Touch Compass
Touch Compass Dance Trust is Aotearoa New Zealand's leading professional disability-led performing arts organisation, producing dance-theatre works, free education classes, and mentorship programmes for disabled artists, rangatahi, and inclusive audiences, with accessibility features built into all productions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Touch Compass does
Touch Compass (legally Touch Compass Dance Trust) is a charitable trust and non-profit organisation founded in 1997 in Aotearoa New Zealand, self-described as the country's leading professional disability-led arts organisation. It produces and presents dance-theatre works, education programmes, and community classes, with accessibility features such as live NZSL interpretation, audio description, touch tours, and wheelchair access built into productions from inception rather than added retrospectively. Core recent productions include ABILITOPIA (an AI-enabled-robot dance-theatre work premiered at Te Pou Theatre in February 2026), WHITE NOISE (a solo work by Alisha McLennan Marler), and AIGA (a Disability-led Pasifika-led work premiered at Auckland Arts Festival in March 2024 and toured to Nelson Arts Festival). Education offerings comprise free Creative Class and Contemporary Class sessions, the ORO:RESONANCE sound creation mentorship for disabled rangatahi, and the TOI TUKU MATARIKI DANCE INTENSIVE.
The organisation is headquartered in Auckland (Mt Albert) with additional training venues in Grey Lynn and Henderson, and serves markets across Auckland, Wellington, and Nelson. Revenue is generated through three streams: ticket sales via iTicket for ticketed performances, individual donations (one-off and monthly) processed through a Raisely platform with tax-deductible status for gifts over NZD $5, and grant funding from core institutional partners including Creative New Zealand, Foundation North, Auckland Council, and Spectrum Foundation. Education classes are provided free of charge to participants.
Go-to-market relies on a hybrid model: event-driven distribution through ticketed productions at partnered venues (Te Pou Theatre, Basement Theatre) and major NZ arts festivals (Auckland Arts Festival, Nelson Arts Festival, Kia Mau Festival), coupled with content marketing via the touchcompass.org.nz website, an email newsletter, and organic social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Vimeo, and YouTube. Audience and participant segments centre on disabled artists and performers, disabled rangatahi (youth and young adults aged 16+), non-disabled participants and allies seeking inclusive practice training, and arts festivals and venues seeking accessible disability-led programming. The organisation is governed by a Board of Trustees and an Artistic Direction Panel, with operational leadership under General Manager (Kaiwhakahaere) Jon Tamihere-Kemeys.
Touch Compass firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Touch Compass
- Legal name
- Touch Compass Dance Trust
- Website
- https://touchcompass.org.nz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Touch Compass Dance Trust is Aotearoa New Zealand's leading professional disability-led performing arts organisation, producing dance-theatre works, free education classes, and mentorship programmes for disabled artists, rangatahi, and inclusive audiences, with accessibility features built into all productions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Touch Compass industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts / Disability-Led Dance Theatre
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Dance Companies (71112)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Academic Accommodations & Access Planning (ADA/504) (EDALAGAA)
Keywords
Where Touch Compass is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Auckland
- HQ country
- New Zealand
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices4 records
Markets served
Touch Compass business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Performance Revenue: Revenue generated from ticketed performances at various venues including Te Pou Theatre and Basement Theatre. Ticket sales for productions like ABILITOPIA, WHITE NOISE, and AIGA.
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donations (one-off and monthly giving) through their Raisely platform. The organization positions donations as sustaining access-first systems. Gifts over $5 are tax-deductible in New Zealand.
- Grant Funding: Core operational funding from Creative New Zealand, Foundation North, Auckland Council, and Spectrum Foundation. Project-specific grants for programmes like ORO:RESONANCE and Matariki education initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free education classes for all participants |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Performance tickets sold at market rates |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Touch Compass product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Touch Compass produces and tours disability-led dance-theatre productions and runs accessible community arts education and mentorship programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand. Its portfolio includes professional works (ABILITOPIA, WHITE NOISE, AIGA), short-form youth mentorship (ORO:RESONANCE), themed dance workshops (TOI TUKU MATARIKI DANCE INTENSIVE), and weekly Creative and Contemporary classes delivered at community venues. Accessibility features (NZSL interpretation, audio description, touch tours) are embedded into every offering.
Product overview
Touch Compass is Aotearoa New Zealand's leading professional disability-led arts organisation offering a portfolio of performing arts programmes and productions. The core offering consists of professional dance-theatre works including ABILITOPIA (featuring AI-enabled robotics), WHITE NOISE (solo performance), and AIGA (Pasifika-led theatre), presented at venues throughout New Zealand and internationally. Supporting these productions are accessible education programmes including Creative Class, Contemporary Class, and specialist workshops, plus ORO:RESONANCE (a sound creation mentorship for disabled youth) and the TOI TUKU MATARIKI DANCE INTENSIVE (a disability-led dance workshop). Access is foundational to all offerings, with live NZSL interpretation, audio description, touch tours and wheelchair access built into performances and programmes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Touch Compass
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Touch Compass technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability3 records
Touch Compass partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Basement TheatrecoreVenue partner hosting ORO:RESONANCE programme with venue support for sound creation performances and participant showcases.
