Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre

What Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre does

Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre (RMDT) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1998 and based in Cody, Wyoming, operating in affiliation with Rocky Mountain School of the Arts (RMSA, founded 1997). The organization operates from a state-of-the-art facility at 2613 Sheridan Avenue comprising three dedicated dance studios with specialized flooring and wall-hung barres, plus an on-site retail store (The Dance Store) that serves as the area's only authorized dealer of name-brand dance footwear and apparel. RMDT/RMSA serves children and youth ages 3 through adult across the Big Horn Basin region, offering structured progressive instruction in classical ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, pointe, modern, and musical theatre, as well as private piano, voice, and Early Childhood music classes. The Executive Director Elizabeth Fernandez holds Bolshoi Ballet Academy Teacher Certification (Level C, 2018), and the organization maintains recurring relationships with guest artists from Ballet Arizona and The Suzanne Farrell Ballet for summer intensives and productions.

The organization's commercial activity spans five revenue streams: session-based dance and music tuition, performance ticket sales, retail (The Dance Store), donations and fundraising (including the Swing Into Spring event series), and audition/registration fees for summer intensives. It produces two flagship annual productions — the Nutcracker Ballet (now in its 28th year, performed at the 870-seat Wynona Thompson Auditorium) and Wild West Spectacular The Musical (10th season in 2025, a 7-week/40-45 show summer run at the Historic Cody Theatre). Distribution channels include a Jackrabbit Class-based online registration portal, a custom iOS/Android studio app with parent portal, tix.com online ticketing, the Cody and Powell Chambers of Commerce, and group/tour-bus sales by phone. The Wild West Spectacular is positioned within Cody's tourism ecosystem near Yellowstone and is a TripAdvisor Travelers Choice winner since 2020 and a 4-time True West Magazine "Best Wild West Show" awardee.

The customer base is fragmented across individual students, ticketed audience members (local residents and tourists), grant-making bodies (Wyoming Arts Council, Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, Blue Ridge Fund), and individual donors. Supporting programs include the Access for All free-ticket initiative for area youth, the Bob Kaelberer Scholarship Fund, the RMDT Spring Company pre-professional ensemble, and a biennial New York Experience trip. The organization is family-operated with no parent company, no outside equity ownership, and no disclosed headcount or revenue figures.

Name

Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre

Legal name

Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre

Website

https://rockymountaindancetheatre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Cody, Wyoming, operating an affiliated dance and music school and producing annual Nutcracker and Wild West Spectacular productions serving the Big Horn Basin community and tourists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire) (MPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB), Dance Performances (THAJAFAD), Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD), Children’s & Youth Theatre (MPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Dance instruction
• Ballet training
• Performing arts education
• Music lessons
• Live theater productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Cody

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dance & Music Class Tuition: Year-round tuition for dance classes (ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, pointe, modern, musical theatre) and music instruction (private piano, group early childhood music). Offered in school-year, summer, and session formats. Piano lessons have historically had waitlists. Minimum enrollment required for adult sessions.
2. Performance Ticket Sales: Ticket revenue from flagship productions: Annual Nutcracker Ballet at Wynona Thompson Auditorium (reserved seating at $22-$32), Wild West Spectacular The Musical at the Cody Theatre (general admission at $30 adults, $15 kids 12 and under), Spring Production and Masterpieces of Ballet. Advance tickets priced lower than door tickets.
3. Dance Store Retail: On-site dance retail store (The Dance Store) selling name-brand dance items including ballet, pointe, jazz, character, and tap shoes; leotards, dance tights, skirts, bags, and booties. Open to the general public. Special orders available; pointe shoe fittings by appointment.
4. Donations & Fundraising: RMDT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit relying on donor support. Annual Swing Into Spring fundraising series includes Food & Wine Pairing Events, Clash of the Academies, live/silent auctions. 'Setting the Stage' campaign for Nutcracker set funding. Bob Kaelberer Scholarship Fund for financial assistance. Grants from Wyoming Arts Council, Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, Blue Ridge Fund.
5. Audition & Registration Fees: Revenue from paid summer program intensives, master classes, and workshops. Summer intensives charged per session with guest artist instruction. Wild West Spectacular cast members receive paid contracts with housing provided for out-of-town performers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre (RMDT) and its affiliated Rocky Mountain School of the Arts (RMSA) deliver year-round classical dance and music instruction (ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, pointe, modern, musical theatre, piano, early childhood music) for ages 3 through adult, along with pre-professional performance training and annual professional productions including the Nutcracker Ballet and Wild West Spectacular The Musical. The organization also operates The Dance Store, an on-site retail outlet for name-brand dancewear and footwear.

Product overview

Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre operates two distinct entities: Rocky Mountain School of the Arts (RMSA), a state-of-the-art performing arts school offering year-round classical instruction in dance (ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz, contemporary, pointe) and music (piano, Early Childhood music), and Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre (RMDT), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization delivering pre-professional training and productions. The organization also operates The Dance Store retail outlet. RMDT produces signature annual productions including the Nutcracker Ballet and Wild West Spectacular The Musical, while offering programs such as Spring Company, Summer Dance Intensives with guest master instructors, and the Access For All program. RMSA provides foundational training from ages 3 through adult, with RMDT's affiliation offering unique opportunities and experiences directly to enrolled students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Dance Store: Onsite dance retail store offering name brand dance items including ballet, pointe, jazz, character, and tap shoes, leotards, dance tights, skirts, dance bags, booties, and more. The only authorized dealer in the area for name brand dance items.
• Access for All Program
• Wild West Spectacular The Musical
• RMDT Spring Company
• Swing Into Spring Fundraiser
• New York Experience

