Urbanity Dance is a nonprofit arts organization that exists to inspire, engage, and empower individuals and communities through the art of dance and movement. 

Founded by Director Betsi Graves, Urbanity Dance was created in 2011 in the spirit of three goals: 1) to propel dance to the forefront of Boston’s cultural landscape; 2) to serve an unmet demand for access to affordable and accessible dance training; and 3) to leverage dance as tool to foster bodily autonomy and creativity in local schools and community spaces. Through three interconnected pillars of Company, School, and Community, the organization offers a resilient, powerful community platform that builds synergy, investment, and connection.

Company

Urbanity’s Professional Company offers challenging, entertaining, and visionary experiences that leverage excellence to activate space, engage art, and build connection. With its blend of disciplines ranging from modern jazz to breakdance, it embodies Urbanity’s commitment to community by celebrating the collective tapestry of lived experiences and training of its dancers. Company performances, workshops, and classes promote empathy and harness the collaborative spirit and energy of Boston residents and its multidisciplinary arts network. 

Through these efforts, the Company has been recognized as one of Boston’s Best by Improper Bostonian, a “Best of Boston” winner by Boston Magazine, and a Top Ten Critics’ Pick by The Boston Globe. To date, it has presented work at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theater, The Institute of Contemporary Art, and venues across New England, New York, New Mexico, Virginia, Texas, and Florida.

School

The School at Urbanity Dance offers high-quality dance training in several styles and genres for over 500 students of all ages and experience levels each year through its three South End studios. The faculty, all from diverse cultural and dance backgrounds, supports each student in their training through a structured, nurturing classroom environment that fosters growth, discipline, and fun. The School’s teaching philosophy aims to teach to the whole dancer and develop students’ emotional, social, and physical well being to become fully empowered individuals.

Community

Urbanity’s commitment to Community encompasses a diverse range of partnerships with schools, health centers, local arts institutions, enrichment camps, and juvenile detention centers through its three flagship programs: Urbanity in the Community, which provides dance curriculum to Boston Public School students who otherwise would not have access; Dance with Parkinson’s, which uses movement to improve the mobility, balance, and coordination of those with Parkinson’s Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders; and Movement Meets, which uses movement to empower and inspire those who have experienced incarceration, homelessness, or violence.

Together, the Company, School, and Community programs create an interwoven network that provides high-quality art experiences to students of all ages and backgrounds, as well as paid opportunities for all professional dancers, dancemakers, artistic collaborators and teachers, that serve Urbanity’s mission, its South End neighborhood in Boston, and the city at large.