named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
The BalletCollective Process
Signature interdisciplinary collaboration method guiding choreographers, composers, and source artists through a structured creative dialogue centered on a curatorial social concept to produce original ballet works.
The Commission for Developing Choreographers
Annual open application program that selects choreographers at all career stages to participate in BalletCollective’s collaborative commissioning process.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Original Dance Performance Production 3 activities
- Create and perform original ballet works through interdisciplinary collaborationProduces and presents original, commissioned ballets using a collaborative, project-based model that integrates choreographers, composers, visual artists, designers, and poets as equal partners. To date, the organization has created over 25 acclaimed works, including full-length and evening-length productions, performed at major cultural institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Joyce Theater, Guggenheim Works & Process, and Vail Dance Festival.
- Develop real-time and experimental choreographic formatsHosts live, on-stage creation events where new ballets are choreographed in real time with audience input, such as music selection, followed by Q&A sessions with artists. These performances highlight improvisational and experimental approaches to ballet development.
- Support emerging choreographers through commissioning programsRuns an open-call commissioning initiative, the Commission for Developing Choreographers, to identify and support new talent. This program has resulted in the production of new works, such as Houston Thomas’s 2024 ballet "InterBlack Exit," and provides a platform for choreographic development within a collaborative artistic framework.
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Dance Performance and Community Engagement 1 activity
- Engage communities through educational and participatory programmingOffers free community events, movement classes, choreography demonstrations, and interactive stations in movement, music, and visual art to showcase its creative process. Also provides open-level ballet classes and repertoire workshops for adult dancers during its summer residency and other public programs.
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Annual Ballet Performances with Community Engagement 1 activity
- Present world premiere ballets in seasonal and special performancesStages annual and special-event performances featuring world premiere ballets, including a fall season titled "Opposites Attract" at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and an annual gala showcasing three new works. The organization produced the first live Nutcracker performance in the U.S. in 2020 during widespread performance cancellations.
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Documentary Film Production 1 activity
- Produce dance-related film and documentary contentCreated a holiday documentary film that chronicles the development of a live Nutcracker performance during the pandemic, combining performance footage with behind-the-scenes narrative and historical context to document artistic resilience and process.
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Experimental Circus and Immersive Theater Production 1 activity
- Produce immersive and site-specific performancesCreates innovative, immersive concert experiences that integrate dance, music, and audience interaction across non-traditional staging environments. Examples include a 75-minute immersive production with 25 performers and the revival of "Translation," a site-specific ballet originally premiered in 2017 and scheduled for revival in 2026.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$589K
Contributions & grants$412K70%
Program service revenue$106K18%
Investment income$69K12%
Other revenue$2K
expenses
Total expenses$628K
Program expenses77%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$140K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$1.55M
Cash$126K
Investments$1.39M
Liabilities$8K
Net assets$1.54M
Liquid reserves29.0 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -33.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TROY SCHUMACHER | ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 30 | $75K |
| CARA LONERGAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $60K |
board members · 9
- ASHLEY LARACEY — DIRECTOR
- CAROLE POSTAL — DIRECTOR
- CLAIRE MANN — DIRECTOR
- ELISSA KRAMER — DIRECTOR
- ERIC LEE — DIRECTOR
- KARIN KINGSLEY — CHAIR
- SARA JANE MERCER — DIRECTOR
- SHANNON CASPERSEN — DIRECTOR
- STEPHEN REIDY — PRESIDENT
relationships · 36
Who they work with
- Amanda Seyfried Partner — Collaborated as executive producer on the documentary The Nutcracker at Wethersfield.
- Cathedral of Saint John the Divine Partner — Venue partner hosting BalletCollective's fall season performances.
- Cathedral of St. John the Divine Partner — Presented original works at the institution
- Commission for Developing Choreographers Partner — Open-call initiative used to select choreographers for BalletCollective projects
- David Salle Partner — Visual artist whose painting inspired the ballet "All That We See".
