named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
CityStep End-of-Year Shows
Annual dance performances co-choreographed by college student teachers and elementary/middle school students, themed around local culture and community identity.
CityStep Penn Partnership
Ongoing collaboration with West Philadelphia elementary schools to deliver dance and mentorship programs, culminating in annual performances at the Annenberg Center.
CityStep Teacher Training
Training program for college student volunteers that prepares them to lead movement-based workshops and mentor young students in creative expression.
CityStep Yale After School Program
Weekly dance and improvisation classes for refugee and immigrant children in partnership with IRIS in New Haven.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Ballet and Dance Education Programs 3 activities
- Delivers yearlong dance and leadership programs to public school students in multiple citiesProvides free, values-based arts education through a yearlong curriculum focused on creativity, collaboration, and self-expression via dance, taught by college student instructors in New York City, Philadelphia, Trenton, Chicago, Cambridge, and other locations. Programs serve elementary, middle, and K–8 students from diverse neighborhoods, including those from underserved communities.
- Engages college students as teachers and mentors in arts educationRecruits and trains undergraduate students from universities including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, and others to teach weekly dance classes and serve as mentors in local public schools, fostering intergenerational collaboration and leadership development.
- Expands program reach through university chapter developmentEstablishes new CityStep chapters at universities across the U.S., including Princeton (2012), Yale (2015), Columbia, and others, enabling localized delivery of dance education programs in surrounding public schools.
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Original Dance Performance Production 1 activity
- Produces original student-created dance performances annuallyOrganizes and stages end-of-year, thematically unified dance theater productions co-developed by participating children and college student teachers, presented to families and communities. Examples include "Homecoming," _Paint the Town_, _Voices_, and _Such Sweet Thunder_, performed at venues such as the Annenberg Center, Sanders Theater, and Harlem School of the Arts.
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Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
- Provides professional development for program educatorsConducts annual teacher training retreats to prepare college student instructors and educators for effective delivery of the CityStep curriculum and mentorship responsibilities.
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Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Programs 1 activity
- Supports creative expression and socio-emotional development in youthUses movement-based programming to help students build confidence, regulate emotions, manage anger, redirect energy from challenging environments, and develop personal and social skills, leading to measurable academic and behavioral improvements over short periods.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$205K
Contributions & grants$190K93%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$4540%
Other revenue$15K
expenses
Total expenses$199K
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead17%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$149K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$66K
Cash$66K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$66K
Liquid reserves4.0 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -19.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SABRINA PECK | Director | 40 | $100K |
board members · 6
- ANTHONY CALNEK — Treasurer
- JULIE TURAJ — Director
- MILES MELINE — Director
- MUKESH PRASAD — Director
- REBECCA HOUGHTON — Secretary
- SCOTT TAYLOR — CO-CHAIRMAN
relationships · 35
Who they work with
- A.R.T. Partner — Arts organization connected to a CityStep alum and artistic director who endorses the program’s ethos.
- Alvin Ailey Partner — Provides culminating cultural experiences for CityStep participants through performance attendance.
- Benjamin B. Comegys Elementary School Partner — Partner school in West Philadelphia where CityStep Penn conducts dance workshops and creative programming.
- Brooklyn College Partner — Institution where Sabrina Peck taught community-engaged performance.
- Cambridge Public School Partner — Partner school where CityStep programs are implemented, as referenced by a teacher.
- CityStep HQ Partner — Provided support for feasibility research and teacher training to launch the UChicago chapter.
- Columbia University Partner — Host institution for the CityStep program established in 2022 by students Audrey Brown, Annelise Eileraas, and Sarina Malik.
- Columbia University Partner — Where Sabrina Peck taught community-engaged performance and served as a Visiting Artist in the Center for Jazz Studies.
- Diane Paulus Partner — Former CityStep teacher and recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award.
- Duke University Partner — Institution where Sabrina Peck taught community-engaged performance.
- Fletcher Maynard Academy Partner — Partner school whose students participate in the CityStep after-school dance program.
- Graham and Parks Elementary School Partner — First public school site where CityStep conducted a workshop and engaged students in dance theater activities.
- Graham and Parks School Partner — Partner school whose students participate in the CityStep after-school dance program.
- Harlem School of the Arts Partner — Partner organization with which CityStep collaborated in 2022 on a performance of Duke Ellington's Such Sweet Thunder.
- Harvard Partner — Founded at Harvard by Sabrina Peck, indicating institutional roots and likely ongoing partnership with the university.
- Harvard University Partner — Collaborates with Harvard students who participate in teaching and mentoring through the CityStep program.
- Harvard University Partner — Collaborates with Harvard students who serve as dance teachers and mentors in the CityStep program.
- Harvard University Partner — Host institution where CityStep was founded; Harvard students have led and taught CityStep programs in public schools.
- Harvard University Partner — Site where Sabrina Peck created CityStep and later served as the Peter Ivers Visiting Artist.
- Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services Partner — Partnership to deliver after-school dance and movement programming for refugee and immigrant children in New Haven.
- Inwood Academy for Leadership Middle School Partner — Community partner school where CityStep provides dance education to fifth-grade students.
- King Open School Partner — Partner school whose students participate in the CityStep after-school dance program.
- Lincoln Center Theater Partner — Where Sabrina Peck guest taught classes and choreographed productions.
- New York City Public Schools Partner — Partner agency hosting CityStep programs in public schools.
- New York University Partner — Where Sabrina Peck taught at the Tisch School of the Arts.
- Perelman Center for the Performing Arts Partner — Organization affiliated with a supporter who affirms CityStep’s role in reducing fear through the arts.
- Princeton University Partner — Host institution for the CityStep program launched in 2012 by student Jennifer Chew.
- Rennie Harris Partner — Recipient of the CityStep Impact Award.
- Shaw Elementary School Partner — Partner school where CityStep programming has led to observed academic and social progress in students.
- Shaw Middle School -- Philadelphia Partner — Partner school in Philadelphia where CityStep has demonstrated impact on student development.
+ 5 more
strategies · 4
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.
- Arts-Based Mentorship for Youth Developmentmethodology: arts_based_mentorshipBy engaging college students as arts mentors in structured dance theater programs, we foster youth leadership, self-expression, and cross-community collaboration because creative relationships between peers from different backgrounds produce mutual growth and emotional safety.
- School and Community Partnership Modelmethodology: institutional_partnership_modelBy delivering dance education through partnerships with public schools and community organizations, we integrate arts into underserved settings because embedding programming within trusted institutions increases access and sustainability.
- Student-Centered Creative Agency Modelmethodology: child_centered_creative_agencyBy treating children as creative equals and grounding choreography in their natural movements and lived experiences, we build confidence, autonomy, and authentic expression because youth ownership of the creative process drives engagement and transformation.
- Values-Based Pedagogy Integrating Dancemethodology: values_based_pedagogyBy using dance as a vehicle for values-based education, we foster transformation in both youth and mentors because embodied artistic practice reinforces core values like collaboration, challenge, and commitment.