named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
CYC/Cora Youth Company
Audition-based repertory company for youth ages 9–18 offering advanced training, performance opportunities, mentorship, and support for school and college applications.
Community Workshops & Performances
Free public dance workshops and performances at local festivals and events in Clifton Forge, VA including Juneteenth, Tree Lighting, and Fridays in the Forge.
Cora Dance Alleghany (CDA)
Pay-what-you-can dance education hub in Clifton Forge, VA providing technical training, youth ensembles, and community workshops and performances.
Cora Dance Brooklyn (CDB)
Pay-what-you-can dance education hub in Red Hook, Brooklyn offering modern and hip hop training, youth company, and community performances.
Shannon Hummel/Cora Dance (Professional Company)
National touring dance company creating emotionally powerful, collaborative choreography performed in traditional and non-traditional spaces across the U.S.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Ballet and Dance Education Programs 3 activities
- Delivering youth dance programs and performance opportunitiesProvides comprehensive dance education and training for youth, including workshops, apprenticeships, internships, and pre-professional to professional performance opportunities. Operates an audition-based youth repertory company (Cora Youth Company) for students aged 9–18 who study and perform works by professional choreographers, with annual local and touring performances.
- Offering school-based and community dance enrichment programsProvides weekly after-school dance enrichment programs for elementary students in Bath County and delivers regular classes at Boys Home of VA in Covington. Also includes public school students in end-of-year showcases and organizes youth dance performances at community events such as Juneteenth celebrations and local festivals.
- Operating urban and rural dance education hubsRuns dual dance education hubs in Brooklyn, New York and Clifton Forge, Virginia, established to expand access to professional dance education in both urban and rural communities. The organization operates an urban/rural model that connects students and artists across geographies, including through a second education hub launched in Clifton Forge in 2020.
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Original Dance Performance Production 1 activity
- Presenting professional dance performances in formal and community settingsCreates and presents emotionally powerful, professionally led dance performances characterized as emotionally raw, richly detailed, and deeply human. Performs nationally and at its two hubs, presenting works in formal venues such as BAM and BAX, as well as in everyday community spaces like parks, storage units, and historic theaters to increase accessibility and engagement.
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Dance Program Access and Scholarship Support 1 activity
- Providing accessible dance education on a pay-what-you-can basisOffers all dance classes and programs on a free or pay-what-you-can basis to ensure access regardless of financial circumstances. Over 80% of students receive free or reduced tuition, and no student is excluded due to inability to pay.
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High School Placement Support 1 activity
- Supporting youth academic and professional advancement in the artsProvides audition and application support for middle school, high school, and college performing arts programs, including one-on-one consulting, group mentorship, and training. Over 90% of Cora Youth Company students are accepted into one of their top two high school choices, and over 95% are admitted to their top college choice.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$495K
Contributions & grants$427K86%
Program service revenue$68K14%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$477K
Program expenses37%
Admin / overhead45%
Fundraising18%
Salaries & benefits$345K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$271K
Cash$127K
Investments$0
Liabilities$171K
Net assets$100K
Liquid reserves3.2 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -17.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHANNON HUMMEL | FOUNDER (NON-VOTING) | 40 | $63K |
| PETER FARRELL | GENERAL MANAGER (RESIGNED) | 40 | $21K |
| CHRISTOPHER HAMMETT | GENERAL MANAGER | 40 | $17K |
board members · 10
- CAROLYN HALL — BOARD MEMBER
- DENISE PURVIS — SECRETARY
- ELIZABETH BYRD — CO-CHAIRMAN
- EMMA SCOTT — TREASURER
- KATIE RYAN — BOARD MEMBER
- MELISSA JOHNSON-DALLETT — BOARD MEMBER
- NAHISHA MCCOY — CO-CHAIRMAN
- PAT BENNETT-WILHELM — BOARD MEMBER
- SCOTT PFAFFMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- SHYDA HOQUE — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 53
Who they work with
- Alleghany Highlands Arts & Crafts Center Partner — Co-presented a tribute event honoring Jada Callender with Cora Dance Alleghany.
