PHILADELPHIA DANCE COMPANY

Name

PHILADELPHIA DANCE COMPANY

Legal name

The Philadelphia Dance Company

Website

https://philadanco.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO!) is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit professional modern dance company founded in 1970 that produces 50-60 concerts annually, runs a four-tier youth and pre-professional training pipeline, and tours nationally and internationally while training 4,500+ dancers over its 55+ year history.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Dance Company

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Festivals & Dance Series (MPAGADAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Dance Competitions & Showcases (Non-Esports) (MPAGADAH)

Keywords

• Professional dance performances
• Dance education programs
• Modern dance company
• Choreographic development
• Arts education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia

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, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Performance Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from ticketed performances at venues including Kimmel Cultural Campus, The Joyce Theatre, touring performances, and special events. Ticket prices range from $10 (Joyce Theatre) to $31-$40 (Longwood Gardens).
2. Donations and Fundraising: As a nonprofit organization, PHILADANCO! relies heavily on donor support. The company conducts Giving Tuesday campaigns and maintains relationships with individual donors, corporate sponsors, and institutional funders.
3. Foundation Grants: Significant funding from Mellon Foundation, Wallace Foundation, Doris Duke Foundation, and others. Also received NEA Fellowship and National Choreography Planning Grant.
4. Educational Program Fees: Summer Training Program charges $150 per week or $575.75 full session. Summer Skill Enhancement Series costs $150 per week or $600 full session. Financial scholarships available for students with demonstrated need.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PHILADANCO! is a nonprofit professional dance company that presents high-quality live dance performances preserving predominantly African-American traditions and runs a structured pipeline of training ensembles (D/2, D/3) and instructional programs (46-week, summer intensive, 'Danco on 'Danco!) to develop emerging and professional dancers and choreographers.

Product overview

PHILADANCO! The Philadelphia Dance Company is a nonprofit dance organization offering a portfolio of professional dance performances and comprehensive dance education programs. The core offering is the professional dance company, which presents high-quality performances celebrated for innovation and preservation of African-American dance traditions. Supporting this are three training companies: D/2 Apprentice Company (ages 15-23), D/3 Youth Ensemble (ages 13-16), and D/3 Juniors/Minis (ages 6-12), forming a developmental pipeline. Education programs include the Instruction and Training Program (46-week year-round), Summer Training Program (six-week intensive), 'Danco on 'Danco! choreography concert, and Arts in Education and Community Programs. Together these offerings cultivate emerging dancers and choreographers while increasing appreciation of dance in the community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 55+ years of preserving and advancing African-American dance traditions
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Philadelphia International RecordsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 December 2026PHILADANCO! and Philadelphia International Records are collaborating on 'For The Love Of Philly!' celebrating Philadelphia's artistic soul, cultural memory, and enduring global influence. The production features world premiere works by Rennie Harris and Dawn Marie Bazemore alongside returning works by Gene Hill Sagan and Tommie-Waheed Evans, and a reimagined classic by Dwight Rhoden, set to iconic Philadelphia International Records music featuring Patti LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass, The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes.
• Penn Live Arts and ArtPhillyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2026Co-commission with Penn Live Arts and ArtPhilly for world premiere of 'in case of fire, speak' by Tommie-Waheed Evans. PHILADANCO! dancers will join Martha Graham Dance Company dancers for the performance.
• Voices UndergroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Voices Underground for Chester County-wide commemoration of Juneteenth at Longwood Gardens. Presents PHILADANCO! at the Open Air Theatre as part of their cultural programming.
• Apollo TheaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations for the company include the Apollo Theater, a historic venue in Harlem, New York, known for showcasing African-American talent.
• Rennie Harris PuremovementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborations for the company include Rennie Harris Puremovement, continuing the relationship with renowned hip-hop choreographer Rennie Harris.
• Drexel UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe company is committed to engaging with the community and frequently partners with Drexel University for educational and cultural programming.
• University of PennsylvaniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement partnerships include the University of Pennsylvania for educational and cultural initiatives.
• String TheoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement partnerships include String Theory, a Philadelphia arts organization, for cultural programming.
• Next Move concertsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement partnerships include Next Move concerts for performance and educational programming.
• Living ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement partnerships include Living Arts for cultural and educational initiatives.
• Breaking BarriersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity engagement partnerships include Breaking Barriers for cultural and educational initiatives.
• APAP (Association of Performing Arts Professionals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHILADANCO! participates in APAP conferences as both a performer and exhibitor, showcasing their repertory to bookers and presenters. Showcase performances at The Ailey Studios and Ailey Citigroup Theater.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dance Theatre of Harlem: Another leading African-American focused dance company with a similar mission of expanding opportunities for Black dancers. Both organizations maintain resident company status at major venues, operate training programs for emerging dancers, and tour internationally. DTH's classical ballet focus provides a complementary comparison point to PHILADANCO!'s modern/contemporary focus.
• Parsons Dance: A modern dance company with comparable touring scale, repertory approach, and educational programming. Both companies perform at major US venues, maintain international touring circuits, and present work that blends traditional and contemporary dance vocabularies.
• Complexions Contemporary Ballet: A contemporary dance company that blends ballet and modern techniques similar to PHILADANCO!'s stylistic range. Both companies tour nationally and internationally, perform at major venues like Joyce Theatre, and present work by renowned choreographers. Complexions represents the contemporary end of the spectrum where PHILADANCO! also operates.
• Martha Graham Dance Company: A premier modern dance company that directly collaborates with PHILADANCO! on a co-commissioned world premiere (May 2026). Both companies maintain extensive choreographic repertoires, tour internationally, perform at Joyce Theatre and similar major venues, and operate training/educational programs for emerging dancers.
• Rennie Harris Puremovement: A Philadelphia-based hip-hop dance company and documented PHILADANCO! collaborator. Both companies are rooted in Philadelphia's African-American dance community, share founder-level connections, and present work that preserves Black dance traditions. Rennie Harris Puremovement's hip-hop focus complements PHILADANCO!'s broader modern/ballet/jazz programming.
• Batsheva Dance Company: An internationally renowned contemporary dance company with a comparable organizational structure including main company, junior ensemble (Batsheva Dancers Create), and educational programs. Both organizations tour extensively in Europe and maintain deep relationships with choreographers, providing a global comparison point for PHILADANCO!'s artistic approach.
• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: A mid-size modern dance company comparable in scale to PHILADANCO!, with similar operational profile including touring, residencies, educational programs, and a Joyce Theatre presence. Both organizations maintain repertory companies performing contemporary works by established and emerging choreographers.
• Ailey II: The second company of Alvin Ailey, Ailey II is a direct parallel to PHILADANCO!'s D/2 Apprentice Company. Both serve as training ensembles for emerging professional dancers ages 16-24, perform 20-30 times annually, and provide a developmental bridge between educational programs and main company positions.

Broad incumbents

• Mark Morris Dance Group: A larger established modern dance company with comparable programming including touring, residency programming, and arts education. While Mark Morris operates at greater scale and budget, both organizations share the modern dance touring company model with resident venue partnerships and educational outreach components.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: The largest and most prominent African-American focused modern dance company in the US, Alvin Ailey is the industry benchmark that PHILADANCO! is often compared to. Both companies preserve African-American dance traditions and operate training programs (Ailey II, Ailey School), but Ailey operates at significantly greater scale with broader international recognition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/philadelphia-dance-company

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 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 PHILADELPHIA DANCE COMPANY