Dance Notation Bureau Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PRESERVE DANCE AND PROMOTE DANCE LITERACY BY USE OF THE LABANOTATION SYMBOL SYSTEM TO RECORD CHOREOGRAPHED THEATRICAL DANCES TO ENSURE ACCURATE STAGINGS, FAITHFUL TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER'S INTENTION AND ARTISTIC VISION, FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF CURRENT AND FUTURE AUDIENCES EVERYWHERE.
- Income
- $120,694
- Spending
- $237,188
- Spent on programs
- 83%
- Reserves
- 28.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 16
- Highest pay
- $32,966, executive director - vice president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 28.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 97% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 68% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1583% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $83,985 spent. LIBRARY/ARCHIVAL SERVICES: THE HEART OF THE DNB'S OPERATION IS ITS COLLECTION OF 873 LABANOTATION SCORES OF DANCES THAT HAVE BEEN CHOREOGRAPHED BY 302 ARTISTS. THIS CORE COLLECTION IS SUPPLEMENTED BY RELATED ITEMS THAT SUPPORT THE STAGING OF THE DANCES, INCLUDING PHOTOS, VIDEOS, MUSIC SCORES AND RECORDINGS, PROGRAMS, COSTUME SKETCHES, AND LIGHTING AND SCENERY DESIGNS - A COLLECTION THAT MAKES THE DNB A UNIQUE ARCHIVE IN THE WORLD OF DANCE. THE DNB'S ARCHIVE IS IN A STORAGE FACILITY IN LONG ISLAND CITY, QUEENS, NY. PATRONS WISHING TO EXAMINE SCORES AND RELATED MATERIAL MAY CONTINUE TO DO SO BY CONTACTING THE DNB LIBRARIAN AND REQUESTING THE MATERIAL BE SENT SECURELY AS PDFS VIA DROPBOX OR GOOGLE DRIVE, OR BY REGULAR MAIL TO THEIR HOME OR INSTITUTIONAL ADDRESS. SELECTED SCORES ARE AVAILABLE FOR USE IN STAGING DANCES FOR PUBLIC PERFORMANCE THROUGH RENTAL AND CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS WITH THE DNB. SCORE RENTALS ARE A PRIMARY SOURCE OF REVENUE GENERATED BY THE DNB'S ARCHIVE. SCORE RENTAL FEES ARE MODEST TO MAKE THE SCORES MORE AVAILABLE TO THOSE WITH LIMITED BUDGETS. THE DNB'S ONLINE NOTATED THEATRICAL DANCES CATALOG, ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE WITH AN INTERNET CONNECTION, ALLOWS PATRONS TO BROWSE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH SCORE IN THE COLLECTION. MANY OF THE SCORES IN THE DNB ARCHIVE HAVE KEPT DANCES FROM DISAPPEARING OVER THE YEARS, INCLUDING WORKS BY MERCE CUNNINGHAM AND GEORGE BALANCHINE. THE DNB ADDS NEW SCORES TO ITS COLLECTION AND TO THE ONLINE CATALOG EACH YEAR, THE PRODUCT OF OUR EFFORTS TO NOTATE IMPORTANT OLD AND NEW MODERN DANCE WORKS, BALLETS AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS, INCLUDING HIP HOP. DURING FY 2025, DORIS HUMPHREY'S "EF I HAD A RIBBON BOW AND ADDITIONAL SECTIONS FROM THE PROJECT TO NOTATE KENNETH MACMILLAN'S EVENING-LENGTH BALLET, "ROMEO AND JULIET" WERE ADDED TO THE ARCHIVE. THE DNB PUBLISHES A NEWSLETTER, "LIBRARY NEWS" UP TO FOUR TIMES EACH YEAR, FEATURING ARTICLES BY LABANOTATORS AND DANCE EDUCATORS ON NOTATION TOPICS, INCLUDING THE SCORES IN THE DNB'S COLLECTION. THE NEWSLETTER IS DISTRIBUTED ONLINE TO OVER 2,000 INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS WORLDWIDE. DURING FISCAL 2025, THE DNB ALSO IMPLEMENTED A COMPLETELY NEW WEBSITE (DANCENOTATION.ORG) CONFORMING TO THE LATEST WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT AND USER PRIVACY STANDARDS. AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, THE DNB'S ONLINE NOTATED THEATRICAL SCORE CATALOG APPLICATION WAS ALSO RE-WRITTEN AND SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED WITH THE NEW WEBSITE.
