About DDP PRO
is an interactive digital engagement platform designed to expand access and opportunity for women-identifying designed to expand access and opportunity for women-identifying creatives in dance and related fields. The platform addresses an entrenched, word-of-mouth hiring system that concentrates opportunity among a small circle of “star” choreographers, composers, and production professionals, predominantly male and clustered in New York, London, and other major hubs.
We are building an equitable, community-driven, locally searchable database of Directors, Choreographers, Répétiteurs, Intimacy Directors, Composers/Conductors, Costume Designers, and Scenic, Sound, and Lighting Designers, and cinematographers. Artists will be able to upload CVs, reels, audio samples, and portfolios through a streamlined interface. Hiring entities from established venues, pick-up festivals, and community arts organizations will search by discipline, role, and micro-region, enabling efficient discovery of qualified talent close to home.
At a time of financial and structural strain across the performing arts, this tool offers a practical, cost-effective alternative to importing full creative teams from overseas or major urban centers. By facilitating the hiring of U.S. and regionally based artists, the platform reduces travel costs, broadens professional pipelines, and counters exclusionary networks that limit advancement.
Beyond efficiency, the platform strengthens local arts ecosystems. Hiring local creatives allows companies and venues to demonstrate meaningful investment in the communities they serve, deepen economic ties, and cultivate long-term artistic relationships that sustain audience engagement and institutional resilience.
This platform converts DDP’s research into actionable infrastructure, expanding opportunity, strengthening local ecosystems, and embedding equity into the mechanics of how dance is produced nationwide.
About the Dance Data Project®
Starting in Feb. 2019, DDP has systematically mapped the global dance economy.
In 2025, DDP’s Leaderboard and research expanded to include positions in music, including resident composers and conductors.
By carefully iterating and refining our research methodology, our ultimate goal is to provide a comprehensive and accurate assessment of the dance economy writ large.
Recognizing the need for additional support, DDP has rolled out a series of resources, including interviews with key players, a rolling database of available grants, scholarships, and competitions, and leadership training, including the “Raising the Barre” series of interviews, and the ongoing development of a 2-year leadership training cohort.
DDP has embraced technology and rolled out an ever-expanding library of interactive maps, designed for journalists, academics, and dance company executives.
Visit Dance Data Project