udma

What udma does

UDMA (United Dance Merchants of America) is a nonprofit member organization founded in 1959 that serves as the primary trade association for the U.S. dance industry vendor ecosystem. The organization aggregates over 100 member companies spanning costumes, travel, backdrops, software, competitions, equipment, and fundraising services, and connects them with dance studio owners and teachers through annual trade shows. UDMA's flagship product is the Dance Teacher Resource Expo, held annually in two U.S. markets — the 2026 schedule places it at the Schaumburg Convention Center in suburban Chicago (September 26-27) and the Meadowlands Expo Center in New Jersey (October 10-11) — with over 10,000 costumes featured on the show floor. A companion UDMA Fashion Show is held during the New York event, allowing studio staff to evaluate costumes in person under stage lighting.

UDMA operates a dual revenue model consisting of recurring annual membership dues (invoiced around December 1, due January 1) and transaction-based trade show booth fees. Membership is structured in three tiers — Full Member (with voting rights, committee participation, and costume show participation), Non-Profit Member (50% discount off member booth price, capped at one booth per city), and Associate Member (entry-level directory listing, upgradable) — with members receiving discounted booth pricing, free directory listings with logos and links, social media visibility, and sponsorship opportunities. There is no proprietary technology platform; the core product is the physical event experience and member directory.

The organization is administered by Cathy Graziano, who serves as Director and also leads the affiliated National Dance Foundation, a 501c3 promoting kindness, inclusion, and community through dance. UDMA is incorporated in Florida (based on a 352 area code), is BBB Accredited, and markets primarily through its website (udma.org), direct email to members, and event landing pages. No external investors, venture funding, or ownership changes are documented; UDMA is a member-governed trade body with a stable, event-driven operating model rather than a venture-backable growth company.

Name

udma

Legal name

United Dance Merchants of America

Website

https://udma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Short description

UDMA is a nonprofit member organization founded in 1959 that connects over 100 dance industry vendors with dance studio owners and teachers through annual trade shows in Chicago and New York, funded by membership dues and booth fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dance Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade Shows & Exhibitions (Booths, Show Management) (BPAFAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Exhibitions, Trade Shows & Booth Management (HSACADAH)

Keywords

• Dance trade shows
• Dance industry association
• Dance vendor networking
• Dance studio resources
• Dance merchandise expo

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: Annual membership fees billed to member companies, due on January 1. Members receive benefits including lower booth pricing at UDMA shows, free directory listings with logos and links, social media visibility, and sponsorship opportunities.
2. Trade show booth fees: Revenue from exhibitor booth rentals at the Dance Teacher Resource Expo events. Both member and non-member pricing available, with members receiving discounted rates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

UDMA is a nonprofit member organization that operates annual Dance Teacher Resource Expo trade shows connecting dance industry vendors with dance studio owners and teachers. The organization offers tiered membership (Full, Non-Profit, Associate) to dance industry vendor companies, providing benefits such as directory listings, voting rights, discounted booth pricing at shows, and sponsorship opportunities. Shows feature over 100 member companies displaying costumes, flooring, ballet barres, curriculum, competition services, travel providers, fundraising solutions, and ticketing systems under one roof.

Product overview

UDMA (United Dance Merchants of America) is a member organization of dance industry vendors founded in 1959, serving as a trade association rather than a technology product company. UDMA operates the Dance Teacher Expo trade shows (held annually in Chicago and New York), providing a platform for dance industry vendors to connect with studio owners. The organization offers membership tiers (Full Member, Non-Profit Member, Associate Member) that include directory listings, costume show participation, voting rights, and booth pricing benefits. UDMA does not offer a standalone software product; its core offerings are event-based trade shows, a member directory, and the UDMA Fashion Show for costume selection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UDMA Dance Teacher Expo: Annual trade show and resource expo for dance studio owners featuring costume displays, fashion shows, and vendor exhibitions
• UDMA Fashion Show

Products and services

• UDMA Dance Teacher Expo - Chicago Annual Dance Teacher Resource Expo held at Schaumburg Convention Center in Chicago, serving as a one-stop trade show for dance studio owners and teachers to shop costumes, flooring, ballet barres, curriculum, competition, travel, fundraisers, and ticketing from over 100 member vendor companies.
• UDMA Dance Teacher Expo - New York Annual Dance Teacher Resource Expo held at Meadowlands Expo Center near New York City, serving as a one-stop trade show for dance studio owners and teachers, including the UDMA Fashion Show where costumes are displayed under stage lighting.
• UDMA Fashion Show Costume fashion show held during the New York City UDMA Dance Teacher Expo, allowing attendees to add it to any level ticket to view the newest costumes displayed under stage lighting for informed purchasing decisions.
• UDMA Membership Annual membership program for dance industry vendor companies offered in Full Member, Non-Profit Member, and Associate Member tiers. Members receive directory listings with logos and links, social media visibility, sponsorship opportunities, discounted booth pricing at UDMA Dance Teacher Expos, voting rights (Full tier), committee participation, and costume show participation.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• National Dance FoundationminorOthersCathy Graziano, Director of UDMA, also serves as Director of National Dance Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit which promotes kindness, inclusion, and community through dance.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants): Trade association of music product retailers and vendors that runs major annual trade shows (NAMM Show) connecting manufacturers with dealers. Structurally and operationally analogous to UDMA: nonprofit, member-funded, booth-fee revenue, and a single dominant annual show acting as the industry's primary B2B gathering.
• PPAI (Promotional Products Association International): Trade association for the promotional products industry that produces a large annual expo (PPAI Expo) and member directory. Highly comparable nonprofit membership model, dues + booth fees, and a flagship event serving as the industry's central sourcing venue.
• ARA (American Rental Association): Trade association for the equipment and event rental industry running The ARA Show and supporting member services. Operates with the same dues-plus-event revenue mix and serves a similar role connecting vendors with a fragmented SMB buyer base.
• USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology): Membership association serving performing arts designers and technicians through an annual Stage Expo and conference. Closely comparable to UDMA in serving the dance/performing arts supply ecosystem via a member-funded trade show model.
• Dance Masters of America: National dance teachers association that hosts an annual convention and competition, serving the same dance studio and instructor audience as UDMA. Comparable in mission and member base, though it is more focused on the buyer/studio side rather than the vendor side.

Broad incumbents

• IAEE (International Association of Exhibitions and Events): Industry-wide association for the exhibitions and events industry, including Expo! Expo! as its annual meeting. Operates one level above UDMA as the broader trade body governing the same exhibition industry in which UDMA participates as an organizer.

Others

• ASAE (American Society of Association Executives): The professional association for association executives and management. Comparable as a peer organization running an annual conference plus member services for organizations like UDMA; provides benchmarking and governance practices relevant to UDMA's own operations.
• EDPA (Exhibit Designers & Producers Association): Trade association for the exhibit design, fabrication, and experiential marketing industry. Adjacent to UDMA's booth-based trade show operations and overlapping with UDMA's vendor community (booth builders serving UDMA exhibitors).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-dance-merchants-of-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 udma