A-WOL DANCE COLLECTIVE INC

What A-WOL DANCE COLLECTIVE INC does

A-WOL Dance Collective Inc is a Portland, Oregon-based 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN 20-3326373) operating Portland's premier aerial dance training and performance company. Founded in 2003 by four co-founders under a Collective model, the organization runs a multi-stage aerial arts training ecosystem serving youth (ages 5-18), adult recreational students, and adult pre-professional aerialists. The core product portfolio comprises youth and adult classes (fabric, trapeze, lyra, rope, sling), the Aeros youth performance company launched in 2009, the FlyCo adult pre-professional training company launched in 2012 with multi-week paid tracks ranging from approximately $2,100 to $6,000, a Pro-Training membership program providing 50+ hours/week of facility access, and a youth summer camp program. The organization produces signature annual events including Art in the Dark (outdoor forest theater since 2005), Winter Gala, Circus Soiree, Open Air park performances, and student showcases, with tickets sold through TicketTailor.

Operations are anchored at a 5,500 sq ft climate-controlled warehouse at 513 NE Schuyler St, Portland, equipped with three training spaces and over 25 aerial hanging points. Leadership comprises two Artistic Directors (Jen Livengood, Alicia Anthony), an Executive Director (Bethany Foran, with a Masters in International Management from Portland State University), Education Director (Rachel Belling), FlyCo Director (Sarah Goetz), Aeros Director (Emily Krause, BFA from California Institute of the Arts), and operations staff, governed by a seven-member Board of Directors. The professional company fields 20+ performers for touring and corporate bookings.

The business model blends six revenue streams: subscription/series class tuition, performance ticket sales, corporate entertainment bookings through the Circus Rose arm (serving clients including Intel, Nike, Comcast, Adidas, Wieden + Kennedy), charitable donations and corporate sponsorships, grant funding from the Oregon Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts, and facility/space rentals. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company website (awoldance.org) integrated with MindBody for class registration, complemented by partnerships with West Linn and Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation for summer camp delivery and Circus Rose for B2B corporate bookings. The company serves the Portland metropolitan area and Pacific Northwest region with documented regional touring in Missoula, MT and Ashland, OR.

Name

A-WOL DANCE COLLECTIVE INC

Legal name

A-WOL Dance Collective Inc

Website

https://awoldance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

A-WOL Dance Collective Inc is a Portland-based 501c3 nonprofit operating a multi-stage aerial dance training and performance company, serving youth, adult recreational students, and pre-professional aerialists through classes, signature productions, and corporate entertainment bookings via its Circus Rose arm.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Training

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Aerial dance training
• Aerial arts education
• Circus performance services
• Pre-professional dance company
• Youth performance programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Class Registration & Tuition: Revenue from adult series classes (Level 1-3), youth classes, and training programs (FlyCo, Aeros). Classes range from drop-in ($18-$29.50) to multi-week series ($120-$300) to comprehensive training programs ($2,100-$6,000).
2. Performance Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales for public performances including Art in the Dark, Winter Gala, Circus Soiree, and student showcases. Tickets sold through TicketTailor platform.
3. Corporate Event Entertainment (Circus Rose): A-WOL's corporate booking arm provides professional aerial performers for private events, corporate functions, festivals, and community events. They have performed for clients including Intel, Nike, Comcast, Adidas, and more.
4. Donations & Grants: As a 501c3 nonprofit organization (EIN 20-3326373), A-WOL receives charitable donations from individuals and corporate sponsors. They also receive support from Oregon Arts Commission and National Endowment for the Arts.
5. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards for aerial training experiences, providing one-time revenue and customer acquisition opportunities.
6. Warehouse & Space Rentals: Rental of 5500 square foot climate-controlled warehouse space and office suites. Also offers Pro-Training membership for independent aerial artists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

A-WOL Dance Collective delivers aerial dance training and live aerial performance across a complete ecosystem that includes drop-in and series classes for adults and youth, the Aeros youth performance company, the FlyCo adult pre-professional training company, and a Pro-Training membership. The organization also produces public performances such as the Art in the Dark outdoor aerial theater production, Winter Gala, Circus Soiree, Open Air, and Student Showcase, and operates the Circus Rose corporate entertainment booking arm.

Product overview

A-WOL Dance Collective offers a comprehensive aerial dance education and performance ecosystem. The portfolio consists of training programs (FlyCo adult pre-professional training, Aeros youth performance company, Pro-Training membership), class offerings (youth and adult aerial classes, summer camps), signature performances (Art in the Dark outdoor theater, Winter Gala, Circus Soiree, Student Showcase, Open Air), and supporting services (financial aid, gift cards, space rentals). The company also operates Circus Rose as its corporate entertainment booking arm. The ecosystem is designed to take students from first-time beginners through pre-professional training to performing company members, with accessibility supported through financial aid programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FlyCo: Adult pre-professional aerial training program that has been running since 2012. FlyCo is A-WOL's adult professional training company where students train, dance and perform together with multiple performance opportunities throughout the year.
• Aeros

