2024 Largest Contemporary and Modern Companies Report

This is Dance Data Project^®‘s (DDP) third Largest Contemporary and Modern Companies Report. This year’s report covers 125 companies, an increase from the 75 companies included in 2023, marking a substantial expansion in DDP’s annual analysis of contemporary and modern dance companies.

The report finds that in FY2022, the Largest 125 contemporary and modern companies operated with a total aggregate expenditure of $177,888,176. However, when compared to the Largest 125 ballet and classically based companies, which reported expenses 3.99 times higher than the Largest 125 contemporary and modern companies, a marked difference emerges in the operating scale between the two sectors. This gap underscores the continued need for more robust funding and operational resources within the contemporary and modern dance community to meet rising operational demand.

For the first time, DDP has extended the analysis to examine company revenue for FY2021, FY2022, and preliminarily FY2023, offering new insights into the revenue landscape for these companies. The Largest 125 companies generated a total revenue of $218,963,086 in FY22 compared to the FY22 total expenses of $177,888,176, indicating a surplus over their expenditures for the year. However, the revenue gap remains pronounced, with the Largest 125 ballet and classically based companies generating 3.76 times more revenue than the Largest 125 contemporary and modern dance companies in FY22.

This year DDP also examined company fiscal surpluses and deficits for the first time. In FY22, among the Largest 125, 91 companies (72.80%) finished with a surplus, reflecting both resilience and the financial tightrope many organizations walk. 34 companies (27.20%) finished in deficit, indicating that the majority of companies reported a surplus at the end of FY22.

As of October 31, 2024, DDP sourced 119 FY23 990 filings, preliminary aggregate expenditures of $170,416,064—lower than the FY22 Largest 125 aggregate expenditure of $177,888,176. As these are only preliminary findings, the inclusion of missing 990s will most likely increase the overall aggregate expenditure. In compiling the FY23 data, DDP encountered delays due to IRS backlog in uploading annual filings to their website for public access, as well as companies filing for extension.

AMENDED NOTE: Please note that as of 11/03/2024, the 2024 Largest Contemporary and Modern Report has been amended to include the FY22 and FY23 data of Keshet Dance Company and the FY23 data of RESILIENCE Dance Company.