- $65,287 spent. LABANOTATION: THE DNB PRESERVES DANCE LEGACIES AND PROMOTES DANCE LITERACY THROUGH THE TEACHING AND USE OF LABANOTATION TO RECORD AND STAGE CHOREOGRAPHED THEATRICAL DANCES. OUR PRINCIPAL MISSION IS TO ENSURE THAT THEATRICAL DANCES WILL CONTINUE TO BE PERFORMED IN VERSIONS TRUE TO THE CHOREOGRAPHER'S ARTISTIC VISION. TO FULLY CAPTURE THE DETAILS OF THE ARTIST'S INTENTIONS, THE DNB USES LABANOTATION, A SYMBOL SYSTEM FOR RECORDING HUMAN MOVEMENT, TO DOCUMENT DANCES ON BOTH PAPER AND DIGITAL MEDIA. INTRODUCED IN 1928, LABANOTATION IS CONSIDERED THE MOST EFFECTIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM TO OBJECTIVELY ANALYZE AND DESCRIBE HUMAN MOVEMENT IN SPACE AND TIME. THE DNB TYPICALLY RECEIVES FUNDING FROM GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, AND INDIVIDUALS TO RECORD THEATRICAL DANCES USING THE LABANOTATION SYSTEM. THE DNB IS ALSO HIRED BY CHOREOGRAPHERS TO COMPLETE A LABANOTATION SCORE OF A DANCE WORK, OR OF SELECTED DANCE MOVEMENTS FROM A WORK. ON OCCASION, NOTATORS WILL COMPLETE SCORES FOR THE DNB ON A VOLUNTEER NO FEE BASIS. THE FOLLOWING LABANOTATION PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED OR IN PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025:"ROMEO AND JULIET" (KENNETH MACMILLAN, CHOREOGRAPHER, 1965). THE DNB HAS RECEIVED A GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION FROM AN INDIVIDUAL TO NOTATE THIS EVENING-LENGTH WORK. DURING FY2025 THE FOLLOWING SECTIONS OF THE BALLET WERE RECORDED IN LABANOTATION:ACT 1, SCENE 4, MADRIGALACT 1, SCENE 4, GAVOTTE ACT 1, SCENE 6, JULIET'S BALCONY - ROMEO'S VARIATIONACT 1, SCENE 6, JULIET'S BALCONYACT 1, SCENE 4, TYBALT RECOGNIZES ROMEO ACT 1, SCENE 3, ARRIVAL AT THE CAPULETS ACT 1, SCENE 5, LEAVING CAPULETS ACT 2, SCENE 1, YOUNG JULIET ACT 2, SCENE 1, ROMEO AND MERCUTIO ACT 2, SCENE 1, FIVE COUPLES ACT 2, SCENE 1, NURSE ACT 2, SCENE 1, NURSE WITH ROMEO ACT 2, SCENE 1, FOLK DANCE ACT 2, SCENE 2, THE CHAPEL FKA/TWIGS, "EUSEXUA:" FKA/TWIGS HIRED THE DNB TO RECORD IN LABANOTATION A PERFORMANCE PIECETHAT SHE CREATED FOR AN EXHIBITION AT SOTHEBY'S LONDON. A SCORE WAS COMPLETED AND DELIVERED THE SCORE TO FKA/TWIGS AND AND CATALOGUED THE SCORE IN THE DNB'S ARCHIVE.DORIS HUMPHREY, "EF I HAD A RIBBON BOW": A LABANOTATION SCORE WAS COMPLETED IN NOVEMBER 2024 BASED ON ARCHIVAL VIDEO, REHEARSAL NOTES, AND OTHER MATERIALS USED FOR A STAGING THAT TOOK PLACE AT ADELPHI COLLEGE 40 YEARS AGO. "LAS DESENAMORADAS" (ELEO POMARE, CHOREOGRAPHER, 1967). A LABANOTATION SCORE OF THE DANCE WILL BE COMPLETED AS FUNDING IS RECEIVED. COMPLETION IS TBD."THE TABLE OF SILENCE" (JACQULYN BUGLISI, CHOREOGRAPHER, 2011). PROJECT IS PARTIALLY COMPLETE. THE LABANOTATION SCORE WILL BE COMPETED AS FUNDING IS SECURED. COMPLETION IS TBD."WIND VON WEST" (PINA BAUSCH, CHOREOGRAPHER, 1975). THE MOVEMENT CAPTURE PHASE OF THIS PROJECT WAS COMPLETED. A LABANOTATION SCORE WILL BE COMPLETED AS FUNDING IS SECURED. COMPLETION IS TBD.
