, non-profit contemporary dance company founded by Artistic Director Nova Bhattacharya. The company creates interdisciplinary dance works rooted in global diaspora movement traditions, with a stated focus on transforming respected traditions through individual expression and engaging audiences around themes of memory, gathering, grief, and collective healing. Its core productions include the signature full-length work Svāhā! (premiered September 2022 at Bluma Appel Theatre), the in-development Tandava (a Tamil-language interdisciplinary piece co-created with director Suvendrini Lena), and other repertoire items (Akshongay, Incantations, Isolated Incidents, Infinite Storms, Decoding Bharatnatyam, Decoded Dances). Beyond stage productions, the company runs a portfolio of community-facing programs: Discover Dance (free all-ages public presentations), Deep End (2–7 day creative immersion workshops for diaspora-trained artists), and a Mentorship program providing paid professional development. A co-published book, 'We Will Remember This,' documents the Svāhā! creation process during the pandemic.

The company's business model is that of a grant-funded arts non-profit. Revenue streams include public arts council grants (Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, BC Arts Council, Edmonton Arts Council), foundation support (George Cedric Metcalf Foundation), performance ticket income, publication sales, and individual donations including a $25 book-donation program for dance school libraries. Free programming (Discover Dance) generates no direct revenue but builds audience pipeline and community goodwill. The company operates with approximately 11 staff, a core company of dancers, associate artists, and rotating guest collaborators. Distribution is event-driven through venue co-presentations with Canadian Stage, TO Live, Citadel + Compagnie, National Ballet of Canada, and Dancemakers, supplemented by community partners such as Native Earth Performing Arts, George Brown College, and Jamii on the Esplanade, with national touring to venues such as the Festival of New Dance in Newfoundland.

The primary customer segments are (1) general public audiences attending free Discover Dance presentations and ticketed mainstage productions, (2) emerging and established diaspora-trained dance artists seeking mentorship, collaboration, and paid professional development, and (3) partner organizations and venues seeking equity-focused, diverse dance programming. A secondary healthcare audience is served through a Baycrest@Home partnership delivering dance content to older adults in care settings. Marketing is conducted through the company website, email newsletter, social media, and partner organization channels, with no evidence of paid acquisition or technology-driven go-to-market infrastructure.

Name

Nova Dance

Legal name

Nova Dance

Website

https://novadance.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nova Dance is a Toronto-based non-profit dance company creating contemporary and interdisciplinary works rooted in global diaspora traditions, serving public audiences, emerging artists, and cultural institutions through mainstage productions, free Discover Dance programming, mentorship, and publications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts — Contemporary Dance

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Theatre (Narrative/Experimental) (MPAGADAC), Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance productions
• Interdisciplinary performance
• Dance mentorship programs
• Cultural dance presentations
• Performing arts company

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

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. Performance Revenue: Revenue from presenting live dance productions at theaters and venues across Canada
2. Publication Sales: Sale of 'We Will Remember This' book publication documenting the company's Svāhā! work during the pandemic
3. Grant Funding: Support from Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and other arts funders for operations and programming
4. Mentorship Program: Funded professional development opportunities for emerging artists working with the company
5. Donations: Support Us page accepts donations including book donation program ($25 purchases copy for dance school)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Nova Dance is a Toronto-based non-profit contemporary dance company that creates, produces, and presents original dance works combining South Asian and global diaspora movement forms with interdisciplinary elements such as poetry, projection, and immersive sound. Beyond its mainstage productions (Svāhā!, Tandava, Akshongay, Decoding Bharatnatyam), the company runs free public presentation series (Discover Dance), creative immersion programming (Deep End), paid mentorship for emerging artists, and a publishing program documenting its artistic work.

Product overview

Nova Dance is a Toronto-based dance company offering a portfolio of dance productions and professional development programs. Core productions include Svāhā! (full-length production), Tandava (in development), Akshongay, and Decoding Bharatnatyam. Programming includes Discover Dance (free public presentation series), Deep End (creative immersion programming), and Mentorship (professional development). The company also publishes books documenting their artistic work. Productions are presented at various venues including Bluma Appel Theatre, with touring to locations like St. John's, NL.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Discover Dance: A free, all-ages program sharing the artistry of superlative dancers, providing opportunities for creative exchange and mentorship.
• Deep End
• We Will Remember This: Nova Bhattacharya's Svāhā!

