The Bang Group

What The Bang Group does

The Bang Group is a non-profit contemporary dance company founded in 1995 by co-artistic directors David Parker and Jeffrey Kazin in New York City. The company's core technology is a choreographic method the organization labels "Rhythm Theater," in which dancers function as a percussion ensemble — using body percussion, foot taps, claps, and physical movement to render musical scores without instruments. Their repertoire spans percussive, classical, modern, and social dance forms, and the company produces original works for live performance rather than digital platforms. The signature production, Nut/Cracked, is a neo-vaudevillian reimagining of The Nutcracker, co-commissioned in 2003 by Dance Theater Workshop (NYC) and the Carlo Felice Opera House (Genoa, Italy), and has run for 20+ consecutive seasons as an alternative to traditional holiday programming. Additional offerings include the ensemble piece Settling Scores/For John Cage, a multi-decade duet series exploring romantic conflict, the Dance Now Boston commissioning initiative launched in 2015, and the Soaking WET festival produced for 16 years at The West End Theater.

The company's go-to-market is event-driven: touring performances are booked directly at dance venues, festivals, universities, and cultural institutions across North America and Europe, promoted through the company website, YouTube, Facebook, and earned press coverage in outlets including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Dance Magazine, and the Associated Press. Earned revenue comes from performance and booking fees (not publicly disclosed), supplemented by tax-deductible donations processed through PayPal and grants from a core set of cultural funders including the Jerome Robbins Foundation, Frederick Loewe Foundation, New York Department of Cultural Affairs, and Doris Duke Foundation. Customer segments include performing-arts audiences, presenting venues and festivals (New York Live Arts, Flea Theater, Summer Stages Dance, The ICA, Dance Complex, The Yard, MATA Festival, 92nd Street Y), university programs (Kansas State University), commercial entertainment venues (Mohegan Sun Casino), and cultural foundations. There are no disclosed revenue figures, no AI/ML capabilities, no software products, and no M&A or funding activity; the entity operates at sub-$1M scale with 1-10 employees centered on its two co-directors.

Name

The Bang Group

Legal name

The Bang Group

Website

https://thebanggroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Bang Group is a New York-based non-profit contemporary dance company founded in 1995 that creates rhythm-driven, percussion-based choreography and tours live performances across North America and Europe. It is supported by performance fees, donations, and foundation grants, with its flagship Nut/Cracked holiday production now in its 20th season.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts

NAICS

Dance Companies (71112), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

akta.pro primary industry

Tap, Jazz & Musical Theatre Dance (MPAGADAG)

Keywords

• Contemporary dance
• Rhythm dance
• Percussive dance
• Live dance performance
• Holiday dance show

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Performance and Booking Fees: Revenue from booking live dance performances at venues, festivals, and events throughout North America and Europe. The company tours and performs widely, with performances booked through their website 'Book Us' functionality.
2. Donations and Grants: As a non-profit organization, The Bang Group receives tax-deductible donations from supporters and grant funding from cultural foundations including The Jerome Robbins Foundation, The Frederick Loewe Foundation, New York Department of Cultural Affairs, and The Doris Duke Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bang Group is a rhythm-driven contemporary dance company that creates, performs, and tours original choreography fusing percussive, classical, modern, and social dance forms. Its flagship production Nut/Cracked has been performed every season since 2003, with the company booking performances at theaters, festivals, universities, and cultural venues across North America and Europe.

Product overview

The Bang Group (TBG) is a single unified dance company offering rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The company's core offering consists of its main dance company performances and productions, with its signature show Nut/Cracked as the flagship product—a comic/subversive reimagining of The Nutcracker now celebrating its 20th season. TBG also offers residencies, presentations of other artists through its Dance Now Boston initiative, and produces its Soaking WET festival. The company functions as a non-profit organization supported by foundations and presenting venues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nut/Cracked: A comic/subversive, neo-vaudevillian reimagining of The Nutcracker, celebrating its 20th season, featuring tap, disco, ballet and contemporary dance.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ consecutive seasons for Nut/Cracked since 2003
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Dance Theater WorkshopcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-commissioned Nut/Cracked and serves as a regular presenting partner for The Bang Group in New York City.
• Carlo Felice Opera House, Genoa, ItalycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational co-commissioner of Nut/Cracked along with Dance Theater Workshop.
• New York Live ArtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegular presenting partner for The Bang Group's New York performances.
• Summer Stages DancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustained 13-season partnership with The Bang Group in Boston, presenting their work annually.
• The ICA (Institute of Contemporary Art), BostonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston partner presenting The Bang Group's contemporary dance work.
• The Dance Complex, Cambridge, MAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston dance center with sustained partnership hosting The Bang Group.
• The Yard, Martha's VineyardmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual residency program hosting The Bang Group for extended creative and performance periods.
• The Flea Theater, ManhattancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bang Group is an Anchor Partner at The Flea Theater, providing ongoing venue access and support.
• Danspace ProjectmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York platform that regularly presents The Bang Group's work.
• Dance Now NYCmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNYC dance organization that presents The Bang Group regularly.
• Harkness Dance FestivalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual dance festival featuring The Bang Group's performances.
• Dance Now Boston InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative launched in 2015 where The Bang Group supports and presents work of other artists, commissioning new work for cabaret spaces.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mark Morris Dance Group: Major New York-based contemporary dance company with a comparable blend of musicality, humor, and genre-crossing choreography. Most directly comparable peer to TBG in terms of rhythm-driven contemporary style and touring model, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• Paul Taylor Dance Company: Established New York modern dance company with extensive repertoire and international touring. Comparable as a non-profit dance institution with a distinct choreographic identity, foundation funding, and multi-decade performance history.
• Martha Graham Dance Company: Foundational modern dance company with global touring and deep foundation support. Comparable peer in non-profit dance operating model, repertory-based touring, and institutional partnerships with major presenters.
• Hubbard Street Dance Chicago: Mid-size contemporary dance company with national touring and educational programming. Comparable in non-profit operating model, multi-choreographer repertoire, university residency work, and foundation funding profile.
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Iconic New York-based modern dance company with extensive touring and foundation support. Comparable as a non-profit contemporary dance institution anchored by a signature choreographic voice and a foundation-funded operating model.

Direct peers

• Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company: New York-based contemporary dance company known for genre-crossing, narrative-driven choreography with critical acclaim. Directly comparable peer in scale, New York venue ecosystem (New York Live Arts), and foundation-funded operating model.
• Dorrance Dance: Tap and percussive-focused contemporary dance company with major foundation and presenter support. Highly comparable to TBG's emphasis on tap, body percussion, and rhythmic innovation as the core choreographic methodology.
• Pilobolus: Innovative contemporary dance company known for physically inventive, genre-defying work including shadow play and partner acrobatics. Highly comparable to TBG as a non-traditional dance company that builds a recognizable choreographic methodology and tours internationally.
• Twyla Tharp Dance: Contemporary dance company known for blending tap, jazz, ballet, and modern forms with humor and accessibility. Very strong stylistic match to TBG's genre-colliding, rhythm-driven approach, and operates with similar touring and presenting-partner dynamics.
• Stephen Petronio Company: New York-based contemporary dance company with strong presenter relationships and a distinctive choreographic identity. Comparable in scale, venue ecosystem (New York Live Arts, Joyce Theater), and foundation-funded non-profit operating model.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIlFIyFtSU_3ByvSKYKvmdA
• Facebookfacebook.com/The-Bang-Group-64758516156
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bang-group

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 The Bang Group