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DANCES FOR A VARIABLE POPULATION INC

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 264572204 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE A62 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Small ($100K-$1M) · dvpnyc.org
revenue
$824K
expenses
$642K
net assets
$688K
employees
30
volunteers
75
program ratio
83%
mission · from form 990

SEE PART III, LINE 1 ON NEXT PAGE.

profile · synthesized from sources

Dances for a Variable Population Inc (DVP) is a New York City-based nonprofit that uses modern dance and creative movement to engage older adults, particularly low-income seniors. The organization offers free interactive performances, participatory workshops, and community-based dance programs that draw on personal and neighborhood histories. Through its Movement Speaks® methodology, DVP promotes wellness, self-expression, and intergenerational connection across senior centers and public spaces in NYC.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $13K
    DANCES FOR SENIORS - OFFERS FREE INTERACTIVE MODERN DANCE PERFORMANCES AND PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOPS TO LOW-INCOME SENIORS AT NEW YORK CITY SENIOR CENTERS. EACH PROGRAM INCLUDES THIRTY-MINUTE PERFORMANCES BY THE ORGANIZATIONS MULTIGENERATIONAL COMPANY, WHICH ENCORAGES AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION AND FEATURE ARTIST-LED INTRODUCTIONS TO EXPLAIN THE WORK. FOLLOWING THE PERFORMANCE, PARTICIPATORY DANCE WORKSHOPS USE CREATIVE MOVEMENT, IMPROVISATION AND PERSONAL GESTURE TO INTRODUCE MODERN DANCE TO PARTICIPANTS.
  2. #2 $254K
    PUBLIC PERFORMANCES - CREATES SITE RELATED PERFORMANCES IN INCONIC NYC SPACES, URBAN RENEWAL SPOTS AND TRANSPORTATION HUBS. THE MISSION OF THESE PERFORMANCES IS TO INSPIRE INDIVIDUALS TO MOVE, COLLABORATE WITH FELLOW ARTISTS AND UNLEASH THE POWER OF COMMUNITIES IN ACTION.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Dances for Seniors
Free interactive modern dance performances and participatory workshops for low-income seniors at NYC senior centers, featuring DVP’s multigenerational company and audience engagement through creative movement and improvisation.
Guest Artists Masterclass Series
Free dance workshops led by guest artists in styles including African Diaspora, Flamenco, Modern & Lyrical, and Salsa, tailored for older adults and emphasizing cultural expression and accessibility.
Movement Speaks®
A signature creative movement methodology designed for older adults that emphasizes self-expression, adaptability, and personal choice over choreography, offered in live virtual and in-person formats.
Public Performances
Site-specific dance performances in iconic NYC locations, urban renewal sites, and transportation hubs that aim to inspire community movement and collaboration among artists and residents.
REVIVAL: Neighborhood Stories
A performance project that transforms personal and neighborhood histories of long-time NYC residents into dance, preserving lived experiences through movement and soundscapes in public parks.
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Dance Performance and Community Engagement 2 activities
    • Deliver public and senior center dance performances and workshops
      Produces free, site-specific professional dance performances and interactive workshops in public spaces such as parks, transportation hubs, and senior centers across New York City. These include multigenerational company performances followed by artist-led creative movement workshops, often adapted from annual Revival programs, to promote artistic engagement and community participation among older adults.
    • Host guest artist masterclass series in diverse dance traditions
      Offers a Guest Artist Masterclass Series featuring NYC-based dance artists who lead workshops in varied movement forms including Bharatanatyam, West African Dance, Chinese Ribbon Dance, Dances of the African Diaspora, and Soul Line Dance. Classes are tailored for older adults, adaptable to physical abilities, and emphasize cultural expression, rhythm, storytelling, and social engagement.
  • Community Wellness Movement Classes 2 activities
    • Maintain free video library of dance and exercise sessions
      Provides a free-access video library featuring dance and exercise content for individuals of all abilities, including a 10-part park bench exercise series designed to improve strength, flexibility, and mobility, as well as virtual dance sessions that support wellness and creative engagement.
    • Offer Movement Speaks® dance classes for older adults
      Provides in-person, online, and phone-based Movement Speaks® dance classes for older adults of all abilities, focusing on creativity, self-expression, mobility, balance, strength, and community connection. Classes are free or low-cost and emphasize proper alignment, personal choice, and joyful movement.
  • Arts-Based Dementia Engagement Programs 1 activity
    • Train caregivers in Movement Speaks techniques
      Partners with organizations such as Highbridge Senior Center to train home caregivers in Movement Speaks® techniques, equipping them with tools to use creative movement with older adults to support health, expression, and connection.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$824K
Contributions & grants$765K93%
Program service revenue$53K6%
Investment income$6K1%
Other revenue$850
expenses
Total expenses$642K
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$401K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$734K
Cash$420K
Investments$17K
Liabilities$46K
Net assets$688K
Liquid reserves8.2 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +84.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
NAOMI GOLDBERG HAAS BOARD MEMBER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $80K
board members · 10
  • DOROTHY KASLOW — BOARD MEMBER (RESIGNED IN JULY 2024)
  • ELLEN GRAFF — BOARD MEMBER
  • ELSPETH MACDONALD — BOARD MEMBER
  • FRANCES SADLER — TREASURER
  • HOLLY SCHNEIER — BOARD MEMBER
  • JANE STARTZ — BOARD MEMBER (RESIGNED IN APRIL 2024)
  • JOYCE STEINGLASS — BOARD CHAIR
  • JUDY ROGERS — BOARD MEMBER
  • KATHRYN GRODY — BOARD MEMBER
  • MARY DOTY — SECRETARY
relationships · 45

