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Dance Data Project

EIN 82-4819032 · Northbrook, IL

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceGood78 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE PROMOTE GENDER EQUITY IN THE DANCE INDUSTRY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO BALLET COMPANIES, BY PROVIDING A METRICS-BASED ANALYSIS. THROUGH OUR RESEARCH, PROGRAMMING, RESOURCES, AND ADVOCACY, DDP SHOWCASES AND UPLIFTS WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE DANCE INDUSTRY. WE FOCUS ON LEADERS, BOTH ARTISTIC & ADMINISTRATIVE, AND ARTISTS OF MERIT: CHOREOGRAPHERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, LIGHTING, COSTUME, SET DESIGNERS, COMMISSIONED COMPOSERS, FILM DIRECTORS/PRODUCERS, ETC.

Income
$245,526
Spending
$213,646
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
2.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 99%
Employees
0
Volunteers
12

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 50% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 2% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 13% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 19% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 78 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 11 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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)
  1. $154,762 spent. Dance Data Project provides metrics-based analysis to examine the gender distribution of artistic and administrative leadership in dance companies, venues, and organizations. Using publicly available information, DDP ranks national and international dance companies based on their annual financial reporting from the IRS and other sources. We encourage the dance community to be forthright in its policies and procedures to help advance our mission toward full gender equity. In 2025, DDP released 9 full research reports and 4 Data Bytes, bringing our total output to 67 studies since DDP's inception, a reflection of both sustained inquiry and new areas of exploration: * Season Overview 2023-2024 * DATA BYTE: Nutcracker and Holiday Productions (2023-2025) * 2025 Performing Arts Center Leadership & Programming Report * 2024 Global Festivals Report * Global Leadership Report 2025 * 2025 Global Resident Choreographers Report (DDP's 60th report) * Largest 150 U.S. Ballet and Classically Based Companies Report 2025 * The Largest Ballet & Classically Based Companies Leadership Report * The Largest U.S. Contemporary & Modern Dance Companies Report * DATA BYTE: Percussive Dance Companies (DDP's first exploration of this sector) * Number of Dancers by Company Report (DDP's first study of this kind) * Leadership Transitions Data Byte (6th annual) * Revenue Data Byte (Our inaugural study) Our Largest 150 U.S. Ballet and Classically Based Companies Report resonated widely, going viral on social media with 60,638 views and 2,816 interactions, demonstrating a growing appetite for transparent, data-driven insights across the dance field. DDP's online Leader Board, an index spotlighting women and gender-diverse leaders across dance, now features 2,000 individuals, including choreographers, artistic and executive directors, as well as artisans in front of and behind the curtain. This growing resource/archive continues to serve as a tool for visibility, hiring, and accountability. In 2025, DDP announced the significant expansion of the Leader Board to the world of music, both classical and commercial, to include opera and orchestral composers, music directors, and commercial productions, broadening visibility for the full ecosystem of artists and leaders whose work shapes these intersecting performing arts fields.
  2. The Dance Data Project team compiled a useful set of resources around equity in the ballet world, as well as articles, books, and a list of women active in the community. In 2025, DDP published four newsletters, two external and two internal. The external newsletters focused on mentorship pathways and educational institutions creating commissioned opportunities for female choreographers, while the internal newsletters highlighted DDP's incredible staff, board, and advisory council accomplishments. * Pointe by Pointe: Mentorship * In The Wings: Spring 2025 * Pointe by Pointe: Educational Institutions * In The Wings: Fall 2025
  3. a. Education, our upcoming series will be focus on teaching those in the field what they are required to do to stay compliant with tax laws. B.DDP TALKS TO IS AN ONGOING INTERVIEW SERIES ENGAGING NEW & EMERGING TALENTS AS WELL AS CURRENT LEADERS IN THE DANCE WORLD: CHOREOGRAPHERS, ART DIRECTORS, JOURNALISTS, DANCERS, SET/LIGHTING/COSTUME DESIGNERS, PATRONS, FESTIVAL/VENUE PROGRAMMERS, ETC. In 2025, DDP Talks To interview series, amplified the voices of artists and leaders across the field, including: * Lauren Flower, Company Artist, Oregon Ballet Theatre * Pemberley Ann Olson, Company Artist, San Francisco Ballet * Katlyn Addison, Principal Dancer, Ballet West * Maddie Brown, Company Artist, American Ballet Theatre * Phil Chan, Founder, Final Bow for Yellowface, Director and Choreographer * Bill Sheffield, Director of Production, Ballet Austin * Erin Fleming, Freelance Lighting Designer * Lauren Cramer, Attorney, McLaughlin & Stern * Shane Jewell, Executive Director, Oregon Ballet Theatre * Lauren Lovette, Resident Choreographer, Paul Taylor Dance Company * Jessica Tong, Rehearsal Director, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham * Avatara Ayuso, Founder & Director, AWA Dance
  4. DDP participated in three national conferences and summits, including: * National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) * RISE Summit * CORPS de Ballet International The organization also deepened partnerships through collaborations with: * Chroma Diverse (social media campaign) * AWA Dance (Women Who Move Us interview series) * RISE Theatre/Maestra * Harriet Tubman Effect * Women Count To ensure our research remains grounded in lived experience, DDP conducted five Listening Tours with: * Newport Contemporary Ballet * Jacob's Pillow * Charlotte Ballet * Kansas City Ballet * Atlanta Ballet DDP's research and advocacy were featured across major national and international outlets in 2025, including: NBC News (Dallas-Fort Worth), Dance Magazine, where Nancy Dobbs Owen ("Kicking Off Your Career as a Professor") and Liza ("The Future of Dance Funding") were cited in the September/October 2025 issue, Elle Magazine, Dallas Morning News, Broadway World, Oregon Arts Watch, Arts ATL, Observer, Slipped Disc, The Violin Channel, Limelight Arts, KERA News, and more. Our work was also highlighted through six podcasts and radio appearances, including: * Ballet Help Desk Podcast * Kansas City Art speak Radio * The Opportunist Podcast * Soul Lounge Primetime * Conversations on Dance * KUER Radio (Salt Lake City) In addition, DDP's research was cited in multiple books and academic dissertations, underscoring its growing influence within scholarship and pedagogy: * Invisible Barriers, Visible Change: Addressing Gender Bias in Ballet Training to Create Equitable Artistic Leadership Pathways by Anna Morgan Northbrook * Shakespearean Dance, Embodiment, and Gender at The National Ballet of Canada and The Royal Ballet by Kathryn Mary Prowse * Pandemic Motherhood: Exploring the COVID-19 Pandemic through Engaged and Applied Arts by Ali Duffy, Sarah Johnson, and Tamar Neumann * Research in Dance: Methods, Processes, and Practical Applications by Ali Duffy Lastly, across social platforms, DDP published over 175 highlights featuring the work of female choreographers and leaders, continuing our commitment to visibility and recognition of the women moving the field forward. In 2025, DDP's Instagram gained 1,643 new followers, pushing the account to 6,720 followers and nearing the 7,000 milestone. Bailey's Blog, DDP's weekly global roundup tracking female-led world premieres and leadership transitions across the dance field, reported on 307 female-led world premieres and 145 leadership transitions in 2025 and expanded to Substack this year, increasing its reach and accessibility.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.