Afiwi Groove School

What Afiwi Groove School does

Afiwi Groove School is a federally incorporated Canadian nonprofit community arts and culture organization headquartered at 1895 Clements Rd #102, Pickering, Ontario, serving Durham Region and the broader Greater Toronto Area. Founded in 2013 by Sanaaj Mirrie and incorporated as a registered charity in 2018 (Charitable Registration #130979826RR0001), the organization delivers African and Caribbean dance, drumming, storytelling, and cultural arts programming to children, youth, adults, women, and corporate and school clients. Its core product portfolio includes weekly youth dance and drum classes, three seasonal camp formats (Summer Camp at $249.99/week, March Break Camp at $249.99/week, and PA Day Cultural Camp at $99.99/day), specialized workshops such as Clock It: Unapologetically Black (youth leadership for ages 13–17), a Bell Canada–sponsored Free Community Drum Program, and the Women Wellness 'Audacity to Reinvest' workshop.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of program fees, individual and corporate donations (tax-receipted for gifts over $25), studio space rentals at the Pickering facility, school field trips, corporate drumming and wellness circles, and customized cultural performances. Distribution occurs via a self-serve online registration platform (GoStudio Pro), direct inquiry and bookings email channels, mobile programming delivery to schools and corporate sites across Durham Region and the GTA, and event-based channels anchored by the annual I AM Showcase at the Regent Theatre, which drew 1,200+ attendees in 2025.

The underlying technology stack is intentionally lightweight and entirely third-party: Wix for the website, GoStudio Pro for registration and class management, Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager for web analytics, Zapier for workflow automation, and standard email and payment processors. No proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, or mobile application is developed or operated in-house. The organization is founder-led by Sanaaj Mirrie (Founder and Artistic Director) with Stacy Brooks as Board Chair and Abigail Amsterdam as Vice Chair, supported by a faculty of specialized instructors across Ghanaian, West African Djembe, Afro Contemporary, Afrobeats, and Ballet disciplines; key institutional partners include Bell Canada, Durham Region, RBC, C.D.C.D., and Durham Region schools.

Name

Afiwi Groove School

Legal name

Afiwi Groove School

Website

https://afiwigroove.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Afiwi Groove School is a federally incorporated Canadian nonprofit delivering African and Caribbean dance, drumming, and cultural arts programming for children, youth, women, and families in Durham Region and the GTA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Arts Education

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Fine Arts Schools (611610)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Instruction (Instrumental & Vocal) (EDAMAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC)

Keywords

• African dance education
• Caribbean drumming programs
• Youth cultural arts
• Community dance workshops
• Afrobeat dance classes

Headquarters

HQ city

Pickering

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Revenue from dance, drumming, and cultural arts classes; youth leadership workshops; summer camps; March break camps; PA day camps; and women wellness programs. Fees support instructors, facilities, insurance, administration, equipment, and programming.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations; tax receipts issued for donations over $25. The organization hosts fundraising campaigns including the 'I AM' Showcase and sponsorships.
3. Space Rentals: Studio space rentals for rehearsals, classes, and community events. Flexible, accessible space with mirrors and sound system offered at affordable rates for artists and organizations.
4. Cultural Performances and Workshops: Revenue from cultural performances for schools, festivals, and events; corporate drumming and wellness circles; interactive workshops and demonstrations; customized performances for private and community events.
5. School Field Trips: Hands-on cultural arts experiences for students including dance and drumming workshops tailored to curriculum. Revenue-generating educational programming for schools.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Afiwi Groove School delivers African and Caribbean dance, drumming, and cultural arts instruction through weekly classes, seasonal camps (Summer, March Break, PA Day), youth leadership workshops, women wellness workshops, free community drum programming, corporate and school workshops, cultural performances, and studio space rentals. Programming serves children, youth, adults, families, schools, and corporate clients, primarily in Durham Region, Ontario, with delivery at the Pickering facility and through mobile delivery to offsite venues.

