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Dancers Unlimited
New York, NY · EIN 851497399 · Form 990EZ · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · dunyc-hi.com
revenue
$182K
expenses
$205K
net assets
$14K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

DANCERS UNLIMITED IS A BICOASTAL 501(c)3 Nonprofit COMPANY BASED IN NYC & HAWAII. WE CREATE AUTHENTIC MOVEMEANT NARRATIVES FOR COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT THROUGH CREATIVE COLLABORATION, Community engagement, and social justice initiatives.

profile · synthesized from sources

Dancers Unlimited is a bi-coastal 501(c)3 nonprofit based in New York City and Hawai'i. The organization creates original dance performances and community programs that center cultural identity, social justice, and healing through authentic movement. It engages communities through public classes, immersive experiences, and collaborative art projects rooted in diverse dance traditions.

named programs · 8 · from sources

What they call their work

Community Rehearsals
Open rehearsal spaces that invite community participation in the creative process, strengthening ties between artists and local residents.
Dance Films
Series of filmed dance works that expand access to performances and explore movement through digital media.
Edible Tales
Performance and community event series that combines dance with food-centered storytelling, fostering cultural exchange and community engagement.
MoveMEANT
Community program encouraging authentic movement expression to facilitate dialogues, build community, and celebrate bodily diversity through public dance sessions.
MoveMeant Destination
Immersive 10-day, place-based experience on Kaua'i integrating movement, storytelling, and land-based Hawaiian practices for healing and cultural connection.
The Rest Project
Artistic initiative focused on rest, healing, and resilience through movement and performance.
cypher: homecoming
Dance event centered on street and club dance forms as communal expression, identity, and reconnection.
ka pĀ HUla o la’akea
Traditional hula school and cultural practice dedicated to healing, cultural preservation, and transmission of ancestral Hawaiian knowledge.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Original Dance Performance Production 2 activities
    • Producing and presenting dance performances and dance films
      Creates and stages original dance performances and dance films that integrate contemporary, street, and cultural dance forms with authentic storytelling, including works such as "Edible Tales," "i’mmigration," "Essence of Hawai’i," "The Rest Project," "Cypher: Homecoming," and film-based repertoire.
    • Providing rehearsal and creative development space
      Offers open rehearsal space and creative support for local dancers and choreographers to develop new work in a collaborative environment.
  • Traditional & Cultural Performing Arts 1 activity
    • Facilitating movement-based community dialogues and cultural programs
      Runs the MoveMeant program to foster community dialogues through authentic movement and bodily expression, and offers a cultural program dedicated to preserving and sharing Native Hawaiian traditions through hula, language, and practice.
  • Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
    • Hosting community art residencies and events
      Hosts a creative community art residency on Governors Island featuring artist workshops and performances, and organizes community events that combine storytelling, food, and dance to create immersive cultural experiences.
  • Ballet and Dance Education Programs 1 activity
    • Offering public dance classes and workshops
      Provides ongoing public dance classes, community-based workshops, and immersive experiences focused on self-expression, emotional release, and cultural connection through movement, including free classes during public school closures in Hawai`i (Furlough Fridays) and a 10-day place-based program integrating movement, storytelling, and land-based practices.
  • Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
    • Providing corporate sponsorship benefits
      Offers corporate sponsors customized benefits including free digital memberships, exclusive events and classes, and team-building programs led by dancers.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Selling branded merchandise at performances
      Offers for sale T-shirts, tote bags, and stickers featuring artwork by Matthew James during La MaMa show performances.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$182K
Contributions & grants$172K94%
Program service revenue$11K6%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$205K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$84K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$14K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$14K
3 years on record · 2022–2024 · YoY revenue -7.8%
relationships · 13

Who they work with

  • 92nd Y’s Dance Education Laboratory Network — Alumnus of 92nd Y’s Dance Education Laboratory.
  • Bklynite Media, Inc Partner — Public relations partner for Dancers Unlimited on the East Coast
  • Colonels Row 405B Partner — Hosts Dancers Unlimited's residency space on Governors Island.
  • Governors Island Artists in Residence Partner — Features Matthew James, an artist from the Governors Island Artists in Residence program, in merchandise design.
  • Ka Pā Hula O Laʻakea Partner — Traditional hula school led by ʻAuliʻi Aweau, dedicated to healing and cultural preservation through hula.
  • LMCC Partner — Collaborates on community rehearsals, as indicated by LMCC-branded event imagery.
  • La MaMa Partner — Collaborates with La MaMa to sell merchandise at performances.
  • Laʻakea Healing LLC Partner — Organization founded by ʻAuliʻi Aweau that shares aligned mission in cultural healing and leadership development.
  • MoveMeant Partner — Program launched by Dancers Unlimited to encourage authentic movement and community dialogue.
  • NYC & HAWAI`I Government — Bi-coastal presence indicating operational bases in New York City and Hawai`i.
  • New York University Network — Alumni of Urban Bush Women’s Leadership Institute at New York University.
  • Urban Bush Women Partner — Member of BOLD (Builders, Organizers and Leaders through Dance) by Urban Bush Women.
  • XStatic Dance Studio Partner — Co-Founder Emily Hackworth is owner and director at XStatic Dance Studio in Hawai’i.
strategies · 2

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 Resistance through Performative Storytelling
    methodology: performative_storytelling
    By using dance performances, films, and authentic movement narratives to explore social themes like migration, identity, and rest, Dancers Unlimited advances social justice because embodied storytelling makes systemic issues visible and fosters community dialogue and emotional engagement that catalyze resistance and change.
  • Culturally-Rooted Movement for Healing and Resilience
    methodology: culturally_grounded_healing
    By integrating traditional dance, indigenous knowledge, and land-based practices into creative collaboration, Dancers Unlimited fosters individual and community healing, cultural continuity, and resilience because these practices affirm identity and restore relationality to self, community, and land.