Many of you have been following us over the past 9 years and have watched us go from dancing in the streets, to couch hopping at multiple studios, to being blessed with The House, our permanent residence. Our student body, teaching staff and programs have grown exponentially. The demand for more programming and more scholarships has grown right along with it. So much so, that we are at our peak with the resources we currently operate on. Take a look at our 2023 annual report.
While we continue to fundraise for our very immediate needs to fulfill scholarship requests, program expenses, and daily operations, we are turning our attention to a much bigger need. Last year we were able to hire several part time staff for administrative, marketing and security needs. Our biggest need now is for more full-time staff, specifically, program directors. We have functioned on one full-time staff for too long. It's far too many hats to wear. This enormous expense is way out of our budget. After meeting with several consultants, we have landed on hiring a full-time fundraiser that can multiply the donations that all of our faithful supporters like you contribute! We are starting with the goal of a one year salary of 50K to fill this much needed position to get us to that next level of reaching more people.
The passion this organization has for serving our city and its people run deep. Each dancer at RUD has a story. Each one has their own "why"- Why they came here, and why they stay. We are committed to empowering each of them, to helping them reach their potential and to helping them become contributing members of our community. You don't have to dance to be part of this mission. Your support is part of each of their stories. Don't believe us? Come along side of us and you will start hearing and seeing it for yourself. If you are a part of RUD, we invite you to share your whys in the comments!
Want to join us in making a difference? We are raising money to benefit Richmond Urban Dance, Inc., and any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to us.
More information about Richmond Urban Dance, Inc.: Richmond Urban Dance is a registered 501(c)3 located in Richmond, VA. We are a dance company focusing exclusively on street-style dance and open to all ages and skill sets.
A few whys from our staff:
J. MCKENZIE
What was your reason for pursuing dance at RUD?
“I first joined RUD because I have always had a love for music. I have been a dancer my entire life, but I never realized hip hop was the style of dance for me.
I began with ballet but the environment I was in grew toxic. No matter how skillful a dancer was, they were denied opportunities to be seen. My instructor at the time did not prefer dancers of darker complexions to be the face of the company. This bias also affected those who weren’t as fit as the other girls, in which we were also hidden.
My mom then discovered RUD, which seemed more inclusive. This is why I believe that RUD is the best company to dance with…no matter who you are, you’re given a fair chance to show the world what you’re capable of.”
What is your reason for staying?
“I joined RUD in 2019 and was immediately met with a more welcoming atmosphere than I had ever received.
The teachers are so sweet and supportive and they ensure that there’s never a moment where you feel left out or unappreciated.
I believe RUD has done so much for their dancers and they will continue to do so in the years to come.”
E. VIVIAN
What was your reason for pursuing dance at RUD?
“My mom got diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic lung cancer in July 2021. A year and 4 months later, she passed away. Five months into my grief journey I knew that I needed to make a major positive change in my life…a creative outlet to express myself.
I've always loved dancing ever since…but never got formal training growing up. When I was ready to immerse myself in dance as an adult, I felt lost on where to start. I turned to google and did a search for dance studios in Richmond.
What initially drew me to choose RUD over all the other studios was the variety of classes they offered. I loved that they had adult specific dance classes for different skill levels. From watching their videos on instagram, it was apparent that these dance instructors knew their stuff!
I took my first class in February 2023 and I was immediately hooked. I found my passion.”
What is your reason for staying?
“In the past 9 months that I have been training at RUD, I have gradually grown as a dancer and a person.
I continue to train at RUD because there is still so much I want to learn from the community.
RUD to me means more than just a dance studio. RUD is a safe space, a community and a movement backed by the ever growing love of dance and I love being a part of it :).”
D. MIREBRAHIMI
What was your reason for pursuing dance at RUD?
“I had lived in Richmond for one year and I just felt like medical school had taken over my life. Also, my father had a health scare with his heart and so I wanted to get into the routine of exercising again.
I saw some deals on MINDBODY that would allow me to explore different exercise classes in the area and I saw that RUD had beginner hip hop classes. I took hip hop in middle school and have always loved doing YouTube dance exercise classes, so I decided to give it a try!”
What is your reason for staying?
“I felt an excitement after my first class that I hadn’t felt in a while. I got a great sweat in, but I also felt my artistic side being embraced.
When you pursue a career in medicine, a lot of other parts of yourself go to the wayside and I finally felt whole again after finding this creative outlet.
The atmosphere is so inviting and low pressure that I actually enjoyed exercising again. I am so grateful that I found RUD because it was exactly what I needed. My heart and my mind thank RUD for being there!”
E. Allison
What was your reason for pursuing dance at RUD?
“I came RUD because I had just moved from Malawi, Africa and I wanted to do dance and I had always wanted to do hip-hop.”
What is your reason for staying?
“I stayed because everyone was so welcoming and I just made friends with everyone super quickly and I felt included…”
E. Carranchoo
What was your reason for pursuing dance at RUD?