Product overview

Afiwi Groove School is a federally incorporated nonprofit community arts organization offering a portfolio of culturally rooted programs for children, youth, families, and adults. The core offering consists of Youth Dance and Drum Classes (African and Caribbean dance and drumming instruction), three camp programs (Summer Camp, March Break Camp, and PA Day Cultural Camp), and specialized workshops including the Clock It: Unapologetically Black Youth Leadership Workshops, Free Community Drum Program (sponsored by Bell Canada), and the Women Wellness 'Audacity to Reinvest' workshop. Additional services include cultural performances, school field trips, corporate/in-school/community workshops, space rentals, and partnership residencies. The organization hosts the annual I AM Showcase, a major performance event celebrating African and Caribbean arts. Registration for classes and programs is managed through Dance Studio Pro.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Dance and Drum Classes
• Afiwi Summer Camp
• Afiwi March Break Camp
• Afiwi PA Day Cultural Camp
• Clock It: Unapologetically Black Youth Leadership Workshops
• Free Community Drum Program
• Women Wellness Workshop - The Audacity to Reinvest
• Drumming and Dance Workshops Corporate, in-school, and community drumming and dance workshops including interactive drumming and wellness circles, delivered at client sites across Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area.
• Cultural Performances Cultural performances for schools, festivals, and events with interactive workshops, demonstrations, and customized performances for private and community events.
• School Field Trips Hands-on cultural arts experiences for students including dance and drumming workshops tailored to school curriculum, delivered in a fun, safe learning environment.
• Studio Space Rentals Studio rentals for rehearsals, classes, and community events with flexible, accessible space including mirrors and sound system, offered at affordable rates for artists and community organizations.
• Partnerships and Residencies School-based workshops, residencies, and community collaborations across Durham Region and the Greater Toronto Area, including wellness and leadership programming delivered through cultural arts.
• I AM Showcase Annual professionally staged celebration of African and Caribbean arts where youth take the stage to share their rhythm, culture, and confidence. The 13th anniversary production was held at Regent Theatre with two shows and over 1,200 audience members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100,000 youth impacted since founding
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Durham RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDurham Region is a key community partner supporting Afiwi Groove School's mission to serve the Durham Region community through African and Caribbean arts programming.
• C.D.C.D.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.D.C.D. is referenced as a partner organization featured on the Afiwi Groove School website, collaborating on community arts initiatives.
• Durham Region SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing school-based partnerships delivering workshops, residencies, and field trip programming. Afiwi provides hands-on cultural arts experiences tailored to school curriculum.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Iconic African American dance company with extensive education and community outreach programs. Comparable as a major dance education organization focused on African diaspora arts with both training and performance components.
• Dancing Classrooms: Nonprofit organization providing social dance education to school children across North America. Comparable as a dance education organization delivering structured in-school programming and cultural arts exposure.
• Harbourfront Centre: Major Toronto cultural institution offering diverse arts programming including world dance, music, and cultural education. Comparable as a GTA-based cultural arts programming provider with educational and performance offerings.

Direct peers

• Lula Washington Dance Theatre: Los Angeles-based African American dance company with youth education programs and a focus on cultural preservation. Directly comparable as a cultural dance organization delivering youth dance education rooted in African American heritage.
• Ballet Creole: Toronto-based dance company specializing in Afro-Caribbean and African diaspora dance. Directly comparable to Afiwi Groove School as both deliver African and Caribbean cultural dance programming in the Greater Toronto Area.
• Art Starts Neighbourhood Cultural Centre: Toronto-based nonprofit community arts organization serving marginalized communities through arts programming. Comparable as a community arts nonprofit offering cultural programming, space rentals, and youth-focused initiatives in the GTA.
• KasheDance: Toronto-based professional contemporary African dance company offering classes, workshops, and community programming. Directly comparable as a Peel/GTA-based African dance education and performance organization.

Others

• Canadian Dance Assembly: Canadian dance sector organization supporting professional dance companies and schools. Comparable as a Canadian dance ecosystem stakeholder relevant to Afiwi's positioning and potential partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@afiwigrooveschool8101
• Facebookfacebook.com/afiwigroove
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afiwigroove
• Instagraminstagram.com/afiwigroove
• Xx.com/afiwigroove

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Afiwi Groove School