Learning, competing, traveling, teaching, and participating in dance can get expensive.
Finding Dance is building a directory of scholarships, grants, professional-development opportunities, and other funding resources that can help dancers and dance communities access more opportunities.
Availability changes throughout the year, so always confirm current deadlines and eligibility with the organization offering the funding.
Finding Dance does not administer these programs unless specifically stated. Applications, awards, deadlines, and eligibility are controlled by the organizations listed.
Dancer Scholarships
Frankie Manning Foundation Scholars Program
Organization: Frankie Manning Foundation
For: Lindy Hop dancers and community builders
Area: Lindy Hop
Scope: International / community-based
Status: Check Current Cycle
The Frankie Manning Foundation Scholars Program supports dancers and community builders involved in Lindy Hop, particularly people working to grow or strengthen their local communities.
Support may include: event or camp participation, travel, lodging, classes, and related participation expenses
Lindy Hop
Dancers
Community Builders
Travel Support
Salsa Para Todos Scholarships
Organization: Salsa Para Todos
For: Salsa dancers experiencing financial hardship
Area: Salsa
Scope: Community access
Status: Check Current Cycle
Salsa Para Todos offers financial-support scholarships intended to help active community members continue participating in Salsa classes and activities when cost is a barrier.
Salsa
Financial Need
Community Access
PIAZZOLLA100 Tango Dance Scholarship
Organization: Nuevo Tango Arts / New York Tango Festival
For: Professional dancers, dance students, and educators
Area: Argentine Tango
Scope: Program-specific
Status: Check Current Cycle
The PIAZZOLLA100 Tango Dance Scholarship supports selected participants attending tango-related educational programming associated with the New York Tango Festival.
Support may include: partial scholarships and work-study opportunities
Note: Treat this as a recurring or potentially recurring opportunity whose current status should be verified with the organization.
Argentine Tango
Professional Development
Students
Educators
Next Generation Swing Dance Club Scholarship
Organization: Next Generation Swing Dance Club / Boogie by the Bay
For: Swing dancers contributing to community growth and participation
Area: Swing / West Coast Swing
Scope: Program-specific
Status: Check Current Cycle
Next Generation Swing Dance Club has offered scholarship support for dancers whose participation and community involvement help strengthen Swing dancing.
Note: Awards depend on the program’s current funding and cycle.
Swing
West Coast Swing
Community
Event Support
Professional Development & Judging
WSDC Affiliated Judges Program Scholarship Initiative
Organization: World Swing Dance Council
For: Candidates pursuing WSDC judging education
Area: West Coast Swing judging
Scope: Professional development
Status: Check Current Availability
The WSDC Affiliated Judges Program includes scholarship support connected to approved judge-education providers, helping eligible candidates access training needed for judge development.
West Coast Swing
Judging
Professional Development
Education
Second Act Network Scholarship Program
Organization: Second Act Network
For: Dance professionals and pre-professionals pursuing education or career development
Area: Dance career development
Scope: Professional development
Status: Upcoming / Check Current Cycle
The Second Act Network Scholarship Program provides financial support that may be used toward education, professional development, certifications, books, supplies, and related career-development expenses.
Support may include: recent cycles have described $1,000 awards; confirm current details with the organization
Professional Development
Education
Career Support
Ballroom & Local Organization Scholarships
USA Dance Chapter Scholarships
Organization: USA Dance
For: Dancers, competitors, education programs, and related local dance activities when offered by a chapter
Area: Ballroom / DanceSport
Scope: Local chapter programs vary
Status: Check Local Chapter Cycle
Some USA Dance chapters offer local scholarships or grants for dancers, competitors, education, and related dance activities. Programs may exist at the local chapter level and vary by chapter and year.
Note: Do not assume every USA Dance chapter offers scholarships.
Ballroom
DanceSport
Local Programs
Competition
Funding Databases & Grant Resources
Dance/USA Funding Opportunities
Organization: Dance/USA
For: Dancers, dance professionals, organizations, nonprofits, and community programs
Area: Dance funding directory
Scope: United States / broad dance field
Status: Ongoing Resource
Dance/USA maintains a regularly updated collection of funding opportunities for the dance field, including grants, scholarships, professional-development funding, and organizational support.
Grants
Scholarships
Organizations
Professionals
Funding Directory
Youth & Emerging Dancers
Human | Artist | Dancer — Elevation Scholarship
Organization: Human | Artist | Dancer
For: Young dancers pursuing education or professional-development opportunities
Area: Broader dance opportunity
Scope: San Antonio, Texas
Status: Check Current Cycle
Human | Artist | Dancer provides scholarship support for young dancers pursuing educational and professional opportunities. This is a broader dance opportunity that may be useful to some Finding Dance visitors.
Youth
Texas
Education
Dance Development
Community Funding Initiatives
Danceplace Impact Fund
Organization: Danceplace
For: Scholarships, youth dance programs, and community dance support
Area: Community dance support
Scope: Organization initiative
Status: Funding Initiative
The Danceplace Impact Fund directs a portion of ticketing-related revenue toward scholarships, youth dance programs, and community dance support.
Note: This is not described here as an open grant application.
Community Funding
Youth Programs
Scholarships
Where Else to Look
Local Dance Organizations
Clubs, studios, event organizations, nonprofits, and local associations sometimes offer scholarships that are not widely advertised.
Governing Organizations
Competition councils and professional organizations may offer education, judging, travel, or professional-development support.
State & Local Arts Agencies
Arts councils and state arts agencies often offer grants to instructors, nonprofits, community programs, and arts organizations.
Event Scholarships
Some dance camps, conventions, festivals, and competitions offer work-study programs, volunteer exchanges, or event scholarships.
Planned for Finding Dance
Planned
As this directory grows, Finding Dance plans to make scholarship opportunities easier to browse by status, dance style, location, and who the funding is intended for.
Open Now
Upcoming
Dancers
Instructors
Judges
Youth
Organizations
Travel
Education
Competition
Dance Style
Location
Know About a Dance Scholarship or Grant?
Finding Dance is building this directory with the dance community. If your organization offers a scholarship, grant, work-study opportunity, travel award, or other dance-related funding, let us know.
Find Someone to Learn From
Funding can help open the door. Finding Dance can help you find the instructor on the other side of it.