THREADS DANCE PROJECT
Threads Dance Project is a Minneapolis–St. Paul 501(c)(3) contemporary dance company offering youth education, professional performances, adult classes, and choreographer development programs to regional audiences and aspiring dancers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What THREADS DANCE PROJECT does
Threads Dance Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit contemporary dance company founded in 2011 by Karen L. Charles and based in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area. The organization operates a vertically integrated arts platform spanning four interlocking programs: youth dance education, professional contemporary dance performances, adult classes, and choreographer development through its Tapestries community-collaboration series and the newer Patterns Program. Its programming model blends staged performance with participatory community engagement, exemplified by the long-running Tapestries series and the 2026 Tapestries 10.0 Anniversary Edition.
The company's product surface is built around live performance, tuition-based instruction, and commissioned artistic work. Performance output includes the Madagascar co-production with Stages Theater Company (June–August 2025), the Meet at Mia series at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (April 2026), and the IN FULL BLOOM 15th-anniversary Gala (2026). Education products span recreational youth and adult classes, the Advanced/Professional Summer Intensive, and choreographer development through Patterns. Underlying assets include fifteen years of original contemporary dance repertoire and a pipeline that moves participants from youth classes into professional practice.
Revenue is generated through a diversified nonprofit mix: institutional grants and donations (Jerome Foundation, Minnesota State Arts Board, City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County), tuition from youth and adult education, ticketed performance sales, commissions, and bookings. Distribution relies on venue partnerships with established Twin Cities cultural institutions (Stages Theater Company, Minneapolis Institute of Art) and the company's own production infrastructure. The go-to-market approach is community-rooted, leveraging the Tapestries model and Tell Me A Story campaign (2026) to broaden audience participation beyond traditional dance patrons.
THREADS DANCE PROJECT firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- THREADS DANCE PROJECT
- Legal name
- The Karen L. Charles Threads Dance Project
- Website
- https://threadsdance.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Threads Dance Project is a Minneapolis–St. Paul 501(c)(3) contemporary dance company offering youth education, professional performances, adult classes, and choreographer development programs to regional audiences and aspiring dancers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
THREADS DANCE PROJECT industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts / Contemporary Dance
- NAICS
- Dance Companies (71112), Performing Arts Companies (7111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contemporary & Modern Dance (MPAGADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance) (EDAMAAAH)
Keywords
Where THREADS DANCE PROJECT is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
THREADS DANCE PROJECT business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: Threads Dance Project operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 27-3479875) that relies significantly on individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants from arts councils. Donations support scholarships for BIPOC and low-income youth, artist wages, and programming.
- Dance Class Tuition: The company generates revenue through tuition for youth dance classes (NexGen/Youth Dance Project), adult dance workshops, and summer intensive programs. Tuition ranges from $125–$579 per session depending on program length and level.
- Performance Ticket Sales: Revenue is earned through ticket sales for performances at venues including the Southern Theater, Luminary Arts Center, and Bloomington Center for the Arts. General admission tickets are typically priced at $30, with discounts for seniors, students, and groups.
- Choreography Commission Program (Tapestries): The Tapestries choreographic program commissions emerging choreographers ($1,600 per commission) and is supported by funders like the Jerome Foundation. This represents both a program cost and a revenue stream in the form of grant funding tied to the program.
- Company Booking and Residencies: Threads Dance Project is available for booking for performances, corporate events, nonprofit events, conferences, and company residencies. This represents a revenue stream from third-party organizations seeking dance performances.
- Studio and Costume Rentals: The organization rents studio space and costumes to external parties through the Threads Dance Nexus and costume rental programs, generating rental income.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Young Dancers Project PLUS Summer Camp (Ages 7-12): $329 one week, $579 both weeks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Young Dancers Project Summer Camp (Ages 7-12): $279 one week, $499 both weeks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Young Dancers Project Summer Dance Camp (Ages 10-12+): $279 one week, $499 both weeks |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Young Mover's Project Summer Dance Camp (Ages 7-9): included in YDP summer enrollment |
| Subscription | Monthly | Creative Connections Project (Ages 4-6): $150 for 12 one-hour class sessions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Young Movers Project (Ages 7-9): $225 for 12 ninety-minute class sessions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Young Dancers Project (Ages 10-12+): $300 for 12 two-hour class sessions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Young Dancers Project Fall 2024 (Ages 8-12+): $400 for 12 three-hour class sessions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Creative Connections Project Fall 2024 (Ages 4-7): $135 for 12 one-hour class sessions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Young Dancers Project Fall 2025 (Ages 10-12+): $300 for 12 two-hour class sessions |
| Subscription | Monthly | Young Movers Project Fall 2025 (Ages 7-9): $225 for 12 ninety-minute class sessions |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Young Dancers Project Summer 2025 (Ages 7-12): $279 one week, $499 both weeks |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Beyond the Point of Knowing Performance Tickets: $30 general, $25 seniors, $22 students, $20 groups of 10+ |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | IMPRESSIONS Performance Tickets: $30 general, $25 students & seniors |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Tapestries Performance Tickets: $30 general, $25 seniors, $22 students and groups of 10+ |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Student Showcase Tickets: Adult $10, Child $5, Children 5 and under free |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Drop-in Adult Advanced Class: $12-18 per class |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adult Beginning Modern Workshop: $155 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mini-Winter Workshop: $65 full 2-day workshop, $40 single day |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Tapestries Emerging Choreographer Commission: $1,600 |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Adv/Prof Summer Intensive (June 22-26, 2026): pricing available via registration link |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Moving Towards Joy Workshop: registration fee via Neon CRM |
| Subscription | Monthly | Donation options: General Operating fund, one-time and monthly recurring |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
THREADS DANCE PROJECT product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Threads Dance Project is a contemporary dance company and studio that delivers original dance performances, progressive youth dance classes (ages 4-16), adult modern and ballet workshops, and a Tapestries commissioning program supporting emerging BIPOC and female-identifying choreographers. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit it also operates studio and costume rentals at the Threads Dance Nexus and runs community writing-to-dance campaigns.
