irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $35KARTS EDUCATION - The company provides educational performances and follow-up workshops to citywide schools, colleges and community centers in New York City, as well as on tour nationally. Its K-12 dance curriculum titled Into the Heart of Chinatown-Hidden Voices was created for the NYC DOE is presented citywide and is available to schools nationwide on the DOE website. HTDCs Early Childhood Dance program, now in its 20th season, provides 200 Chinatown students a week with early childhood dance classes.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Early Childhood Dance Program
Free weekly dance classes for approximately 200 Chinatown students, ongoing for over 20 years, providing access to arts education for young children in the community.
First Street Studio
2,700-square-foot rehearsal space in Manhattan made available to independent artists and dance companies at accessible rates, supporting creative development in the NYC dance community.
H.T. Chen & Dancers
Professional contemporary dance company creating original choreography rooted in the Asian American experience, performing regionally and nationally at venues such as Jacob's Pillow and La MaMa Theatre.
Into the Heart of Chinatown – Hidden Voices
K-12 dance curriculum developed for the NYC Department of Education, combining live performance, calligraphy, and video projection, delivered in public schools citywide and available nationally.
The Theater
Performing arts venue presenting contemporary dance and Asian-American performing arts through series such as NewSteps and Ear to the Ground, supporting emerging and mid-career artists with space grants, honoraria, and public performances.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Ballet and Dance Education Programs 2 activities
- Delivers early childhood and K–12 dance education programsProvides weekly early childhood dance classes to 200 students in Chinatown through a residency at PS 42 and delivers the K–12 curriculum "Into the Heart of Chinatown—Hidden Voices" and "Eight Strokes and the Moving Word Series" in NYC public schools and nationally, featuring live performance and interactive engagement.
- Offers adult dance classes taught by company membersProvides ongoing adult dance classes instructed by members of H.T. Chen & Dancers at its studio, with sessions beginning July 30, 2026, and recurring offerings designed to support community engagement in dance.
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Original Dance Performance Production 2 activities
- Presents original contemporary dance performancesCreates and tours original contemporary dance works centered on the Asian American experience, performing at regional and national theaters, festivals, and presenting venues such as Jacob's Pillow, La MaMa Theatre, and The 14th St Y, including thematic programs on social justice.
- Supports emerging and mid-career dance artistsProvides capacity-building support to emerging and mid-career dance artists through the NewSteps and Ear to the Ground series, offering rehearsal space grants, honoraria or commissions, and opportunities to present work in public performances.
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Cultural Exchange and Community Integration Events 1 activity
- Hosts workshops, cultural events, and community programsOrganizes workshops such as “East meets West: exploring the works of H.T. Chen,” artist forums, cultural events for the Asian community, youth and family programs, public showcases, and community design engagement workshops, including events at 70 Mulberry Street and memorial celebrations available online.
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Subsidized Rehearsal and Performance Space 1 activity
- Provides rehearsal space for dancers and choreographersOperates a 2,700-square-foot rehearsal studio on First Street in New York City, offering professional rehearsal space to the dance community, including dancers and choreographers, available for booking and used by H.T. Chen & Dancers and other artists.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Develops and disseminates arts-integrated K–12 curriculumCreated and contributed to the development of Tracing Footsteps: Into the Heart of Chinatown — Hidden Voices, a K–12 dance-based curriculum now used in the NYC public school system and available to schools nationwide via the NYC DOE website.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$270K
Contributions & grants$200K74%
Program service revenue$34K13%
Investment income$18K7%
Other revenue$18K
expenses
Total expenses$311K
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$186K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.30M
Cash$750K
Investments$390K
Liabilities$10K
Net assets$1.29M
Liquid reserves44.0 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -20.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dian Dong Chen | Artistic Dir. | 35 | $47K |
board members · 13
- Cho Young Kim-Wiles — Trustee
- Elizabeth McPherson — Trustee
- Ellyn Chan Roberson — Trustee
- Irina Verona — Trustee
- Kevin Benson — Treasurer
- Kimberly Doo — Trustee
- Marla Yoss — Trustee
- Nancy Ng — Trustee
- Patsy Chen — Trustee
- Renouard Gee — Trustee
- Rita Gail Johnson — Board Chair
- Stephanie Chun — Trustee
- Thomas E Lim Esq — VP/Secretary
relationships · 28
Who they work with
- American Dance Guild Partner — Co-presented the event "The Politics of Movement: When Dance Speaks Out".