- $34,188 spent. EDUCATION: THE DNB OFFERS CORRESPONDENCE COURSES IN BOTH ELEMENTARY AND INTERMEDIATE LABANOTATION, AND ONLINE COURSES IN MOVEMENT OBSERVATION AND MOTIF NOTATION. INTENSIVE ONE TO TWO-WEEK WORKSHOPS IN ELEMENTARY LABANOTATION, INTERMEDIATE LABANOTATION, AND MOTIF NOTATION HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED IN CHINESE AND HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED BOTH IN CHINA AND VIA ZOOM BY A DNB STAFF MEMBER WHO IS FLUENT IN MANDARIN. WE HAVE ALSO OFFERED IN THE US AND IN CHINA A ONE-WEEK INTENSIVE TEACHER CERTIFICATION COURSE (TCC) IN ELEMENTARY LABANOTATION. AS THERE IS SUFFICIENT DEMAND AND ENROLLMENT, INTENSIVE WORKSHOPS IN ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE, AND ADVANCED LABANOTATION ARE NOW OFFERED VIA ZOOM BASED INSTRUCTION. DURING FY 2025 THE DNB CONDUCTED TWO PARTS OF A THREE-PART ADVANCED LABANOTATION COURSE THAT WAS ATTENDED BY 8 STUDENTS. ALL LABANOTATION AND MOTIF WORKSHOPS ARE COMPARABLE TO A 3-CREDIT COLLEGE OFFERING IN THE SUBJECT. STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING THE US, EUROPE, CHINA, LATIN AMERICA, AND THAILAND HAVE ENROLLED IN THE DNB'S ZOOM-BASED, ELEMENTARY, INTERMEDIATE AND ADVANCED LABANOTATION COURSES. THE DNB CONDUCTED VIA ZOOM AND IN PERSON THE FOLLOWING COURSE OFFERINGS DURING THE FISCAL 2025 YEAR. STUDENTS CONTINUE TO ENROLL IN THE DNB'S CORRESPONDENCE COURSES IN ELEMENTARY AND INTERMEDIATE LABANOTATION. DURING FY 2025, XXX STUDENTS PASSED THE DNB'S ELEMENTARY LABANOTATION EXAMINATION AND EARNED CERTIFICATES. HIGHLIGHTS: DIANA BYER, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE STAGING OF FANDANGO AT THE HARTT SCHOOL IN SPRING 2025, FACILITATED A TWO-HOUR INTRODUCTORY LABANOTATION READING FROM SCORE WORKSHOP FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WAS TAUGHT BY MEI-CHEN LU. APPROXIMATELY 30-40 STUDENTS AND FIVE FACULTY MEMBERS AT HARTT ATTENDED THE WORKSHOP. THE DNB, IN COLLABORATION WITH LABANOTATION STUDENTS IN CHINA COMPLETED THE TRANSLATION FROM ENGLISH OF A CHINESE EDITION OF THE ELEMENTARY LABANOTATION STUDY GUIDE, A DNB COPYRIGHTED BOOK. THE TEXT WAS PUBLISHED IN CHINA IN 2025.TEN STUDENTS HAVE PASSED THE ELEM LN EXAM. THREE OF THE STUDENTS WHO PASSED THE EXAM ARE FROM KENYON COLLEGE, THREE ARE FROM OSU AND ONE FROM DNB / ESPACIO LABAN IN MEXICO. ONE STUDENT PASSED THE INTERMEDIATE LABANOTATION EXAM, AND ONE STUDENT PASSED THE ADVANCED LABANOTATION EXAM. TEACHER CERTIFICATION COURSE: PREPARATION AND ENROLLMENT COMPLETED FOR A TCC TO BE HELD IN JULY 2025 IN COLUMBUS, OHIO ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE BIENNIAL ICKL CONFERENCE. EIGHT STUDENTS HAVE ENROLLED. THE DNB JOINED THE WORLD DANCE EDUCATIONAL ALLIANCE