Product overview
Threads Dance Project is a contemporary dance company and studio in Minneapolis-St. Paul offering a portfolio of interconnected programs. The core offerings include: the NexGen/Youth Dance Project providing progressive dance education for ages 4-16 (Creative Connections, Young Movers, Young Dancers); Adult Modern Dance Classes for various skill levels; the Tapestries Choreographic Program supporting emerging BIPOC and female-identifying choreographers; Professional Dance Performances featuring original works and the annual Tapestries showcase; Advanced/Professional Summer Intensive training; Tell Me A Story community writing-to-dance program; and Threads Dance Nexus studio rental. The company also offers professional company auditions and bookings for repertoire performances at corporate, nonprofit, and conference events. All programs support the organization's mission of examining, exposing, and celebrating the threads that connect us through dance.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NexGen/Youth Dance Project (YDP) Progressive year-round youth dance education program for ages 4-16 with three age-tiered levels (Creative Connections Project 4-6, Young Movers Project 7-9, Young Dancers Project 10-12+), combining technique training with wellness, nutrition, and creative expression. Need-based scholarships are available for BIPOC and low-income participants.
- Summer NexGen Camps Intensive multi-week summer dance camps for youth ages 7-12+, including Young Movers and Young Dancers tracks with optional YDP+ advanced cohort. Daily sessions build technical skills, wellness, nutrition, and creative self-expression.
- Adult Modern and Ballet Dance Classes Year-round adult dance education including drop-in Advanced Modern and Advanced Ballet classes taught by Artistic Director Karen Charles, multi-week Beginning Modern workshops, and seasonal sessions for various skill levels.
- Tapestries Choreographic Program Emerging choreographer commissioning program supporting female-identifying and BIPOC creators with $1,600 commissions, studio time, professional dancer access, and full production support including costume, lighting design, and music rights. Includes the Tapestries Emerging Choreographers Program and the new Patterns Program (pilot).
- Professional Dance Performances Mainstage contemporary dance performances featuring works by Artistic Director Karen L. Charles and commissioned emerging choreographers, including seasonal shows, the annual Tapestries showcase, and collaborative productions presented at major Twin Cities venues.
- Advanced/Professional Summer Intensive Week-long intensive (June 22-26) offering Performer Track, Choreographer Track, or both. Includes contemporary-modern and ballet technique, Threads repertoire study, improvisation, and composition; repertoire learned may be incorporated into company auditions.
- Threads Dance Nexus (Studio Rental) Studio rental at the Threads Dance Nexus (2213 Snelling Avenue, Suite 100, Minneapolis) for external dancers, choreographers, and organizations, supporting classes, rehearsals, and Tapestries residencies.
- Tell Me A Story Campaign Community-sourced collaboration that turns writing submissions (poems, stories up to 1500 words) into choreography. Selected writers receive $500 prizes and participate in the creative process culminating in a premiere performance.
- Company Auditions Annual auditions for the professional dance company seeking diverse dancers ages 21+ who are versatile, expressive, and fluent in multiple dance forms. Includes registration, warm-up, and full audition sessions with virtual options.
- Dance Repertoire Works (Bookable) Catalog of completed choreographic works available for booking by external presenters, including Abolition in Evolution Part 2: Shoes (2024), Let America Be America (2023), Out of the Ashes: A Dance Film (2021), Objet de Desir Inaccessible (2019), Warriors of Light (2015), and Secrets of Slave Songs (2014).
Quantifiable outcome
- Tapestries program has supported emerging choreographers for 10+ years, commissioning works annually with emphasis on female-identifying and BIPOC creators.
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use THREADS DANCE PROJECT
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
THREADS DANCE PROJECT technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
THREADS DANCE PROJECT partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered major.
- Stages Theater CompanymajorThreads Dance Project served as choreographer for Stages Theater Company's production of Madagascar - A Musical Adventure at Hopkins Center for the Arts (June-August 2025). This represents a co-production where Threads' artists choreographed an entire musical for a major regional theater.
