Our mission is rooted in outreach, inclusion, and equity. Learn how we’re moving the community together
Dance That Gives Back
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Stay tuned for upcoming events
Special Needs Programs
Gospel Hip Hop
Therapeutic Dance Program
After School Programs
Scholorships
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DONORS
We are so grateful for our community’s generosity. Richmond Urban Dance is a registered 501(c)3 and your donations are tax-deductible.
$100: Per Month for One Dancer | $300 Fall Semester Cost for One Dancer | Any Amount: All contributions help from costume purchases to single classes.
DONATE
Scholorships
Offers partial and full financial assistance to families who feel they cannot afford the tuition. It is our desire to see that no talent goes unnoticed or undeveloped due to financial instability. Applications are accepted continuously. Financial aid funds are limited and dependent upon the generous contributions from donors received each year.
APPLICANTS
Our application cycle is LIVE now
If you are interested in our scholarship program, please email info@richmondurbandance.com for more information and application.
APPLY
Therapeutic Dance Program
Through community, local and state governmental partnerships, the Therapeutic Dance Program seeks to provide a social emotional dance program to youth exposed to chronic stress. The 8- week summer program is designed to enhance the emotional and mental being of youth through the provision of a safe and supportive environment, where youth can process their lived experiences and develop their emotional capacity and resiliency through the dynamic and expressive art form of dance movement. With an emphasis on social emotional development, youth are provided with enrichment and growth opportunities geared toward their personal long- term development and wellbeing.
Clinical Justification
Trauma often lives in the body as implicit or preconscious memory. To process it, people need sensory-based approaches, like movement, that can bring these experiences to the surface. The Therapeutic Dance Program uses psychoeducation and responsive dance movement to help participants connect their trauma experiences to their bodies and their stories. Because reactivity is common, the program requires smaller group sizes and high staff engagement to create safety and support.
This program draws on the work of Dr. Shawn Ginwright, who emphasizes healing-centered engagement for youth of color, and Dr. Bruce Perry, who highlights the importance of rhythmic, repetitive movement in trauma recovery. Together, their research supports dance as a tool for regulation, empowerment, and healing. For youth of color with complex trauma histories, this program provides a safe space to process experiences, regulate emotions, and build self-agency.
Pilot Program Rationale
At the start and end of the program, clinicians will use the Brief Problem Checklist (Chorpita et al., 2010) to measure changes in mood and behavior. These results will guide future programming and help secure funding. Beyond clinical benefits, the pilot program will also encourage creativity, expression, and advocacy, supporting both individual healing and community-level change.
Collaborative Partnerships
Partnerships with community groups, government agencies, and local organizations are key to sustaining the program. These partners will help provide instructors, food, and space, ensuring accessibility while building broader community support.
Authored by: Janet Imobisa, MA; Jacquetta Gosier, LMHP-E; & Stephanie Buttner, LCSW — May 2024
After School Programs
At Richmond Urban Dance, our mission is to make dance accessible to as many people as possible. We believe every young person deserves the chance to experience the joy, creativity, and confidence that dance can bring, but we also know that transportation can be a major barrier.
To help remove this challenge, we are partnering with several local afterschool programs to bring dance directly to students where they already are. This allows us to expand access, reach more youth, and build strong connections within the community.
Your support makes this possible. If you would like to invest in our efforts to create more accessible and inclusive opportunities for young dancers, please consider making a donation. Every contribution helps us provide instruction, resources, and outreach to programs that need it most.
We are also looking to grow our partnerships! If you run an afterschool program and would like to explore adding dance as an option for your students, we’d love to connect. Please reach out to us at info@richmondurbandance.com
Together, we can build more pathways for students to experience the benefits of dance.