- American Dance Guild Partner — Collaborated with American Dance Guild to present a workshop during Modern Dance Week.
- American Dance Guild Partner — Honored H.T. Chen at its festival events on December 1 and 2 at Alvin Ailey Theater.
- CAF America/NIKE FUND Funder — International donor fund supporting the organization
- Dance Education Laboratory Partner — Collaborated on the development of a K–12 curriculum for NYC public schools
- Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Funder — Philanthropic funder of the organization
- H.T. Chen & Dancers Partner — Company members of H.T. Chen & Dancers teach adult dance classes at Chen Dance Center.
- H.T. Chen & Dancers Partner — Company members teach adult dance classes at Chen Dance Center.
- Jacob's Pillow Partner — Presenting venue for H.T. Chen & Dancers performances.
- Jacob's Pillow Partner — Venue for professional performances by H.T. Chen & Dancers
- La MaMa Partner — Collaborates with La MaMa to present Teahouse Performances
- La MaMa Theatre Partner — Presenting venue and early home for H.T. Chen & Dancers.
- La MaMa Theatre Partner — Venue for professional performances by H.T. Chen & Dancers
- Lincoln Center Institute Network — Endorsed the Eight Strokes and the Moving Word Series program
- Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Funder — Supports cultural programming in Lower Manhattan
- Manhattan Community Board 3 Partner — Collaborated on community engagement efforts, including hosting a joint meeting in January 2023.
- NY State Council on the Arts Funder — State-level arts funding partner
- NYC Council District 1 Funder — Local government funder
- NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Funder — Public funder supporting the organization
- NYC Department of Education Government — Partner in embedding a K–12 cultural curriculum in public schools
- New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services Government — Participated in the 70 Mulberry Street Advisory Committee & Visioning process.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Partnered on public art initiatives under the Percent for Art program at 70 Mulberry Street.
- New York City Department of Education Partner — Collaborates to develop and distribute the K-12 dance curriculum "Into the Heart of Chinatown-Hidden Voices" for use in schools.
- PS 42 Partner — School hosting a long-term dance residency program
- The 14th St Y Partner — Co-presents performances with The 14th St Y.
- The Clark Center Partner — Co-presented the event "The Politics of Movement: When Dance Speaks Out".
- The Harkness Foundation for Dance Funder — Funder supporting dance initiatives
- Think!Chinatown Partner — Participates in events presented by Think!Chinatown highlighting modern dance legacies in Chinatown
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Art as Activism and Identity Expressionmethodology: art-as-activismBy using dance to explore themes of protest, resistance, identity, and social justice, the organization affirms Chinese American and Asian American belonging and advances cultural discourse, because embodied artistic expression can powerfully communicate historical and contemporary struggles and foster community resilience.
- Artist Incubation and Creative Support Modelmethodology: artist incubation modelBy providing affordable professional-grade rehearsal space, financial support, and public performance opportunities through residencies, the organization nurtures emerging and mid-career dance artists, because sustained creative support and presentation platforms are critical to artistic development and career advancement.
- Culturally Grounded Arts Educationmethodology: culturally-grounded arts educationBy developing and delivering a K-12 dance curriculum rooted in Chinatown's history and Chinese American cultural heritage, the organization expands access to Asian-American arts education and fosters identity, belonging, and engagement in students, because culturally relevant content strengthens educational impact and community connection.
- East-West Cultural Synthesis in Dancemethodology: east-west-integrationBy fusing Chinese classical dance and opera with Western modern dance, the organization creates an original movement vocabulary that bridges Eastern heritage and Western contemporary form, because this integration enables deeper artistic expression and cross-cultural dialogue in both performance and education.
- Integrated Artist-Educator Modelmethodology: artist-educator modelBy employing company dancers as instructors in community classes and school programs, the organization connects professional performance with education, because direct engagement with working artists enhances learning quality, inspires students, and strengthens community-artistic ties.