Products and services

• Svāhā! Full-length dance production exploring acts of gathering and the ritual of dance, serving audiences at major Toronto and touring venues. Premiered in September 2022.
• Tandava Interdisciplinary performance work combining dance, poetry, and sound, co-created by Nova Bhattacharya and Suvendrini Lena, inspired by 6th-century Tamil poet-saint Karaikkal Ammaiyar and shaped by histories of the Sri Lankan Civil War.
• Discover Dance Free all-ages program offering hour-long public presentations into dance artists' creative processes, with audience participation and Q&A.
• Deep End 2–7 day creative immersion program combining conversations, collaborations, and presentations, designed for dance artists trained in global diaspora movement and theatre forms.
• Mentorship Program Collaborative professional development program pairing artists with Nova Dance for paid, self-directed opportunities, supporting intergenerational artist engagement and funded by multiple arts councils.
• We Will Remember This! (Publication) Book published in collaboration with Dance Collection Danse, written and curated by Brannavy Jeyasundaram with foreword by Peggy Baker, documenting the company's artistic work during the global pandemic.
• Svāhā! on the Land Land-based presentation of the Svāhā! production, touring to different locations including St. John's, Newfoundland.
• Akshongay (একসঙ্গে) Dance work exploring togetherness and community connection, presented as part of the company's repertoire.
• Decoding Bharatnatyam Work presented at the Festival of Newfoundland, exploring the deconstruction and understanding of the Bharatnatyam dance form.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 artists presented through Discover Dance in 2022 alone
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canadian StagecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Toronto theatre company supporting Tandava and other productions. Co-presenter of Night Shift dance series with Fall for Dance North.
• Cahoots TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre company providing support for Tandava development.
• Fu-Gen TheatreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTheatre company supporting Tandava through Theatre Creator's Reserve.
• National Ballet of CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpen Space Programme provides rehearsal support for company works.
• TO LivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Toronto presenting organization providing venue access and Making Space program for rehearsals.
• Citadel + CompagniecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership including retreat collaboration, co-presenting Night Shift, Larry's Cabaret hosting, and artistic collaboration.
• Native Earth Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for Discover Dance 2026/27 residency, providing space for artist exchange and mentorship.
• George Brown CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner hosting for Discover Dance programming.
• DancemakerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresenting partner for Discover Dance 2025, embodiment of shared space for dancing stories.
• Jamii on the EsplanadecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for 2025 programming, supporting equity-focused dance presentations.
• Baycrest@HomeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership sharing Discover Dance with older adults in healthcare setting.
• Dance Collection DansecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on publication of 'We Will Remember This: Nova Bhattacharya's Svāhā!' documenting pandemic-era dance making.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TO Live: Major Toronto municipal presenting organization operating Meridian Hall and other large venues; partners with Nova Dance for Discover Dance free programming and rehearsal space. Comparable only at the industry-ecosystem level — far larger scale.
• Canadian Stage: One of Canada's largest presenting theatre companies and a core co-presenter of Nova Dance's Tandava and Night Shift programming. Provides venue access and curatorial reach that materially shapes Nova Dance's national exposure.

Direct peers

• Peggy Baker Dance Projects: Toronto-based contemporary dance company led by a single founding artistic voice producing original work for major Canadian stages. Comparable in scale, repertoire depth, and reliance on public funders and venue partners.
• Kaeja d'Dance: Toronto contemporary dance company of comparable size producing original choreography, mentorship, and community programming. Operates a similar small-team, artist-driven, grant-funded model with intergenerational artist development at its core.
• Citadel + Compagnie: Toronto contemporary dance hub operating a residence/retreat model and co-presenting programs (e.g., Night Shift). Direct co-production partner with Nova Dance on multiple initiatives.
• Holla Jazz: Toronto-based dance company rooted in hip-hop and African diaspora forms; comparable small-team, community-led, and grant-funded model with overlapping diaspora-arts ecosystem and award recognition (Dora Award connection).
• Menaka Thakkar Dance Company: Toronto-based South Asian-rooted dance company founded by Menaka Thakkar. Artistic Director Nova Bhattacharya trained under Thakkar before founding Nova Dance, making this the most direct artistic lineage peer in the Canadian diaspora-dance space.
• Dancemakers: Toronto contemporary dance creation and presenting organization; an active co-presenter of Discover Dance. Comparable in mission (artist development, presenting contemporary work) and in dependence on public funding.

Emerging players

• samaDance: Toronto contemporary dance company with cross-cultural and interdisciplinary programming focus. Comparable in scale and thematic emphasis on tradition-meets-contemporary practice.
• Tiger Princess Dance Projects: Toronto-based emerging contemporary dance company with similar small-scale, founder-led structure focused on original choreography and community engagement. Represents the next tier of growth-stage peers Nova Dance may evolve toward.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nova-dance

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 Nova Dance