CityDance, Inc. Atlanta
Since 2005, our organization has offered training, workshops, financial assistance, and educational support to children and teens. We foster relationships between young people, their families, professional teaching artists, and our audiences to educate and inspire the metro-Atlanta community through dance and music.
History
CityDance, Inc. has a long-standing relationship with the Atlanta arts community. Over the last decade, the organization has conducted a series of dance workshops and performances for the Fulton County School Arts Program. In 2005 and 2007, CityDance, Inc. presented MOVING FORWARD, a dance festival for Gulf Coast Relief, that according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution “unit[ed] the ATL’s most respected dance companies on the same stage for the first time”. The dance festival brought together 9 of the city’s distinguished dance companies and was acknowledged by the Creative Loafing Newspaper as Best of Atlanta 2006.
Through the years, our community dance company has been featured at the Partnership Walk Kick-off in Centennial Park, Sandy Springs Festival, Dogwood Festival, The Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at Turner Field hosted by the Hosea Williams Foundation, Alliance Theatre, The Ferst Center, Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State.
In the past, this program was honored to receive support from the Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) and the Fulton County Arts Council.
Our Mission
Founded in 2005, CityDance, Inc. is the non-profit arm of Atlanta Dance and Music Academy, dedicated to bringing arts to young people, their families, and their communities. Through education, financial assistance, and performance opportunities, CityDance, Inc. serves as a conduit of art and culture for the purpose of personal empowerment and community enrichment.
Programs
CityDance Ensemble - a community ballet and contemporary training program for children and teen dancers. Children, regardless of financial positioning, are encouraged to audition. All performances are for the benefit of the metro-Atlanta community and our extended networks throughout Georgia. Proceeds directly benefit local or regional not-for-profit organizations or are directed towards the CityDance, Inc. Tuition Assistance Program. Audition and/or Invitation required to join.
CityDance Team - a student-centered, holistic competition team for students ages 8 - 18 who want to experience team building and intensive dance coaching. Students train 10 hours each week, minimally. Audition and/or Invitation required to join.
CityDance Artist Development - available for pre-professional and independent artists. This program supports the development of burgeoning artists interested in pursuing careers in dance education, dance performance, or choreography. Available for artists 16+. Interview and Invitation required for participation.
Tuition Assistance - As the non-profit partner of Atlanta Dance and Music Academy (formerly Studio Dionne), CityDance, Inc. has awarded numerous scholarships to support pre-professional dance scholars on their journeys to realizing their fullest potential. For committed students whose families would not be able to participate otherwise, our financial aid covers tuition costs and dancewear, as well as fees associated with performances, summer intensives, auditions, and high school-to-college transition costs. Must apply.
APPLY HERE FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE
Impact
Since its inception, CityDance, Inc. has been a uniting force in Atlanta responding to the immediate needs of the community. Students supported by our initiatives have performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York City and toured with Disney’s The Lion King. Through dedicated one-on-one coaching and advocacy, our students have been accepted to the prestigious summer intensives, including Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, American Ballet Theatre (Alabama and California), and the Boston Ballet Summer Dance Program.
Partnerships
CityDance, Inc. consistently partners and performs with other community organizations. Most recently the Ensemble participated in ELEVATE, a public art program curated by the City of Atlanta's Office of Cultural Affairs. In the past, the organization has collaborated with the House of Artists, the Aga Khan Foundation Walk|Run Atlanta, the MLK Day Celebration with Hosea Feeds the Hungry and Homeless, Inc., the Dogwood Festival as well as the Inman Part Festival.
Successes
Students supported by our initiatives have performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York City, toured with Disney’s The Lion King and received full scholarships to respected university dance departments. Through dedicated one-on-one coaching and advocacy, our students have been accepted to the prestigious summer intensives, including Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Alonzo King Lines Ballet, American Ballet Theatre (Alabama and California), and the Boston Ballet Summer Dance Program.
For Atlanta’s pre-professional dance artists, we offer work-study opportunities in arts administration to offset the cost of class. Please email info@citydanceatlanta.org.