named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
An Untitled Love
Work choreographed to D’Angelo’s music, celebrating Black love and unity across generations, dedicated to family, culture, and community.
Cassette Vol. 1
Evening-length dance work that honors 1980s and 1990s pop, New Wave, and hip-hop influences through a fusion of ballet and released-based movement vocabularies.
If We Were a Love Song
Series of poetic vignettes set to Nina Simone’s music, exploring community, love, and self through solos and duets.
Pavement
Dance work set in Pittsburgh’s historically Black neighborhoods, Homewood and Hill District, investigating the state of Black America and its history of discrimination and cultural resilience.
Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth
Reimagining of Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor through collaboration with electronic composer Jlin, exploring themes of afterlife, reincarnation, and ritual.
Uproot: love and legacy
Choreographic work by Maleek Washington exploring themes of love, ancestry, and lineage within the Black community and African diaspora.
White Space
Evening-length dance work with original score by Jason Moran and Nico Muhly, exploring themes of reality and idealism through Abraham's signature blend of classical and contemporary dance.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
-
Original Dance Performance Production 2 activities
- Creation and production of original dance worksCreates and produces original dance performances that explore themes of Black culture, identity, love, ancestry, and personal history, often fusing classical and contemporary techniques with hip-hop and released-based movement. Works range from intimate pieces to large-scale productions and are set to diverse musical sources including Nina Simone, D'Angelo, and electronic adaptations of classical compositions.
- Presentation of premiere dance performancesStages and presents premiere performances of original choreographic works at regional, national, and international venues, including the Vail Dance Festival, The Joyce Theater, Harlem Stage, and venues in Germany. Productions typically feature ensembles of 6 to 11 dancers and range in duration from 21 to 60 minutes.
-
-
Dance Performance and Community Engagement 1 activity
- Community engagement through workshops and discussionsProduces community programs including workshops, technique classes, school performances, and dialogues that explore personal identity and cultural themes in connection with dance. These activities are led by company members and are designed to extend the artistic mission into educational and public forums.
-
financials · form 990EZ · fy2022
revenue
Total revenue$0
Contributions & grants——
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses—
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead3%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$0
Cash$1.35M
Investments$0
Liabilities$183K
Net assets$0
3 years on record · 2020–2022 · YoY revenue -100.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2022
Who runs it
board members · 9
- Adrienne Edwards — Board member
- Bebe Neuwirth — Board member
- Carrie Schneider — Board member
- Cheryl Bergenfeld — Board member
- Gilda Squire — Board member
- Julia Strickland — Board member
- Stephen Simcock — Board Chair
- Suzanne Hall — Board member
- Sydnie Liggett-Dennis — Executive Director
relationships · 32
Who they work with
- American Dance Festival Partner — Presented the premiere of "If We Were a Love Song" in collaboration with the organization.
- Dan Scully Partner — Longtime lighting collaborator for Kyle Abraham.
- Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago Partner — Presented the premiere of An Untitled Love at its venue.
- Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Funder — Provided support for the co-commission of "White Space".
- Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Funder — Supporter of the co-commission of White Space.
- Danielle LeBron Partner — Serves as Senior Development Lead and point of contact for donations by wire or phone.
- Ed Bradley Family Foundation Funder — Supporter of the co-commission of White Space.
- Glenn Ligon Partner — Visual artist collaborating with Kyle Abraham on scenic design for White Space.
- Harlem Stage Partner — Presented the premiere of the dance work "Pavement."
- Harriet Jung Partner — Costume designer for White Space.
- Jacob's Pillow Partner — Co-commissioned the work "White Space" and hosted a Pillow Lab residency for its creation.
- Jacob's Pillow Partner — Co-commissioner and host of a residency for the creation of White Space.
- Jason Moran Partner — Composer of original music for White Space.
- Jlin Partner — Collaborated with Kyle Abraham to create a reimagined score for the performance 'Requiem: Fire in the Air of the Earth'.
- Kyle Abraham Government — Artistic Director of A.I.M by Kyle Abraham
- LAC Lugano Arte et Cultura Partner — Co-commissioned the work "White Space".
- LAC Lugano Arte et Cultura Partner — Co-commissioner and premiere venue for White Space.
- New Music USA Funder — Provider of support for the creation of the White Space score through its Organization Fund.
- New Music USA Funder — Supported the creation of the "White Space" score through its Organization Fund.
- Nico Muhly Partner — Composer of original music for White Space.
- O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation Funder — Provided additional commissioning funds for "White Space".
- O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation Funder — Provider of additional commissioning funds for the White Space score.
- PEAK Performances, Montclair State University Partner — Co-commissioned the work "White Space".
- PEAK Performances, Montclair State University Partner — Co-commissioner of White Space.
- Quick Center for the Arts Partner — Presenting venue for the premiere of the dance performance "Someday Soon."
- Reid Bartelme Partner — Costume designer for White Space.
- The Carpenter Performing Arts Center at California State University, Long Beach Partner — Co-commissioned the work "In the act of undoing".
- The Joyce Theater Partner — Presented the premiere of "Uproot: love and legacy"
- The Performing Arts Center at Purchase College Partner — Hosted the premiere performance of "Shell of a Shell of the Shell".
- Vivienne Jones Endowment Fund at Jacob's Pillow Funder — Funder of the Pillow Lab residency during which White Space was developed.
+ 2 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.
- Artist Support and Retention 305 orgsmethodology: artist_support_and_retentionBy providing living wages, health insurance, and career development, the organization sustains artistic excellence because stable, supported artists produce deeper, more consistent creative work.shared approach: Art-Integrated Community Engagement →
- Collaborative Artistic Development 305 orgsmethodology: collaborative_artistic_developmentBy engaging in robust dialogue with diverse perspectives, the organization enriches its artistic process because inclusive input generates more nuanced and layered performances.shared approach: Art-Integrated Community Engagement →
- Community-Integrated Art Practice 305 orgsmethodology: community-integrated_art_practiceBy embedding community engagement across artistic, educational, and administrative functions, the organization fosters dialogue around identity and belonging because sustained participation deepens relevance and resonance of the work.shared approach: Art-Integrated Community Engagement →
- Black-Culture-Centered Dance Creation 41 orgsmethodology: Black-culture-centered_dance_creationBy grounding dance in Black culture and history, the organization creates artistically resonant work that affirms identity and challenges monolithic narratives because cultural specificity enables authentic representation and deeper audience connection.shared approach: Culture-Rooted Embodied Practice →