ODC

IN 2024, ODC CONTINUED NAVIGATING SIGNIFICANT FISCAL CHALLENGES DRIVEN BY: -SHARP INCREASES IN OPERATING COSTS; -THE WITHDRAWAL OF LONG-TIME FOUNDATION AND CORPORATE FUNDERS FROM THE SF BAY AREA ARTS SECTOR -THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF NATIONAL MEDIA NARRATIVES PORTRAYING SAN FRANCISCO'S "DOOM LOOP," WHICH -DAMAGED PERCEPTIONS OF SAFETY AND CLEANLINESS AND REDUCED LOCAL ENGAGEMENT; AND -THE IRS'S TEMPORARY HALT IN PROCESSING ERTC CREDITS, DELAYING NEARLY $1 MILLION IN ELIGIBLE FUNDS. TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES, ODC IMPLEMENTED A HIRING FREEZE OUTSIDE OF REVENUE GENERATING ROLES; PAUSED NEW PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, AND LAUNCHED THE QUIET PHASE OF A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO: -TRANSFORM ITS NEWEST CAMPUS BUILDING (PURCHASED IN 2022); -RECAPITALIZE THE BOARD-DESIGNATED ARTISTIC VENTURE + INNOVATION FUND (AVIF), WHICH SUPPORTS PROGRAMS AND INNOVATION; AND -BUILD THE PERMANENT ENDOWMENT TO ENSURE LONG-TERM STABILITY. AFTER DRAWING DOWN THE AVIF TO BALANCE THE 2023 BUDGET, RECAPITALIZATION BECAME ESSENTIAL. ODC'S FISCAL RESILIENCE IN 2023/24 STANDS IN CONTRAST TO MANY 50+ YEAR-OLD NONPROFITS AND SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE REGION THAT CLOSED PERMANENTLY. THROUGHOUT 2024, ODC'S CONTINUING PROGRAMS GREW IN IMPORTANCE TO ITS COMMUNITY, THE CONTEMPORARY DANCE FIELD, AND THE BAY AREA ARTS ECOSYSTEM. THE ORGANIZATION REMAINED ONE OF THE LAST FIVE REGIONAL PROVIDERS, OR THE SOLE PROVIDER, OF CRITICAL SERVICES SUCH AS: -MENTORSHIP AND BUSINESS INCUBATION FOR DANCE ARTISTS; -$25/HOUR DANCE-MAKING SPACE; -50% SUBSIDIZED "ARTS ACCESS" CLASS AND TICKET RATES; -EMPLOYMENT FOR DANCE ARTISTS, EDUCATORS, AND CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS -CULTURAL ACTIVATION OF THE MISSION DISTRICT AND YERBA BUENA ARTS CORRIDOR. ODC'S RENTAL DISCOUNT INITIATIVE, CURATED BY A PANEL OF GUEST ARTISTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, GRANTED HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF DISCOUNTED AND FULLY SUBSIDIZED STUDIO AND MEETING SPACE TO ARTISTS, PEER ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOCAL NONPROFITS. ODC REMAINS ONE OF ONLY FIVE BAY AREA ORGANIZATIONS RENTING STUDIOS AT OR BELOW $25/HOUR. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED REBUILDING ITS IN-PERSON CLASS OFFERINGS IN ODC SCHOOL AND ODC HEALTH, RECRUITING AND RE-HIRING FACULTY, EXPANDING CLASS SCHEDULES, AND EXTENDING INCUBATION PERIODS FOR NEW OFFERINGS (EG ALLOWING LONGER PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT BEFORE IMPOSING ASSESSMENT OF ROI AND MISSION IMPACT AND SUBJECTING THEM TO CANCELLATION FOR LACK OF INITIAL ATTENDANCE). BY YEAR-END, ODC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT REACHED 8,695 STUDENTS, UP FROM 2,513 IN 2023, AND RESTORED THE SCHOOL'S SCHEDULE TO 200 WEEKLY CLASSES, MATCHING PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. THE TEACHING AND ACCOMPANIST ROSTER GREW TO 130, UP FROM 96 IN 2023 AND SURPASSING 2019'S 102. ODC'S SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM SUPPORTED 10% OF YOUTH AND TEEN PARTICIPANTS (UP FROM 9% IN 2023), AWARDING $63,594 IN ASSISTANCE, AN INCREASE FROM $52,258 IN 2023, REFLECTING RISING COMMUNITY NEED. ODC'S 11-MEMBER PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPANY MAINTAINED 48 WEEKS OF CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT, WITH BENEFITS CONTINUED THROUGH A 4-WEEK UNPAID LAYOFF. THIS IS AMONG THE MOST GENEROUS CONTRACTS IN U.S. DANCE. ODC HEALTH CONTINUED PROVIDING CROSS-TRAINING, RECOVERY PROGRAMS, AND ACCESS TO THE PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE HEALTHY DANCERS' CLINIC, EARNING NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS A MODEL FOR DANCER WELLNESS. IN ITS 38TH ANNUAL PRODUCTION OF THE VELVETEEN RABBIT, ODC PROVIDED FREE PERFORMANCES AND STANDARDS-BASED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS (OVER 7 HOURS OF LESSONS) TO 1,280 TITLE I ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, PLUS DISCOUNTED ACCESS FOR 798 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES. EDUCATIONAL GUIDES AND ACTIVITY BOOKS WERE DISTRIBUTED IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES. ODC ALSO EXPANDED ITS DIGITAL PLATFORM, CONNECT, TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES AND DELIVER HYBRID PROGRAMMING. SINCE ITS FOUNDING, ODC'S PROFESSIONAL COMPANY HAS PERFORMED FOR OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE IN 44 STATES AND 13 COUNTRIES, PREMIERING 146+ ORIGINAL WORKS BY CHOREOGRAPHERS BRENDA WAY, KIMI OKADA, KT NELSON, AND GUEST ARTISTS INCLUDING CATHERINE GALASSO, SONJA DELWAIDE, DEXANDRO MONTALVO, AND AMY SEIWERT. FOLLOWING AN AGGRESSIVE 2023 CAMPAIGN TO RESUME TOURING, ODC EXPANDED ITS 2024 APPEARANCES TO IDAHO, OHIO, AND MISSOURI, ALONGSIDE ITS BAY AREA HOME SEASONS CONTINUING TO REBUILD NATIONAL AND LOCAL TOURING CAPACITY AND CONTRACTS WITH RELEVANT PRESENTERS DESPITE SECTOR-WIDE FISCAL CONSTRAINTS. ODC RETAINED ITS CORE LEADERSHIP STAFF WITH MINIMAL TURNOVER, PRESERVING CONTINUITY AND INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE. IT RECRUITED AND SECURED THREE NEW BOARD MEMBERS, FOLLOWING ITS STRATEGIC PLAN TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECTORS WITH FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE OF THE SCHOOL'S OFFERINGS IN ADDITION TO DYNAMIC LIVED EXPERIENCE AND RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE.