What Urbanity Dance does

Urbanity Dance is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dance organization founded in 2008, operating three studio locations within a 12-minute walking radius in Boston's South End: Urbanity Headquarters at 1180 Washington Street (shared with Afrobeats Dance Boston), Urbanity Central at 725 Harrison Avenue, and Balance at 111 West Concord Street. Founded and led by Betsi Graves, the organization delivers a multi-pillar portfolio comprising a Professional Dance Company with performance and touring capabilities, a School providing dance education for ages 0-5 through seniors, Community Programs anchored by therapeutic movement offerings (Dance with Parkinson's, Movement Meets spanning cancer recovery, stroke recovery, mental health, addiction recovery, housing stability, pediatric wellness, and the new Dance for Dizziness program with Harvard Medical School), and Studio Rentals. The organization's 33 employees serve youth, adult, senior, and clinical populations in the Greater Boston area, with 7,000+ free or discounted classes provided through its Access for All scholarship program.

The organization's core methodology rests on the licensed Dance for PD® curriculum (developed by Mark Morris Dance Group in partnership with Brooklyn Parkinson Group) and a proprietary Movement Meets program model in which dance instruction is adapted for life-altering physical and mental health conditions, with teaching artists receiving specialized trauma-informed training. Programs are delivered in-person across three studios and at partner sites including Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, McLean Hospital, Spaulding Rehabilitation, Mass General Brigham, Pine Street Inn, IBA Boston, Boston Community Pediatrics, and Boston Public Schools.

Urbanity operates a hybrid nonprofit revenue model. Earned revenue streams include recurring dance class tuition, hourly studio rentals ($20-$40/hr), birthday party packages ($750-$937.50), branded merchandise ($10-$45), and professional dancer bookings for corporate and private events. Contributed revenue includes individual donations (channeled through GoFundMe), foundation grants, corporate philanthropy from 35+ institutional supporters (including Mass Cultural Council, Parkinson's Foundation, Eastern Bank, Fidelity, Dell, Meta, Bain Capital Children's Charity, and the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture), and earned income from a growing roster of named enterprise and institutional clients (CrossHarbor Capital Partners, Hyatt, Liberty Hotel, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, MFA Boston, ICA, Peabody Essex Museum, First Night Boston, and HOW Design Conference). The Access for All Fund distributes approximately $170k annually in tuition and wrap-around support, with 65% of scholarship students on full tuition coverage and 89% identifying as BIPOC.

Name

Urbanity Dance

Legal name

Urbanity Dance

Website

https://urbanitydance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Urbanity Dance is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2008, operating three South End studios that deliver dance education, therapeutic movement programs, professional performances, and studio rentals to youth, adults, seniors, and clinical populations in Greater Boston.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Education

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH), Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI), Dance & Movement (Ballroom, Contemporary, Social Dance) (EDAAAGAD)

Keywords

• Dance education
• Therapeutic dance programs
• Performing arts instruction
• Studio rental services
• Community dance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston, Massachusetts

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Dance Classes and Lessons: Recurring class fees for youth and adult dance education programs across multiple styles and skill levels, including early childhood, youth, teen, adult, and senior programs.
2. Studio Rentals: Hourly rental fees for three studio spaces (UDHQ, Central, Balance) used for classes, workshops, rehearsals, photoshoots, events, and parties.
3. Birthday Party Packages: Basic and Deluxe birthday party packages with dance instruction, games, and studio space rental.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including t-shirts, tanks, quarter-zips, dresses, water bottles, and tote bags.
5. Professional Dance Bookings: Hire of professional dancers for corporate events, conferences, holiday parties, festivals, weddings, awards shows, launch parties, and fashion shows.
6. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations supporting Access for All scholarships, Movement Meets therapeutic programs, and general operations. Urbanity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with Tax ID 45-2295295.
7. Foundation and Corporate Support: Institutional funding from foundations, corporations, and government arts agencies supporting specific programs and general operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Urbanity Dance is a nonprofit dance organization that delivers dance education, professional performances, and therapeutic movement programs across three Boston studios. Core offerings include age-based dance classes (ages 0-5 through seniors), a professional dance company available for corporate and private event bookings, therapeutic programs (Dance with Parkinson's, Movement Meets, Age Thrive), studio rentals, birthday party packages, and an Urbanity X residency program for emerging movement artists. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) with programs funded through class fees, donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Urbanity Dance is a Boston-based dance organization offering a multi-faceted portfolio of programs and services organized into four main pillars: The Professional Company (performances and dance entertainment), The School (dance education for all ages from 0-5 through seniors), Community Programs (therapeutic and accessible dance including Dance with Parkinson's, Movement Meets, and Age Thrive), and Studio Rentals (three studio spaces available for events). Additional offerings include Urbanity X residency program, Teen Leadership Program, Foundation Trust Teen Artist Fellowship, birthday party packages, and branded merchandise. Through its Access for All Fund, the organization also provides scholarships covering up to 100% of tuition for youth dancers. Urbanity shares its headquarters with partner organization Afrobeats Dance Boston.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Urbanity X: Urbanity's annual residency program that elevates promising movement artists through multi-layered support including rehearsal space, stipends, performance opportunities, technical and administrative support, and mentorship.
• Urbanity 2
• Junior Apprentices
• Urbanity Central
• Urbanity Headquarters (UDHQ)
• Balance at Urbanity Dance

Quantifiable outcome

• 120 young Bostonians reached annually through Access for All program
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Afrobeats Dance BostoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Official partnership with Afrobeats Dance Boston, a dance company focused on Contemporary African music and diaspora dance styles. Organizations share space at 1180 Washington Street, Suite 100, Boston. Partnership originated from Urbanity's Artist in Residence program, with over 1,000 hours of free/subsidized space provided to BIPOC artists over 15 years.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement Meets Cancer Recovery track offered as part of Dana-Farber's wellness offerings. Classes emphasize upper-body chest, shoulder, spine and core activation through cross-lateral and lymphatic techniques. Part of ongoing research study assessing change in quality of life, pain, fatigue, and body image in breast cancer survivors.
• McLean HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental Health track partnership bringing dance classes to McLean's inpatient psychosis ward and outpatient mental illness recovery program. Curriculum adapted from Dance with Parkinson's model due to similar parkinsonian symptoms from psychiatric medications.
• Spaulding Rehabilitation HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement Meets Stroke Recovery track partnership. Monthly adaptive workshop with exercises aimed to build strength, mobility, coordination, expression, and gait for stroke recovery patients. Includes exercises for participants in wheelchairs, walkers, and canes.
• Mass General BrighamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCancer Recovery track offered as part of Mass General Brigham wellness offerings alongside Dana-Farber. Potential 2026 partnership with Mass General Brigham neurologists for original adaptive dance class for stroke survivors.
• Pine Street InncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement Meets Housing Stability track partnership. Quarterly movement workshops for women living in the Women's Shelter at Yawkey House. Adaptive dance techniques from Zumba to Contemporary taught for residents including those with disabilities.
• Boston Community PediatricscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPediatric Wellness track partnership with mission to bring equity to pediatric healthcare. Free bilingual movement exploration classes for young children with caregivers and teens. 70% of youth served living in poverty or facing food/housing insecurity.
• Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) BostoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovimiento en Sillas (Movement in Chairs) and biweekly Dance with Parkinson's class taught in Spanish at IBA Boston. Free to all participants, drawing on Latin dances and rhythms.
• Harvard Office of the ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing Movement Meets training and teaching opportunities for Harvard undergraduate students. Volunteers trained to support therapeutic dance programs.
• Peabody Essex MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for performances and dance experiences at museum venue.
• Boston Children's MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for performances and interactive dance presentations.
• Boston Public Library - South EndminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for library-based dance programs and events.
• United South End SettlementsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization serving South End residents.
• Brighton High School, Charlestown High School, Excel High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston Public Schools partner for dance residencies and school programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bates Dance Festival: Regional summer dance festival and training program hosting residencies and performances. Comparable to Urbanity X in mission of supporting emerging choreographers with rehearsal space, stipends, and performance opportunities.
• The Dance Complex: Cambridge-based dance presenting and studio-rental nonprofit. Comparable to Urbanity in operating shared studio space for classes, rentals, and community programming in Greater Boston.
• Boston Ballet: Boston-based professional dance company and school, also offering year-round dance education from children through adults. Operates in the same metro and directly competes for students, audiences, and corporate-event bookings.
• Afrobeats Dance Boston: Boston-based dance company that is also Urbanity's in-house partner sharing the UDHQ studio. Closely comparable in mission and audience, and demonstrates Urbanity's artist-in-residence incubation model.
• José Mateo Ballet Theatre: Cambridge-based nonprofit dance organization combining a professional company and school offering training for all ages. Comparable community-based nonprofit model in the same Greater Boston market.

Broad incumbents

• Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival: Internationally renowned dance festival and presenting organization. A prestige peer and venue partner — Urbanity has been presented at Jacob's Pillow — competing for curatorial attention and artist development recognition.
• Boston Conservatory at Berklee: Major performing-arts institution in Boston with dance training programs, professional performance venues, and far larger resources. Competes for advanced dance students and presenting partnerships in the same metro.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Major U.S. modern dance company with national touring and a school (Ailey Extension). Urbanity has performed at Alvin Ailey's Citigroup Theater, and Ailey's school programs are a comparable reference point for inclusive dance education.

Emerging players

• Dance for PD (Brooklyn Parkinson Group): Network organization supporting Dance for PD® affiliated programs worldwide. A peer and ecosystem partner of Urbanity's Dance with Parkinson's program; relevant comparison for licensing and replication economics.
• Mark Morris Dance Group (Dance for PD): Original creator of the Dance for PD® curriculum that Urbanity licenses for its Dance with Parkinson's program. A peer in the dance-health intersection and the program's licensor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/urbanity-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 Urbanity Dance