DATA BYTE:
2025 Percussive Dance Companies

The Percussive Dance Companies Data Byte is an analysis of the financial scale and stability of 28 percussive dance organizations across the United States. This latest Data Byte marks DDP’s first in-depth examination of the percussive sector–encompassing forms such as tap, Irish step, flamenco, and body percussion–highlighting the important albeit dramatically smaller economic footprint compared to contemporary/modern and ballet companies.

The Percussive Dance Companies Data Byte analyzed the financial information of 28 organizations, with 25 companies reporting complete FY2023 data. Together, these companies reported combined aggregate expenditures of $11,065,309 and revenues of $10,723,690, resulting in a net deficit of $341,619 for FY2023. Despite this deficit, 17 of the 28 companies (68%) finished the year with a surplus, while 8 companies (32%) operated in deficit.

“The findings from this Data Byte reveal both the resilience and precarity of the percussive dance sector,” said Junyla Silmon, DDP’s Senior Research Consultant and report lead. “While many of these organizations have sustained operations through strong community engagement and artistic innovation, the scale of their financial resources remains strikingly limited compared to other dance forms.”