WITH THE BEIJING DANCE ACADEMY. NEARLY 40 DANCE EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BECOME MEMBERS OF THIS ALLIANCE. SUMMER 2024 MEXICO ELEMENTARY LABANOTATION WORKSHOP TAUGHT BY THE DNB, IN COLLABORATION MIRIAM HUBERMAN OF ESPACIO LABAN, TOOK PLACE FROM JULY 15TH TO AUGUST 16TH, 2024 VIA ZOOM. ADVANCED LABANOTATION COURSE (SESSION 1 OF 3) RAN FROM JULY 1ST TO 26, 2024 VIA ZOOM. STUDENTS FROM THE US, CHINA, EUROPE, MEXICO AND THAILAND COMPLETED THE COURSE. I. ADVANCED LABANOTATION COURSE (SESSION 2 OF 3), VIA ZOOM, RAN FROM JANUARY 11, 2025, TO MARCH 2, 2025, ON SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS TO ACCOMMODATE STUDENT SCHEDULES. THE SAME STUDENTS AS SESSION 1 ENROLLED.
- $13,866 spent. STAGINGS LICENSED BY THE DNB: THE DNB LICENSES LABANOTATION SCORES IN ITS ARCHIVE FOR PERFORMANCE (STAGINGS) BY PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANIES AND COLLEGE / UNIVERSITY DANCE DEPARTMENTS. THE LICENSING TERMS ARE GOVERNED BY AGREEMENTS IN PLACE BETWEEN THE CHOREOGRAPHER / HEIR / RIGHTSHOLDER AND THE DNB. LICENSES ARE TYPICALLY ONE YEAR IN DURATION. THE DNB COLLECTS AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FOR THIS SERVICE. IT ALSO COLLECTS AND DISTRIBUTES LICENSE AND ROYALTY FEES ON BEHALF OF THE RIGHTSHOLDER. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE FOLLOWING STAGING CONTRACTS WERE EXECUTED FOR PERFORMANCES:HELEN TAMIRIS, "NEGRO SPIRITUALS": REPERTORY DANCE THEATRE (SLC) HAS RENEWED THEIR STAGING CONTRACT FOR SPIRITUALS FOR ANOTHER YEAR. DORIS HUMPHREY, "SOARING": CAROL MAXWELL REZABEK STAGED THE WORK IN CEDAR RAPIDS, IA, AND AT SEVERAL OTHER VENUES IN IA AND OTHER TOWNS / CITIES IN THE MIDWEST. DORIS HUMPHREY, "WATER STUDY", THEATER MNSTER / TANZ MNSTER (CHRISTIAN MAIER, COMPANY MANAGER, TANZ MNSTER) STAGED THE DANCE FOR PERFORMANCET PERFORMANCES IN MNSTER, AND ELSEWHERE IN GERMANY, BEGINNING ON MAY 3, 2025. DORIS HUMPHREY, "WATER STUDY", HAMILTON COLLEGE IN NEW YORK STATE STAGED THE WORK IN APRIL 2025.DORIS HUMPHREY, "TWO ECSTATIC THEMES": THE LIMON COMPANY STAGED THE DANCE FOR 18 PERFORMANCES THAT BEGAN DURING FISCAL 2025.ANTONY TUDOR, "LITTLE IMPROVISATIONS:" AMERICAN REPERTORY BALLET (ARB, JULIA HENCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR) IN PRINCETON, NJ STAGED THE BALLET FOR PERFORMANCES BEGINNING ON OCTOBER 18, 2024. ARB SIGNED A THREE-YEAR LICENSING AGREEMENT. ANTONY TUDOR, "FANDANGO:" THE HARTT SCHOOL (STEPHEN PIER, UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD) STAGED THE BALLET FOR PERFORMANCES BEGINNING APRIL 10, 2025.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1954.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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