The Dance Project

What The Dance Project does

The Dance Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dance organization headquartered in the Greensboro Cultural Center in Greensboro, North Carolina, operating four interconnected program arms: The School (a community dance studio offering youth semester-based classes for ages 18 months to 18 years and adult drop-in classes for ages 13+), the NC Dance Festival (NCDF, a statewide tour of North Carolina choreography now in its 35th season), Outreach Programming (free and low-cost classes and performances in community settings, including dance for adults with Parkinson's disease and students at Newcomer's School), and the Van Dyke Dance Group (a legacy performance company stewarding the repertoire of founder Jan Van Dyke, 1941–2015). Auxiliary offerings include private and semi-private lessons, summer camps, performance companies across age tiers, the annual Spring Showcase, the Artist in Residence program, the In Process Podcast, birthday party packages, and a Pre/Professional Dance Intensive.

The business model blends earned revenue (class tuition, performance tickets, private lessons, summer camps, birthday parties, merchandise) with contributed revenue (individual donations, monthly giving, corporate sponsorships, and foundation/state grants from the NC Arts Council, Creative Greensboro, Lincoln Financial Foundation, Cemala Foundation, and others). Youth tuition is priced at $180–$485 per semester depending on class length, with installment plans and scholarships underwriting access; adult pricing runs $15 per drop-in class up to $425 for an unlimited semester pass. Distribution is anchored at physical studios in Greensboro and Durham (Barriskill Dance Theatre School), supplemented by virtual attendance via Zoom and online registration through Studio Pro and Eventbrite; merchandise is sold via Square. There is no proprietary technology layer beyond these standard SaaS integrations.

The organization is independently governed (Board Chair Elizabeth Minehart) with operational leadership from Festival Director Anne Morris and School Director Magalli Morana, and is supported by institutional partners including the Greensboro Cultural Center, Creative Greensboro, the NC Arts Council, American Dance Festival, Greenhill Center for NC Art, and university dance departments (UNC Charlotte, High Point University). There is no parent company, venture backing, or external ownership; funding comes from program fees, donations, and grants.

Name

The Dance Project

Legal name

Dance Project, Inc.

Website

https://danceproject.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Dance Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit in Greensboro, NC that runs a community dance school, the statewide NC Dance Festival, free outreach programs for underserved populations, and the Van Dyke Dance Group, serving youth, adults, and professional choreographers across North Carolina.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Education Services

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth/Student & Community Dance Recitals (MPAGADAI), Performing Arts Camps (Theater, Musical Theater, Dance) (EDAMALAI), Community Music & Dance Festivals (Non-Commercial/Local) (MPAGAEAH)

Keywords

• Dance education
• Youth dance classes
• Adult dance classes
• Community dance outreach
• Dance festival production

Headquarters

HQ city

Greensboro

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

Revenue model

1. Dance Classes (Youth): Semester-based registration fees for youth students aged 18 months to 18 years, with installment payment options available. Covers ballet, modern, jazz, tap, hip hop, and other dance styles.
2. Adult Drop-in Classes: Adult students (13+) pay per class or purchase multi-class passes to attend drop-in sessions throughout the semester.
3. Performance Events: Revenue from ticket sales for performances including Spring Showcase, NC Dance Festival events, and master classes.
4. Summer Programs: Camps and intensive programs for youth including summer sessions, dance camps, and pre-professional intensives.
5. Donations and Grants: Charitable contributions, monthly giving programs, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants supporting scholarships and general operations.
6. Private Lessons: One-on-one and semi-private instruction offered at various durations and rates.
7. Birthday Parties: In-studio birthday party packages with dance class and craft activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Dance Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dance organization operating four integrated programs: The School (youth and adult dance instruction), NC Dance Festival (a statewide touring performance series), Outreach Programming (tuition-free or low-cost community classes for underserved populations), and the Van Dyke Dance Group (a legacy professional performance company). Based in Greensboro, NC at the Greensboro Cultural Center with an additional Durham location, the organization offers semester-based classes for ages 18 months through 18+ years, summer camps, private lessons, performance companies, and an Artist in Residence program.

Product overview

The Dance Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dance organization comprising four interconnected components: The School (community dance studio), the NC Dance Festival (statewide performance tour), Outreach Programming (free/low-cost community classes), and The Van Dyke Dance Group (legacy performance company). The School offers youth semester-based classes and adult drop-in classes across multiple dance styles (Ballet, Modern, Jazz, Tap, Hip Hop, Creative Movement). The organization also provides Performance Companies, Summer Camps, Master Classes, Private Lessons, Scholarships, and Internships. The NCDF component includes the Artist in Residence Program, In Process Podcast, and 30 Portraits project. Students may participate in the annual Spring Showcase recital. The integrated ecosystem connects community education (The School) with professional development (NCDF, Residencies) and community access (Outreach, Scholarships), all unified under the organization's mission to cultivate modern dance in North Carolina.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Youth Dance Classes Semester-based dance instruction for children and teens ages 18 months to 18 years, covering modern, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and creative movement. Designed for school-age children and their parents.