- Elena Velez Partner — Designed costumes for The Woods, contributing to a mythic dreamscape aesthetic.
- Ellis Ludwig-Leone Partner — Composed music and lyrics for "The Night Falls" and contributed music for "All That We See".
- Fire Island Dance Festival Partner — Presenting partner for BalletCollective's works
- Guggenheim Bilbao Partner — Presenting partner for BalletCollective's works
- Guggenheim Works & Process Partner — Presenting partner for BalletCollective's works
- Houston Thomas Partner — Choreographer of "InterBlack Exit" and recipient of BalletCollective’s 2024 Commission for Developing Choreographers.
- Jason Ardizzone-West Partner — Collaborated on set design for The Woods, inspired by an original sculpture created by Ardizzone-West.
- Jordan Bennett Partner — Visual artist who created a commissioned painting inspiring "The Past Delivers", and collaborated on costume design.
- Joyce Theater Partner — Presenting partner for BalletCollective's works
- Julianna Barwick Partner — Collaborated as composer on the ballet "Translation" with music performed live.
- Julianna Barwick Partner — Collaborated as composer on the creation of Translation
- Karen Russell Partner — Collaborated as writer of book and lyrics for the dance-driven music theater work "The Night Falls".
- Ken Liu Partner — Collaborated as a source artist on the creation of Translation
- Mario Gooden Partner — Provided original multimedia work and costume design for "InterBlack Exit", grounding the concept in architecture as a space for liberation.
- Metropolitan Museum of Art Partner — Presented original works at the institution
- Metropolitan Museum of Art Partner — Presenting partner for BalletCollective's works
- Millbrook Community Partnership Partner — Co-hosts a free community event introducing the BalletCollective creative process at Bennett Park.
- NYU Skirball Center Partner — Presenting partner for BalletCollective's works
- New York City Ballet Partner — Collaborates with dancers and creative staff from New York City Ballet on productions.
- PEAK Performances Partner — Presenting partner for BalletCollective's works
- Pasculano Collaborative for Contemporary Dance at Lincoln Center Partner — Collaborates with BalletCollective to host insider conversations for choreographers.
- Pioneer Works Partner — Presented original works at the institution
- Samantha Leigh Partner — Created a custom tabletop role-playing game that inspired the ballet "The World We Left Behind".
- Savannah Music Festival Partner — Presenting partner for BalletCollective's works
- Sergio Mora-Diaz Partner — Collaborated as installation artist on the creation of Translation
+ 6 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.
- Immersive Multisensory Experience Creationmethodology: immersive_multisensory_performanceBy integrating live music, projection, scent, translucent staging, and spatialized sound, the organization creates ethereal, emotionally resonant performances because sensory immersion deepens audience connection and expands the expressive capacity of ballet.
- Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Artistic Innovationmethodology: interdisciplinary_collaborationBy bringing together choreographers, composers, visual artists, poets, and other non-dance artists as equal creative partners, the organization produces innovative ballet works because the mutual influence across disciplines fosters originality, depth, and contemporary relevance in the artistic output.
- Process-Driven Creative Developmentmethodology: process-driven_interdisciplinary_collaborationBy emphasizing sustained collaboration, time, and creative inquiry over transactional production, the organization deepens artistic innovation because this process allows for emergent ideas, risk-taking, and richer integration across disciplines.
- Site-Adaptive Performance Designmethodology: site-adaptive_performanceBy transforming historic and non-traditional venues into performance spaces, the organization recontextualizes classical ballet because the architecture shapes new interpretations, enhancing audience engagement through spatial and historical resonance.
- Thematic Exploration of Liberation in Artmethodology: thematic_exploration_of_liberationBy grounding ballet works in themes of personal and artistic freedom—interweaving dance and architecture—the organization generates deeper narrative resonance because liberation becomes both a conceptual and embodied experience in performance.