Who they work with

  • A Philip Randolph Senior Center Partner — Co-created the dance "Save the Children" with dancers from this Harlem-based center
  • ARC XVI A. Philip Randolph Senior Center Partner — Partner site for DVP's inclusive dance programming.
  • Amy Hass Funder — Serves as Lead Gala Sponsor
  • Anthony Howell Partner — Guest artist teaching a Dances of the African Diaspora masterclass for older adults in Harlem.
  • Brian Jones Funder — Sponsors the gala at the "Core Supporter" level
  • Bronx House Partner — Partner site for DVP's inclusive dance programming.
  • Catherine Stern Funder — Sponsors the gala at the "Core Supporter" level
  • Central Harlem Senior Center Partner — Hosts DVP Movement Speaks® classes in Central Harlem
  • Chef Callender Partner — Provides culinary services for the 20th Anniversary Gala
  • Faith Catlin Funder — Sponsors the gala at the "Core Supporter" level
  • Frances Sadler Funder — Sponsors the gala at the "Core Supporter" level
  • George Bruce Library Partner — Hosts DVP Movement Speaks® classes in West Harlem
  • Goddard Riverside Community Center Partner — Partner site for DVP's inclusive dance programming.
  • Greenwich House Older Adult Center at Westbeth Partner — Partner site for DVP's inclusive dance programming.
  • Greenwich Village Partner — Developed the dance "Everything is Space" with seniors from this neighborhood
  • Harlem Stage Partner — Host venue for the 20th Anniversary Gala
  • Highbridge Senior Center Partner — Collaborated with seniors from this Bronx center to create "La Marquetta (The Marketplace)"
  • Highbridge Senior Center Partner — Collaborates to train home caregivers in Movement Speaks techniques.
  • Hudson Guild Fulton Houses Partner — Partner in the intergenerational dance commission “Autumn Crossing” on the High Line.
  • Innovation Triangle Partner — Co-hosted the Movement Speaks® All Together Dance Workshop for Older Adults and Families.
  • Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement Partner — Collaborated with seniors from this organization to create the dance piece "Queensbridge, A Joyful Village"
  • Jody and John Arnhold Funder — Sponsor the organization as "Partner for the Future"
  • Joyce Steinglass Funder — Sponsors the gala at the "Path-Builder" level
  • Kimani Rogers and Jennie Ono Funder — Sponsor the gala at the "Movement Maker" level
  • LMCC’s River to River Festival Partner — Collaborates on public performances including at the Whitehall terminal and the Lower East Side parade.
  • Lamine Thiam Partner — Guest artist teaching a Traditional West African Dance workshop for older adults in Brooklyn.
  • Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Partner — Partner site for DVP's inclusive dance programming.
  • Lisa Goldberg Funder — Sponsors the gala at the "Path-Builder" level
  • Lt. Joseph P Kennedy Jr Central Harlem Senior Citizens Centers Partner — Created the dance "A Block Party" in collaboration with seniors from this center
  • Maisha Thompson Partner — Guest artist instructing a Soul Line Dance class for older adults in the Bronx.
+ 15 more
strategies · 3

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.

  • Inclusive Movement for All Abilities
    methodology: universal_access_inclusion
    By adapting dance movements to individual ability levels—including seated or limited-mobility participation—we foster universal access to dance because designing for the full spectrum of aging and disability removes barriers to engagement and promotes dignity through choice and autonomy.
  • Intergenerational and Participatory Artistic Exchange
    methodology: intergenerational_artistic_exchange
    By co-creating dance performances and workshops that involve both older adults and professional dancers, we strengthen community identity and well-being because shared artistic participation fosters mutual learning, emotional connection, and cultural continuity across generations.
  • Movement Speaks® Methodology
    methodology: movement_speaks
    By using a creative movement approach that prioritizes self-expression, adaptability, and personal choice over formal choreography, we improve physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being in older adults because it increases individual agency, inclusivity, and meaningful participation regardless of ability.