- Te Pou TheatrecoreVenue partner hosting ABILITOPIA + WHITE NOISE double-bill premiere February 2026.
- Kia Mau FestivalminorPresented AIGA 5-7 June 2025 as part of Kia Mau Festival 10-year anniversary.
- Nelson Arts FestivalminorPresented AIGA in the South Island October 2024.
- Auckland Arts FestivalcorePresented World Premiere of AIGA in March 2024 as part of the festival programme.
- Arts Access AotearoaminorPart of global ecosystem of disability arts partners and allies.
- Audio Described AotearoaminorPartner in accessibility ecosystem providing audio description services.
- Axis Dance CompanyminorInternational disability dance organization based in United States, part of Touch Compass global whanau.
- Blind Low Vision NZminorPartner organization in accessibility ecosystem.
- Dance Aotearoa NZminorNational dance organization, part of Touch Compass partner network.
- Equal Voices ArtsminorPartner in arts and disability network.
- Gasp! Dance TrustminorDance organization in Touch Compass partner ecosystem.
- Marc Brew CompanyminorInternational disability-led dance company, part of global network.
- Platform Interpreting NZminorAccessibility services partner for sign language interpreting.
- Sins InvalidminorUS-based disability arts organization, part of global whanau.
- WiDaminorPartner organization in disability arts ecosystem.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Touch Compass competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Marc Brew Company: Scotland-based disability-led dance company founded by Marc Brew. Listed as a Touch Compass partner and operates with a similar model of professional dance productions, education, and international touring.
- Full Radius Dance: Atlanta-based modern dance company featuring dancers with and without disabilities. Comparable in inclusive dance production and educational programming.
- Axis Dance Company: US-based disability-integrated dance company creating acclaimed work with disabled and non-disabled dancers. Listed as a Touch Compass partner and offers the most direct comparison in terms of artistic model, productions, and educational programming.
- Graeae Theatre Company: UK-based disability-led theatre company producing accessible performances with integrated creative access. Highly comparable mission and integrated accessibility model.
- StopGAP Dance Company: Canadian inclusive dance company with disabled and non-disabled dancers producing professional contemporary dance. Comparable in accessibility-led artistic model and education programs.
- Candoco Dance Company: UK-based disability-integrated dance company producing professional dance theatre and education. Highly comparable in mission, scale, and programming model to Touch Compass.
Emerging players
- Sins Invalid: US-based disability arts organization focused on performance, culture, and political engagement. Listed as a Touch Compass partner and serves as a sibling organization in the global disability arts movement.
Regional players
- Royal New Zealand Ballet: New Zealand's national ballet company based in Wellington. Comparable as a NZ professional dance company but operates at much larger scale and is not disability-led.
- Atamira Dance Company: New Zealand contemporary dance company producing professional dance works with Māori cultural perspectives. Comparable as a NZ-based professional dance entity with cultural integration, though not disability-led.
Others
- Dance Aotearoa NZ: NZ national dance organization supporting the dance sector. Listed as a Touch Compass partner and provides sector infrastructure overlap rather than direct artistic competition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Touch Compass social profiles
Digital presenceTouch Compass financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Touch Compass leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Touch Compass funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Touch Compass 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 Touch Compass
What does Touch Compass do?
Touch Compass produces and tours disability-led dance-theatre productions and runs accessible community arts education and mentorship programmes in Aotearoa New Zealand. Its portfolio includes professional works (ABILITOPIA, WHITE NOISE, AIGA), short-form youth mentorship (ORO:RESONANCE), themed dance workshops (TOI TUKU MATARIKI DANCE INTENSIVE), and weekly Creative and Contemporary classes delivered at community venues. Accessibility features (NZSL interpretation, audio description, touch tours) are embedded into every offering.
Is Touch Compass a public or private company?
Touch Compass is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Touch Compass founded?
Touch Compass was founded in 1997. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Touch Compass based?
Touch Compass is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, in the Oceania region.
How does Touch Compass make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Performance Revenue is the primary driver. The others are donations and Charitable Contributions and grant Funding.
Who are Touch Compass's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Marc Brew Company, Full Radius Dance, Axis Dance Company, Graeae Theatre Company, StopGAP Dance Company and Candoco Dance Company. Sins Invalid is listed as an emerging player. Regional players are Royal New Zealand Ballet and Atamira Dance Company. Dance Aotearoa NZ is listed as an others.
Does Touch Compass have an API?
No public API is recorded for Touch Compass.
What industry is Touch Compass in?
Touch Compass's product category is Performing Arts / Disability-Led Dance Theatre. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGALAM, Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech), with a secondary code of EDALAGAA, Academic Accommodations & Access Planning (ADA/504). Its NAICS code is 7111 and its SIC code is 7900.