Products and services

• Youth Summer Camps Week-long summer camps for youth ages 5-18 focusing on aerial skills, circus arts, choreography, and performance, held outdoors at Mary S Young Park and indoors at the A-WOL Warehouse.
• Adult Classes & Workshops Series classes from beginner to advanced levels plus weekly drop-in classes and open gym sessions covering aerial fabric, trapeze, lyra, sling, and rope, available through MindBody registration.
• FlyCo Adult Pre-Professional Training Program Intensive adult pre-professional training program offering Foundations, Continuum, and interim tracks with aerial technique, conditioning, choreography work, and performance opportunities, with multi-month and full-year program options ranging from approximately $2,100 to $6,000.
• Aeros Youth Performance Company Pre-professional youth performance company for students ages 10-18 with intermediate to advanced aerial skills, rehearsing 2-3 times weekly and producing large-scale performances throughout the year including Winter Gala, Art in the Dark, and Open Air shows.
• Pro-Training Membership Monthly membership for independent aerial artists providing over 50 hours per week of training access, equipment storage, and discounted rental space for teaching private lessons, plus staffed Pro-Train sessions at $26 for 2 hours.
• Art in the Dark Annual outdoor aerial theater performance held at Mary S Young Park in West Linn, OR, featuring aerialists suspended from trees in a unique outdoor theater setting, described as A-WOL's signature event.
• Winter Gala Annual year-end performance showcasing work from all A-WOL programs including FlyCo, Aeros, and company members, with an accompanying raffle and silent auction.
• Circus Soiree Community performance event inviting cirque performers, magicians, singers, comedians, musicians, and aerialists to showcase talents in a family-friendly setting.
• Student Showcase Annual performance featuring adult aerial students enrolled in series Level 2 and 3 classes, with solo and duo projects and special appearances by FlyCo members.
• Open Air Free outdoor performance at Portland parks (Director's Park, Irving Park, Alberta Park) featuring FlyCo and Aeros companies soaring under the open sky with dynamic choreography.
• Gift Cards Gift cards for aerial arts experiences suitable for birthdays, holidays, or special occasions, available for purchase through the MindBody online platform.
• Space Rentals Rental of A-WOL's 5,500 square foot climate-controlled warehouse studio with three training spaces, more than 25 hanging points for aerial apparatus, plus office suite rentals.
• Event Entertainment (Circus Rose) Professional aerial entertainment booking service providing 20+ performers for private parties, corporate events, festivals, night clubs, art galleries, and outdoor events, with all rigging requirements and insurance included. Past clients include Intel, Nike, Comcast, Adidas, Wieden + Kennedy, Willamette Dental, OMSI, The Junior Olympics, and Cascade AIDS Project.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ years of continuous operation as Portland's aerial dance leader
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon Arts CommissioncoreOthersState agency funded by the State of Oregon that provides grant support to A-WOL Dance Collective as a nonprofit arts organization.
• National Endowment for the ArtscoreOthersFederal arts funding agency that supports A-WOL Dance Collective through grant programs for arts organizations.
• West Linn Parks & RecreationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to deliver summer aerial camp programs at Mary S Young Park. A-WOL provides instructors and curriculum while West Linn handles registration and facilities.
• Lake Oswego Parks & RecreationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to deliver summer aerial camp programs at Mary S Young Park. A-WOL provides instructors and curriculum while Lake Oswego handles registration and facilities.
• Fred Meyer Community RewardsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGrocery store loyalty program allowing shoppers to support A-WOL by linking their Fred Meyer card to the organization.
• Oregon Bottle DropminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBottle redemption program allowing donors to contribute to A-WOL by using organization's Blue Bags for can and bottle donations.
• Oregon Arts CommissioncoreOthersListed as program sponsor providing support for A-WOL's training and performance programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Esh Circus Arts: Greater Boston-area circus arts studio providing aerial, acrobatics, and gymnastics instruction across youth and adult levels, with performance showcases. Closely comparable in curriculum, age segments, and showcase-driven business model.
• NECCA (New England Center for Circus Arts): Brattleboro, VT-based circus training center offering recreational and pre-professional programs and a youth performance troupe. Comparable to A-WOL in mission, training ecosystem, and nonprofit arts-education structure.
• Frequent Flyers Aerial Dance: Boulder, CO-based aerial dance training and performance organization founded in 1988, running adult/youth classes, pre-professional programs, and ticketed productions. Highly comparable to A-WOL in mission, training-funnel structure, and regional performance-company model.
• Aerial Arts NYC: New York City aerial studio offering apparatus-specific training (silks, trapeze, lyra) for adults and youth with performance opportunities. Comparable curriculum and recreational-to-advanced progression to A-WOL's adult series and FlyCo.
• Circus Center (San Francisco): San Francisco-based circus school with youth and adult programs, a performance troupe, and a home venue. Directly comparable to A-WOL in training pipeline, performance-company structure, and ticketed-show business model.
• SANCA (School of Acrobatics and New Circus Arts): Seattle-based circus arts school offering youth and adult training, performance companies, and summer camps in the Pacific Northwest. Directly comparable to A-WOL in regional positioning, curriculum breadth, and nonprofit operating model.
• DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion: Los Angeles-based large-scale dance company known for athletic, acrobatic, and aerial-influenced choreography. Comparable to A-WOL at the higher-performance end — A-WOL alumni have performed with DIAVOLO, suggesting shared talent-pool and aesthetic.
• Sky Candy Aerial Studio: Austin, TX-based aerial and circus arts studio with classes, camps, and performance troupes. Comparable to A-WOL in offering multi-apparatus instruction, youth programs, and showcase performances.

Others

• Tempos Contemporary Circus: Portland-based contemporary circus company; A-WOL's Operations Coordinator (Angela Bryant) also performs with Tempos. Indirect peer reflecting the small, overlapping Portland circus-arts ecosystem in which A-WOL competes and collaborates.

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: Global entertainment company built around acrobatic and aerial performance. Comparable in core artistic discipline (aerial/circus arts) and corporate entertainment demand, but operates at vastly larger scale and is the dominant incumbent for premium event entertainment that Circus Rose competes against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/awoldance
• Facebookfacebook.com/awoldance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/a-wol-dance-collective-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 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 A-WOL DANCE COLLECTIVE INC