“I joined a hip hop dance club in college. After graduating and starting full time work I missed dancing a lot and searched for a place to dance at. Then the pandemic happened and any chance to dance was taken away.
Once I moved to Richmond and had the time and chance to find a place to dance at, I googled dance studios in the area that had hip hop and RUD came up immediately. I chose RUD because it gave a lot of variety in classes and from the reviews. I saw how communal it could be along with taking different classes like heels! It also seemed the most street style; more true to hip hop.”
What is your reason for staying?
“I stay because I have grown as a dancer so much with coming to RUD. With so many styles of teachers and classes I’m able to try new things, challenge myself, and grow.
I have also met some of the most genuine and inspiring people here. To be surrounded by a genuine group of people who shares their love of dancing is truly a blessing. I’ve also been able to perform at different events and locations including my first ever parade!
I didn’t realize I missed performing until I was doing it at RUD. The opportunities and growth RUD offers and the community keep me coming and inspire me to keep dancing and hopefully one day choreograph.”
A. Lau
What was your reason for pursuing dance at RUD?
. “ I chose Richmond Urban Dance as it offered a structured studio environment to develop my dance skills, something I had pursued only sporadically and mostly self-taught during college. It has been about four years since graduating and one thing I missed the most was dancing,
I really wanted to get back into it so luckily I found RUD! As someone who is naturally introverted and shy, joining RUD was also a step towards challenging myself to express more openly.
Their inclusive approach to dance, which values diversity and community, provided a comfortable space for me to grow not just in dance, but in self-expression too. Additionally, it aligned with my New Year’s resolution to commit to dancing consistently throughout the year, aiding in both my personal and artistic growth.”
What is your reason for staying?
“I decided to stay at Richmond Urban Dance because of the incredibly supportive community I found there. It's not just a place to dance, but a space where I've formed meaningful friendships, enhancing my overall experience.
What really stands out for me is the judgment-free zone RUD provides. It's a welcoming environment where everyone is accepted and encouraged to express themselves freely through dance.
This positive and inclusive atmosphere has been pivotal in my decision to continue my dance journey with RUD.”
E. Brown
What was your reason for pursuing dance at RUD?
“I dance at RUD because my sisters tried RUD and encouraged me to go and at first I felt really awkward and I did not have friends and when I kept going I made so many friends.”
What is your reason for staying?
“I stayed at RUD because I feel like everyone is so welcoming and heartfelt and I LOVE to dance. All of the teachers here are so nice and everyone makes me so comfortable.”
J. Sanders
What was your reason for pursuing dance at RUD? I began my formal dance education at VCU in the fall of 2020, amidst the pandemic, and found that I was lacking a sense of community outside of my collegiate dance experience. I heard of RUD from my peers at VCU Dance, did some social media stalking, and I knew it was an environment I wanted to be a part of. I am passionate about concert and commercial dance alike, but missed training in street styles, so I took a few classes on my own time and realized I desperately missed teaching and honing my choreographic voice. There are so many wonderful humans and movers at RUD and I’m grateful to be a part of the community here! I hope to be as involved as possible going into my last semester at VCU.
What is your reason for staying? RUD gives me the artistic freedom to be myself without any academic boundaries holding back my creativity. I have a lot of respect for how RUD is structured, and how the business is run. I feel genuinely cared for as a student and an employee alike, which is something I have not always felt at other studios I have taken class and taught at. It is an environment of safe growth, and I really appreciate the opportunities it has given me to better my practice!
I pursued RUD as a way to use my takents to glorify God by serving people however I could with this tool He gave me. I believed that if I was faithful to Him He would use me to further His kingdom and the opportunities He would provide would be far greater than I could imagine. I’ve stayed because I was right. It’s unbelievable what He has done through RUD and the lives that have been impacted!
Did you know that RUD provides free services to many of your favorite organizations? Partnering with organizations to help them raise awareness and resources for their causes is what we do best. But we can't help them, without the help of you. When you support us, you are also supporting them. Here are just some of the organizations we have showed up for in recent years:
Big Brother/Big Sister of RVA
Autism Society of Central VA
Life church- trunk or treat
Hanover Parks/Rec
2nd Street Festival
Cameron K Gallagher Foundation
Richmond Squirrels
National Night Out
NAMI
Bellemeade community center
Helping is Togetherness-No Wifi event
Bella Day
Dominion Energy Easter event
UofR women’s bball
Armstrong-Walker Classic
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Light The Night
Holton Elementary
Henrico Virtual Academy-Arts in the Park
Kiwanis Club & The Little Library
RVA East End Festival
Randolf Community Center-rebuilding the community
Creative Mornings RVA
Mindful Mornings RVA
Dominion Energy Christmas Parade
Boys and Girls Club
UofR CHAARG
UofR Delta Sigma Theta
Blue Sky Fund
John Cary Elementary- richmond book festival
Bon Air Elementary
Scan- Stop Child Abuse Now
Greenwood elementary
JDRF -diabetes research
Now we need our community to show up for us so that we can continue this good work. If you are part of an organization that could use our services, don't hesitate to reach out!
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