Word Dance Theatre Inc

What Word Dance Theatre Inc does

Word Dance Theatre Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 2001 by Cynthia Word, headquartered in the Washington, DC metropolitan area (Bethesda, MD), with a staff of 1-10. The company's core competency is the preservation, reconstruction, and advancement of Isadora Duncan's dance technique, drawing on a direct lineage from Maria Theresa Duncan through Jeanne Bresciani (Director of the Isadora Duncan International Institute) to founder Cynthia Word. The organization creates original multidisciplinary productions integrating dance, theater, live music, poetry, and multi-media stage design, with eight main stage productions in active repertoire including MOVE! Women's Rights from Isadora Duncan to Now (Kennedy Center premiere, 2020), Once Wild: Isadora in Russia (2013, two Dance Metro DC awards), and Brilliant Exile: Isadora Duncan in Paris (2024).

The company's product portfolio spans three integrated lines: (1) main-stage and salon performances at prestigious venues including Kennedy Center, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Georgetown University, Glen Echo Park, and international festivals in Poland, Italy, France, and Greece; (2) dance education programs including weekly Duncan technique classes at Dance Exchange in Takoma Park ($160-$342 per 8-18 week session, $25 drop-in, $80/hour private lessons), master classes, lectures, and workshops for educational institutions; and (3) community wellness programs including Dance for Parkinson's at Silver Spring Library and partnerships with charitable organizations. A merchandise line (silk tunics at $45) and a tiered donation program support operations.

Word Dance Theatre monetizes through a hybrid revenue model: transaction-based ticket sales ($10-$20 general admission), subscription-based class tuition, workshop fees (some pay-what-you-can, including a $300 in-person / $150 Zoom professional workshop tier), hardware sales of branded tunics, and tax-deductible donations from approximately 60 individual patrons. Distribution is event-driven, relying on venue partnerships for audience reach, direct email newsletter and website for ticketing/donation conversion, and earned media coverage from NPR, The Washington Post, and DC Metro Theater Arts.

Name

Word Dance Theatre Inc

Legal name

Word Dance Theater Inc

Website

https://worddance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Word Dance Theatre Inc is a Washington, DC-area nonprofit founded in 2001 that produces Isadora Duncan-based dance/theater performances, weekly technique classes, and community wellness workshops, serving general audiences, dance students, Parkinson's patients, and educational institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bethesda

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Performance Ticket Sales: Revenue from ticket sales at main stage productions, salons, and performances at various venues including Kennedy Center, Atlas Performing Arts Center, and international venues.
2. Dance Classes and Tuition: Weekly technique classes for children and adults at Dance Exchange. Tuition charged per session (Winter, Spring, Fall) with drop-in options available.
3. Workshop Fees: Fees for specialized workshops including wellness workshops, master classes, and community programs. Pay-what-you-can options available for some programs.
4. Merchandise - Tunics: Sale of silk tunics for Duncan dancers, priced at $45 for adult/teen tunics in burgundy or turquoise.
5. Donations and Patron Support: Tax-deductible donations from patrons supporting the mission. Various donation tiers supporting specific costs (rehearsal space, child tuition, dancer compensation, community tickets).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Word Dance Theatre Inc is a performing arts nonprofit that produces original dance theater works grounded in Isadora Duncan's technique, integrating dance, music, theater, and multimedia. The company also offers classes, workshops, and educational/outreach programs for adults, children, wellness communities, and underserved populations in the greater Washington, DC / Bethesda area.