Named customers6 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

Integration4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Greensboro Cultural CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance Project is a non-profit resident organization of the Greensboro Cultural Center. The center provides significant in-kind contribution through Creative Greensboro (City of Greensboro's office for arts & culture). Dance Project occupies office space and studios on the 3rd floor of the center.
• North Carolina Arts CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState arts council providing funding and support for dance programming. Listed as a recent sponsor and partner.
• Creative GreensborocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Greensboro's office for arts & culture. Provides significant in-kind contribution to Dance Project operations as a non-profit resident organization.
• Barriskill Dance Theatre SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Barriskill in Durham, NC to provide artist residency location more conveniently located to Triangle community. Residencies available at both Greensboro and Durham locations as part of NCDF Artist in Residence program.
• Greenhill GallerymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Greenhill Center for NC Art in the Greensboro Cultural Center for gallery performances. NCDF will present dance performances in partnership with Greenhill's exhibit programming.
• Van Dyke Performance SpacecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPerformance venue within the Greensboro Cultural Center where Dance Project holds showcases and performances. Seats 200-300 in black box theater configuration.
• Lincoln Financial FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate foundation listed as recent sponsor of Dance Project programming.
• Cemala FoundationsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerFoundation listed as recent sponsor supporting Dance Project operations.
• Atrium Health Wake Forest BaptistsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerHealthcare provider listed as recent sponsor and partner of Dance Project.
• American Dance FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor dance festival organization with Durham studios. Dance Project offers discounted access to ADF drop-in classes and master classes for resident artists. Partnership supports professional development opportunities.
• University of North Carolina Charlotte College of Arts and ArchitecturesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDance department listed as recent sponsor and partner of Dance Project.
• High Point UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity listed as recent sponsor and partner of Dance Project.
• Downtown Greensboro Inc.supportingGTM or Marketing PartnerDowntown business association listed as recent sponsor and partner.
• Andrew Bowen StudiossupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerPhotography studio and collaborator listed as recent sponsor and partner.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Nationally recognized non-profit combining a professional modern dance company with The Ailey School and extensive community programs. Comparable in integrated education-plus-performance-plus-outreach model, but operates at materially larger scale and brand recognition.
• Mark Morris Dance Group: Brooklyn-based non-profit combining a professional modern dance company with a school and community programs. Operates with a similar integrated structure to Dance Project but with a much larger budget, national profile, and facility footprint.
• Peridance Capezio Center: NYC-based long-running dance school offering youth, adult, and professional-level training across multiple styles. Comparable to Dance Project's School arm in programming breadth, but operates in a major metropolitan market with significantly larger scale.
• Charlotte Ballet: Larger North Carolina-based professional ballet company with a substantial academy and community engagement programming. Comparable as a regional dance company with a school attached, but with significantly greater scale and resources than Dance Project.

Direct peers

• Greensboro Ballet: Greensboro-based non-profit ballet school and performance company serving Triad-area youth and adults. Operates in the same city and same market segments (youth/adult dance education, performance) as Dance Project, making it a direct local competitor.
• American Dance Festival: Durham, NC-based non-profit and one of the largest modern dance festivals in the U.S., combining a multi-week festival with year-round school programming. Highly comparable to Dance Project's NCDF + The School model in mission, geography, and non-profit structure.
• Houston's METdance: Houston-based non-profit professional dance company with strong school and outreach programs. Mirrors Dance Project's combination of professional company work, school, and community programming at similar organizational scale.

Emerging players

• Dance Place: Washington, D.C.-based non-profit combining a dance school, performance venue, and artist residency programming under one organization. Closely mirrors Dance Project's integrated school/festival/outreach structure at a slightly larger scale in a different metro.
• Keshet Dance Company: Albuquerque-based non-profit dance organization offering education, performance, and community programs. Comparable to Dance Project in scale and integrated community-dance model, though serving a different region.

Regional players

• Raleigh Dance Theatre: Raleigh-based non-profit offering youth and adult dance instruction, summer intensives, and performance opportunities. Comparable in mission and programming to Dance Project's School arm, though serving a different NC metro and not directly overlapping in the Triad.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCj-C0knJI9k5G19smF1MUYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/DanceProjectTheSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dance-project-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/danceprojectinc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 The Dance Project