Audiences for dance in the U.S. numbered 18.3 million in 2008, according to the National Endowment for the Arts’ most recent Survey of Public Participation in the Arts. At Dance/USA, directed projects are geared towards understanding audiences. Dance/USA has some research on audiences through the following projects:

Engaging Dance Audiences (EDA)
This $1.9 million pilot program, supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the James Irvine Foundation, enables the field to explore methods of engaging audiences for dance, learn from peers, and share the learning nationally.
Learn more about EDA
Learn more about EDA Research

Collaborative Audience Survey Effort (CASE)
CASE is a collaborative effort between Dance/USA and our member companies and presenters to reach agreement on common language for common questions about audiences. The overarching goal this effort is to generate an accurate picture of dance audiences across the country.

Performing Arts Research Coalition (PARC)
PARC, supported by The Pew Charitable Trusts, was created to improve and coordinate the way performing arts organizations gather information on our sector. The goal of the coalition is to offer a more unified and factually based voice on issues of common concern and to aid the performing arts in developing a national model for arts research collaboration. The five partners are

• Association of Performing Arts Presenters
• Dance/USA
• League of American Orchestras
• OPERA America
• Theatre Communications Group

Four types of data are focused on: administrative data, audience surveys, subscriber surveys, and household surveys.
Learn more about PARC

The Nutcracker
Since 2002, Dance/USA has collected information about U.S. performances of The Nutcracker, including figures for total attendance.
Learn more about Dance/USA's Nutcracker research