Products and services

• Rocky Mountain School of the Arts (RMSA) Dance Instruction Year-round classical dance instruction for ages 3 through adult covering ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz, pointe, contemporary, modern, and musical theatre in a structured progressive curriculum from Early Childhood through Academy pre-professional levels.
• RMSA Music and Piano Lessons Year-round classical private piano instruction for ages 6 and up, group Early Childhood music classes during the school year, Summer Music Camps, and private voice lessons for ages 6+.
• Adult Dance Classes Recreational ballet and tap classes for adults ages 16+ offered in sessions throughout the school year, including Beginner Basics and progressive Regular Sessions with no prior experience required.
• Summer Dance Intensives Concentrated summer programs for dancers featuring Intermediate and Advanced intensives in ballet, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, musical theatre, and choreography, with master classes from guest instructors such as Natalia Magnicaballi and Randy Pacheco from Ballet Arizona.
• RMDT Spring Dance Company Pre-professional dance company providing elite training and performance opportunities for serious dance students; members participate in productions including Masterpieces of Ballet and Spring Production performances.
• The Dance Store On-site dance retail store and the only authorized dealer in the area for name-brand dance items including ballet, pointe, jazz, character, and tap shoes, leotards, tights, skirts, dance bags, and booties. Open to the general public with pointe shoe fittings by appointment.
• Nutcracker Ballet Annual full-length Nutcracker Ballet production with original choreography, sets, and lighting by Casey Kearns, featuring local performers alongside guest artists from Ballet Arizona. Performed at Wynona Thompson Auditorium with 870 seats.
• Wild West Spectacular The Musical Original full-length musical telling the story of Buffalo Bill Cody's journey to become the world's greatest showman, performed annually each summer at the Historic Cody Theatre with 40-45 performances over seven weeks.
• New York Experience Biennial trip providing RMDT dancers an immersive experience in New York City with exposure to professional dance environments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 870-seat Nutcracker performance sold out for the first time in 26 years (December 2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ballet ArizonacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRMDT brings Ballet Arizona soloists Randy Pacheco and Sasha Vincett as annual guest artists in the Nutcracker Ballet (Pacheco as Cavalier, Vincett as Sugar Plum Fairy). Pacheco also serves as a guest ballet instructor for summer dance intensives and conducted RMDT's first Boys Dance Workshop. Natalia Magnicaballi, former principal dancer with Ballet Arizona, teaches annual master ballet classes. These long-running artist partnerships provide pre-professional training opportunities unique to the rural region.
• The Suzanne Farrell BalletcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNatalia Magnicaballi, Prima Ballerina and former Principal Dancer with The Suzanne Farrell Ballet (The Kennedy Center), serves as annual guest ballet master class instructor for RMDT summer intensives. Her relationship with RMDT began in 2005 when she performed the Sugar Plum Fairy in RMDT's Nutcracker.
• University of Arizona School of DanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElizabeth George-Fesch, Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Dance, served as guest teacher for RMDT's 2022 Summer Dance Intensives, teaching both Intermediate and Advanced participants. She is a former dancer of the Dayton Ballet and Ballet Tucson.
• University of West Florida Theatre DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRMDT Executive Director Elizabeth Fernandez was commissioned as one of four choreographers to set a contemporary piece for the UWF Dance Ensemble's 2019 performance. She taught 14 dancers a contemporary piece titled 'Iron' during an in-person residency.
• The Cody Theatre CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Cody Theatre Company, a performing group formed in 2021, is supported by RMDT. Both organizations share the Cody Theatre venue and serve the performing arts community of Cody, Wyoming.
• Cody Trolley ToursminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCody Trolley Tours supported the Wild West Spectacular through promotional poster and rack card distribution, supporting marketing efforts for the production.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Colorado Ballet: Regional ballet company with an associated academy in Denver offering structured curriculum, Nutcracker productions, and guest artist programming; comparable in school-plus-company model though operating in a larger metro market.
• Montana Ballet: Regional ballet company and academy based in Bozeman, Montana operating in a similarly rural Mountain West market with comparable mix of school, Nutcracker-style production, and tourism-adjacent performances.
• Eugene Ballet: Regional ballet company and academy in Eugene, Oregon with similar mix of community dance school, annual Nutcracker, and touring production offerings in a mid-size market.
• Burklyn Ballet: Summer intensive ballet program comparable to RMDT's Summer Dance Intensives, featuring guest master teachers and concentrated pre-professional training in a small-market setting.
• Nashville Ballet: Regional ballet company with affiliated School of Nashville Ballet offering year-round instruction and annual Nutcracker-style productions; comparable operating model combining tuition-based school with nonprofit producing arm.
• Sarasota Ballet: Regional ballet company with an academy and full annual season including Nutcracker productions; comparable in combining tuition-based training with a nonprofit producing arm, though in a more tourism-driven Florida market.

Peers

• Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet: Pre-professional ballet training organization with intensive summer programs and structured curriculum progression; directly comparable to RMDT's Spring Company and Summer Intensive offerings focused on pre-professional pipeline development.

Others

• Buffalo Bill Center of the West: Cody, Wyoming cultural institution and tourism anchor closely tied to the Buffalo Bill Cody legacy that underpins RMDT's Wild West Spectacular; comparable as a destination cultural organization drawing visitors to Cody from around the world.
• Capezio: Dancewear manufacturer and retailer with a network of authorized dealers; comparable to The Dance Store's role as the sole authorized name-brand dealer in the RMDT region, with overlapping product categories across ballet shoes, leotards, and accessories.

Regional players

• Jackson Hole Center for the Arts: Wyoming-based nonprofit arts organization offering performance programming and arts education in Jackson, Wyoming; comparable as a regional arts nonprofit serving a Mountain West tourism economy though broader in scope than RMDT's dance focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/160355617337391
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rocky-mountain-dance-theatre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rocky Mountain Dance Theatre