- Alleghany Highlands Community Services Partner — Hosted Cora Dance Alleghany at the Annual Developmental Services Awareness Festival and invited them to lead a workshop.
- Aramark Funder — Provides corporate support
- BAM/Brooklyn Academy of Music Partner — Performance venue for multiple Cora Dance works including "Cluck" and "down here."
- BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange Partner — Hosts CYC dancers at the Teen Arts Conference, where they engage and study with other performing arts groups.
- BAX/Brooklyn Arts Exchange Partner — Performance venue for Cora Dance work "Prey."
- Bath County Arts Association Funder — Provides significant institutional support
- Bath County Arts Association Partner — Partner organization that enables Cora Dance's enrichment programming in Bath County elementary schools.
- Boys Home of VA Partner — Hosts Cora Dance's weekly enrichment classes in Covington, VA.
- Clifton Forge School of The Arts Partner — Collaborates with Cora Dance Alleghany on events including Fun Fridays and Kriskindlmarkt.
- Clifton Forge School of the Arts Partner — Collaborated with Cora Dance through shared leadership and programming in Clifton Forge, Virginia.
- Clifton Forge Women’s Club Funder — Provides corporate support
- Copper-Beech Foundation Funder — Provides significant institutional support
- Covington Moose Lodge Funder — Provides corporate support
- CruiseNYC Funder — Provides corporate support, managed by NYCEDC
- Emmanuel Baptist Church Funder — Provides significant institutional support
- Facebook Partner — Platform used to engage with the community and share updates.
- Fidelity Charitable Funder — Provides corporate support
- Goldman Sachs Funder — Provides corporate support
- Highlands Community Bank Funder — Provides corporate support
- Ingevity Funder — Provides corporate support
- Instagram Partner — Platform used to engage with the community and share updates.
- JPMorganChase Funder — Provides corporate support
- Jack Mason’s Tavern Partner — Hosted Cora Dance Alleghany for a fall fundraising event during Hometown Mondays.
- Jackson River Credit Union Funder — Provides corporate support
- Keely Massie Photography Partner — Collaborates on documentation of classes, rehearsals, and performances
- Kroger Funder — Provides corporate support
- Michael Tuch Foundation Funder — Provides significant institutional support
- NYCHA Partner — Partnership prioritizing enrollment for NYCHA residents in Brooklyn-based programs.
- National Endowment for the Arts Government — Supports the Crossroads Project as part of America250 programming
+ 23 more
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.
- Dance as a Tool for Social and Personal Developmentmethodology: dance-for-personal-and-community-developmentBy using dance to evoke complex human experiences and foster collaboration, we promote inclusion, empathy, and community development because embodied storytelling creates deeper connections than traditional education or outreach formats.
- Holistic Youth Development Through Dancemethodology: holistic youth development through danceBy combining dance training with mentorship and family engagement, we develop character, leadership, and empathy in youth because technical skill and personal growth are mutually reinforcing in a supportive, relational environment.
- Pay-What-You-Can Access Modelmethodology: pay-what-you-can access modelBy offering dance programs on a pay-what-you-can basis, we increase access to arts education for underserved populations because financial barriers are a primary constraint to participation.
- Site-Responsive Performance for Community Accessmethodology: site-responsive-performanceBy presenting dance in non-traditional spaces like parks, backyards, and public areas, we increase accessibility and audience engagement because removing performance from formal theaters lowers psychological and logistical barriers to participation.
- Urban-Rural Exchange Modelmethodology: urban-rural modelBy operating in both urban New York and rural Virginia and fostering creative exchange between the two, we expand access to dance and build cross-community understanding because bridging geographic and cultural divides enriches artistic expression and community cohesion.