- Bloomington Center for the ArtsmajorThreads Dance Project is part of the 2024-2025 Discover Dance Series featuring multiple local dance companies. The partnership includes both educational workshops and mainstage performances, with Threads representing the modern dance component alongside Concerto Dance (Jazz) and Continental Ballet Company (Ballet).
- Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)majorThreads Dance Project performed at Mia's 'Meet at Mia' series (April 2026), participated in Family Day with youth performances, and previously premiered 'Objet de Desir Inaccessible' at Mia in 2019. The partnership includes performance, audience engagement, and artist collaboration opportunities.
- Southern TheatermajorThe Southern Theater in Minneapolis is the primary venue for Tapestries performances and the Bountiful Blooms student showcase. This long-standing venue partnership enables Threads to present its mainstage productions to Twin Cities audiences.
- Luminary Arts CentermajorLuminary Arts Center in Minneapolis serves as a venue for Threads' fall season performances including 'Beyond the Point of Knowing' (November 2025) and 'IMPRESSIONS' (November 2024), providing professional theater facilities for company productions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
THREADS DANCE PROJECT competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Walker Art Center: Major Minneapolis multidisciplinary performing arts venue that commissions and presents contemporary dance alongside visual arts. Comparable as a broader arts presenter that competes for dance audiences and occasionally commissions works in the same genre.
- Cowles Center for Dance & Performing Arts: Minneapolis dance center and presenting organization that hosts multiple regional dance companies. Comparable as an industry hub shaping dance programming and audience development in the same market where Threads operates.
Direct peers
- Zenon Dance Company: A Minneapolis-based contemporary dance company that, like Threads, produces original modern dance performances and offers educational programming for youth and adults in the Twin Cities. Comparable as a regional contemporary dance peer with shared audiences and donor base.
- James Sewell Ballet: Twin Cities-based ballet company combining classical and contemporary techniques with educational outreach. Comparable as a regional peer operating in the same Minneapolis-St. Paul market with similar youth programming.
- TU Dance: Twin Cities contemporary dance company founded by Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands, combining ballet, modern, and African-based dance. Comparable as a regional contemporary dance peer with similar programming, youth outreach, and BIPOC-centered artistic identity.
- Ananya Dance Theatre: Minneapolis-based contemporary dance company rooted in South Asian dance traditions, focused on social justice themes and women's empowerment. Comparable as a regional peer with explicit human-justice mission alignment and BIPOC-female artistic identity.
- Minnesota Ballet Collective: Minnesota-based collaborative dance company featuring dancers from multiple regional companies. Comparable as a regional contemporary dance peer with shared artistic talent pool and Twin Cities performance circuit.
- Ballet Minnesota: Twin Cities ballet company producing classical and contemporary works with community engagement programming. Comparable as a regional dance peer sharing audiences, donors, and venue partnerships in the Minneapolis market.
- Concerto Dance: Twin Cities jazz/contemporary dance company that performs in the Bloomington Center for the Arts Discover Dance Series alongside Threads. Comparable as a regional peer with shared venue partnerships and dance-education programming.
- Continental Ballet Company: Twin Cities ballet company performing alongside Threads in the Bloomington Center for the Arts Discover Dance Series. Comparable as a regional dance company sharing venue partnerships and educational programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
THREADS DANCE PROJECT social profiles
Digital presenceTHREADS DANCE PROJECT compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
THREADS DANCE PROJECT financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
THREADS DANCE PROJECT leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
THREADS DANCE PROJECT funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
THREADS DANCE PROJECT M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about THREADS DANCE PROJECT
What does THREADS DANCE PROJECT do?
Threads Dance Project is a contemporary dance company and studio that delivers original dance performances, progressive youth dance classes (ages 4-16), adult modern and ballet workshops, and a Tapestries commissioning program supporting emerging BIPOC and female-identifying choreographers. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit it also operates studio and costume rentals at the Threads Dance Nexus and runs community writing-to-dance campaigns.
Is THREADS DANCE PROJECT a public or private company?
THREADS DANCE PROJECT is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was THREADS DANCE PROJECT founded?
THREADS DANCE PROJECT was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is THREADS DANCE PROJECT based?
THREADS DANCE PROJECT is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does THREADS DANCE PROJECT make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are dance Class Tuition, performance Ticket Sales, choreography Commission Program (Tapestries), company Booking and Residencies and studio and Costume Rentals.
Who are THREADS DANCE PROJECT's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Walker Art Center and Cowles Center for Dance & Performing Arts. Direct peers are Zenon Dance Company, James Sewell Ballet, TU Dance, Ananya Dance Theatre, Minnesota Ballet Collective, Ballet Minnesota, Concerto Dance and Continental Ballet Company.
Does THREADS DANCE PROJECT have an API?
No public API is recorded for THREADS DANCE PROJECT.
What industry is THREADS DANCE PROJECT in?
THREADS DANCE PROJECT's product category is Performing Arts / Contemporary Dance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGADAB, Contemporary & Modern Dance, with a secondary code of EDAMAAAH, Dance Education (Ballet, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Cultural Dance). Its NAICS code is 71112.