Product overview

Word Dance Theater creates award-winning dance/theater productions blending original stories, live music, the dances of Isadora Duncan (1887-1927), and new choreography. The core product portfolio includes eight main stage productions (MOVE!, Once Wild: Isadora in Russia, Landscapes of the Soul, Isadora Duncan: Revolutionary!, Preludes: Duncan Sand & Chopin, Wild Hearts: Sappho and Isadora, Body/Soul, and Chambers of the Heart), intimate salon performances, and education programs including weekly Duncan technique classes, master classes, workshops, and community dance programs. The company operates as a single unified offering without modular components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original Dance Theater Productions
• Isadora Duncan Technique Classes
• Community Wellness / Movement Workshops
• Educational Outreach Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Sold out, standing room only audience of 250 at Kennedy Center premiere
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Georgetown University's Davis Performing Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presented 'Once Wild: Isadora in Russia' production at the Davis Performing Arts Center. This was a major collaborative production involving concept development, production resources, and venue access.
• The Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented MOVE! Women's Rights from Isadora Duncan to Now! premiere at The Kennedy Center/The Reach on March 4, 2020 for sold-out audience. Kennedy Center provided Millennium Stage and production support.
• The Atlas Performing Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPresented MOVE! refreshed adaptation at Intersections Festival 2023. Executive Director Douglas Yeuell praised the production as a 'creative tour de force'.
• Dance ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular venue for adult/teen Duncan technique classes. Located at 7117 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park, MD. Partnership enables ongoing dance education programming.
• Isadora Duncan International InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSource of authentic Duncan lineage. Jeanne Bresciani from the Institute re-staged Duncan choreography for productions. Partnership brings internationally acclaimed Duncan dancers including Rosemary Cooper to performances.
• Silver Spring LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for community wellness workshops including Dance for Parkinson's, body/mind wellbeing programs, and other community education events.
• Capital Fringe FestivalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual presenting partner for performances including 'Isadora Duncan: Revolutionary!' and 'Isadora Duncan: Landscapes of the Soul'.
• Villa Albertine and National Portrait GalleryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative presentation of 'Brilliant Exile: Isadora Duncan in Paris' at La Maison Française, Embassy of France.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: The largest American modern dance company, with a national reputation, extensive school (Ailey School), and community programs. It is a broader incumbent in the same modern-dance / dance-education category as Word Dance Theater.
• The Kennedy Center: The national performing arts center presenting dance, theater, and music. It is both a venue partner for Word Dance Theater (MOVE! 2020 premiere) and a broader incumbent shaping the same presenter ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Liz Lerman Dance Exchange: A DC-area-based dance organization known for community-based workshops, multigenerational programming, and Dance for Parkinson's initiatives — overlapping with Word Dance Theater's wellness/community segments and shared DC-area geography.
• Pilobolus: A modern dance company known for interdisciplinary productions combining dance, theater, shadow, and multimedia. Comparable to Word Dance Theater's multidisciplinary productions and its Excellence in Multi-Media Stage Design recognition.
• Mark Morris Dance Group: A modern dance company that combines performance with deep community engagement and dance education for all ages — directly paralleling Word Dance Theater's blend of main-stage work, weekly technique classes, and community wellness programs.
• Paul Taylor Dance Company: A foundational American modern dance company preserving a founder's choreography and touring internationally. It parallels Word Dance Theater's focus on legacy modern-dance preservation, touring, and technique-based education.
• Martha Graham Dance Company: One of the most prominent modern dance companies in the US, presenting legacy choreography and new works. Like Word Dance Theater, it preserves a foundational modern-dance vocabulary and runs associated school programs for technique transmission.
• Isadora Duncan International Institute: The Isadora Duncan International Institute, directed by Jeanne Bresciani, is the direct lineage source for Word Dance Theater. It teaches authentic Duncan technique and stages reconstructed choreography, making it the closest peer in artistic discipline and provenance.

Regional players

• Dance Place: A DC-based dance presenting and education organization hosting classes, workshops, and performances. Word Dance Theater has performed at Dance Place (June 2010), making it a regional peer in DC dance programming and education.
• Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company: A Washington DC-based modern dance company producing original choreography and educational outreach. Comparable in scale and DC-region focus to Word Dance Theater, although operating in a different choreographic tradition.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/worddancedc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/word-dance-theater

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Word Dance Theatre Inc