named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Adult Education Programs
Online and in-person dance classes for seniors and adult learners, offered through institutions like Primetime@MoMA and Lifetime Learners Institute, as well as custom programs for community groups.
Arts-in-Education Residencies
School-based programs including "Dancing on the Keyboard," "Dance Sampler," "Performance Project for Students," and "Dance Around the World," offered in Nevada and Idaho with teacher training and community engagement components.
Dance Appreciation Course (UCONN/Stamford)
3-credit university course including dance history, studio instruction in multiple techniques, NYC performance field trips, guest artists, and a final choreography project.
Dance Appreciation Online Classes
Monthly online ZOOM classes offering dance appreciation to the general public, covering dance history, techniques, and performance analysis.
Outreach for Underserved Populations
Free dance classes, workshops, and programs for seniors, economically disadvantaged individuals, victims of domestic abuse, at-risk youth, and people living with AIDS.
The Creative Voice (Norwalk Community College)
Interdisciplinary course where Felice Lesser teaches dance and choreography as part of a broader exploration of artistic creation across music, literature, fine art, film, and theater.
UPALS Program (UCONN/Stamford)
Summer arts enrichment program for first-generation college-bound Connecticut teens, featuring dance technique and choreography instruction with a focus on collaboration and problem-solving.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Original Dance Performance Production 2 activities
- Engaging in choreographic development and artistic creationConducts ongoing choreographic work as a core component of its mission, creating original roles and movement for productions such as "2BZ4U," "Funding the Arts," "Magic Forest Dances," and other full-length works. The organization emphasizes collaborative development processes, including open rehearsals, audience previews, and dancer contributions to shape final pieces.
- Producing and presenting original contemporary dance performancesCreates and stages original multidisciplinary dance works that address social, political, and technological themes, such as "Lightning" (on global warming and racism), "Trap Ist" (a sci-fi narrative about AI and rebellion), and the "I Am A Dancer" series exploring the lives of dance workers. Productions incorporate choreography, video projection, interactive technology, and collaborative dancer input, with premieres and revivals presented at venues including Baryshnikov Arts Center, New York Live Arts, and New 42nd St. Studios.
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Dance Program Access and Scholarship Support 1 activity
- Offering free and accessible dance programming to underserved communitiesProvides no-cost dance classes, workshops, and performances to economically disadvantaged individuals, seniors, at-risk youth, victims of domestic abuse, people living with AIDS, and others facing barriers to access. These include free online classes for members and those unable to pay, free preview events for new works, and targeted outreach through organizations serving marginalized groups.
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Ballet and Dance Education Programs 1 activity
- Providing dance education and community engagement programsOffers a wide range of educational and participatory dance activities including college-level courses (e.g., 3-credit "Dance Appreciation" at UCONN/Stamford), semester-long university classes, artist residencies in schools across multiple states, adult learning classes for seniors, and monthly online dance classes via Zoom. Programs include lecture-demonstrations, workshops, and courses covering dance history, technique, choreography, and appreciation, often free or low-cost for underserved populations.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$27K
Contributions & grants$27K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue$3
expenses
Total expenses$14K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$3K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$114K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$114K
4 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -10.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
board members · 4
- FELICE LESSER — DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT
- JESSICA LESSIN — DIRECTOR
- JOEL BLATT — DIRECTOR
- MARY VASCELLARO — DIRECTOR
relationships · 24
Who they work with
- A.R.T./NY Network — FLDT is a member organization and recipient of its grant program.
- Association of Performing Arts Professionals (APAP) Network — FLDT is a member organization.
- Baryshnikov Arts Center Partner — Presented the premiere of "I AM A DANCER" in 2006.
- CREDO INTERACTIVE Partner — Felice Lesser featured as a premiere animator for Life Forms in collaboration with CREDO INTERACTIVE.
- Gerry Goodstein Partner — Photographer documenting performances including "Trap Ist" and "Lightning."
- Harkness Foundation for Dance Funder — Has awarded FLDT 28 grants, most recently in 2025.
- Indie Space Funder — Provided a “Deep Roots” grant through its “Pay Your People” Grants program.
- Learning in Retirement Partner — Partner organization for delivering adult learning dance classes to seniors.
- Lifetime Learners Institute at NCC Partner — Partner organization for delivering adult learning dance classes to seniors.
- Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) Funder — Provided a 2025 “Community Engagement” grant to FLDT.
- Museum of Modern Art Partner — Partnered with MoMA for a public program featuring Felice Lesser as a guest speaker following a film screening.
- NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Funder — Awarded a 2024 “Creative Opportunities” Fund grant to FLDT.
- New York Live Arts Partner — Hosts the world premiere of "I AM A DANCER 2020" in June 2025.
- New York Live Arts Partner — Venue for world premieres of "Trap Ist" and "I Am A Dancer 2020."
- Norwalk Community College Partner — Collaboration in which Felice Lesser contributes dance instruction to "The Creative Voice" course.
- Peridance Center Partner — Graduated from the Certificate program and performed with affiliated companies prior to joining FLDT.
- Primetime@MoMA Partner — Partner organization for delivering adult learning dance classes to seniors.
- Project FIND Partner — Collaborated on a 2000 project where senior participants contributed video content integrated into a live onstage performance.
- The Duke on 42nd Street Partner — Venue for the premiere of "Lightning."
- UCONN/Stamford Campus Partner — Hosted FLDT programs including master classes and performances.
- University of Connecticut/Stamford Campus Partner — Collaborates on academic programming by offering a for-credit Dance Appreciation course taught by Felice Lesser.
- University of Connecticut/Stamford Campus Partner — Hosts a “Dance Appreciation” course taught by Felice Lesser.
- University of Connecticut/Stamford Campus Partner — Longstanding partnership where Felice Lesser teaches "Dance Appreciation" and participated in the UPALS program.
- West Side Cultural Network Partner — Participated in West Side Fest, hosted by the West Side Cultural Network, with an open rehearsal event.
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.
- Collaborative Documentary Dancemethodology: collaborative-documentary-danceBy combining choreography with filmed interviews and personal narratives, the organization creates documentary-style dance performances that foster authentic representation and audience reflection on lived experiences during crises, because integrating real stories into movement deepens emotional resonance and social relevance.
- Inclusive Co-Creation Modelmethodology: inclusive_choreographic_practiceBy involving dancers in collaborative choreography and incorporating their physical characteristics and lived experiences, the organization produces artistically authentic works that reflect human diversity and agency, because co-creation fosters ownership, authenticity, and deeper artistic expression.
- Issue-Based Multimedia Engagementmethodology: issue-based-dance-performanceBy using multimedia dance performances that combine live movement with projected video and science fiction narratives, the organization engages audiences with urgent social issues like oppression, equity, and technology’s impact, because layered storytelling through multiple sensory channels enhances audience reflection and emotional engagement.
- Scaffolded Creative Learningmethodology: scaffolded-creativityBy guiding students through a structured, iterative process of dance creation—starting from musical inspiration and progressing through improvisation, thematic constraints, and revision—the organization cultivates deeper appreciation and creative confidence in novice choreographers, because bounded creative challenges support learning and meaningful artistic decision-making.