Special Needs Programs
RUD is excited to bring back this FREE class for special needs dancers! Our Special Needs Hip Hop class is a fun, supportive, and engaging experience designed to meet the unique needs of each child. In this class, students will enjoy follow-along hip hop and creative movement in a safe, loving environment where self-expression is encouraged. Each dancer will receive one-on-one instruction and the opportunity to explore movement and music in a fun, creative way—no experience required!
As a Special Olympics–affiliated gym, Richmond Urban Dance is proud to champion inclusion and create opportunities for all dancers to thrive. We also partner with the Autism Society of Central VA (ASCVA), and our staff and leaders have completed training that has earned RUD the designation of an “Autism Friendly Organization.” To further our commitment, we offer discounts to all ASCVA members who are interested in joining our inclusive classes.
At RUD, we believe dance is for everyone—and we’re excited to continue building a welcoming space where all dancers can shine!
Gospel Hip Hop
At Richmond Urban Dance, our mission has always been bigger than dance. While our organization is not formally registered as a faith-based organization, everything we do is deeply rooted in our faith and love for God. We believe the talents, opportunities, and relationships we’ve been given through RUD are true blessings, and we aim to give Him glory by using them to serve others.
Our FREE weekly Gospel Hip Hop class, held every Wednesday at 7 PM, is one way we express this gratitude and praise. This class is open to everyone, whether you’re brand new to dance or a seasoned mover, and is a space where we can come together in joy, movement, and community. Through music, dance, and fellowship, we not only move our bodies but also lift our spirits, creating a space to honor God while celebrating the gift of dance.
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Why Fundraise with RUD?
We pride ourselves on offering one of the highest donation percentages in the industry. How can we afford to donate so much? It’s simple: we keep costs low. With minimal overhead—just our instructor fees and space rental—we’re able to give back more to the causes that matter to you!
Ready to get started? Set up your RUD-rai$er today by submitting your application. We can’t wait to help you reach your fundraising goals!
Fundraising where you dance for dollars!
Looking for a unique and easy way to raise funds for your organization, team, or cause? We’ve got the perfect solution for you! Here's how it works:
Option 1: Host a Private Class
- Book a private class with RUD at our set rate.
- Sell class passes at any price you choose and keep the profits!
- Invite your members or supporters to participate in any of our regularly scheduled classes.
- 60% of the proceeds from their registrations will be donated directly to your organization.
Option 2: Join Our Regularly Scheduled Classes
One little girl, with one big fight, changing the world with her transcending light!
Bella taught us all to be free.
As the only girl in her breakdance class, she inspired people to be confident, be yourself, and have fun.
Learn More
Sweet Bella Scholarship Fund
Sweet Bella loved dancing, especially at RUD. She danced in classes, camps, workshops and dance concerts. In December of 2021 at the age of 10, Bella was diagnosed with B-Cell Leukemia. She began her fight in 2022 with bravery and positivity. She became everyone’s hero, always thinking of others first no matter what she was going through or how she was feeling. Doctors told her she beat the cancer, but on August 7th, 2022, she entered heaven’s gates after a rare infection unexpectedly took her life.
The Sweet Bella Scholarship Fund has been created by her family to carry out Bella’s legacy of love, compassion, positivity, bravery and generosity. This fund will sponsor a variety of programs at RUD but more specifically will honor a dancer each year that lives out Bella’s same spirit. The first recipient will be awarded at I AM HIP HOP 2023. The Francesca’s hope is that Bella’s Light will continue to change the world through people inspired by her short but very impactful life.
To learn more about Bella’s journey, click here.
Bella faced her problems head on!
Bella had no fear, or at least she didn’t show it. She was always the first dancer to enter a cypher and would stay in it as long as she was aloud! She had a killer worm! It’s no surprise that she attacked every chemo treatment with a dance session.
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the family-like culture and support my daughter receives there is beyond anything I’ve experienced
I cannot tell you how thankful I am for this place. Not only is the instruction top-notch, but the family-like culture and support my daughter receives there is beyond anything I’ve experienced at other studios. Cannot recommend RUD highly enough!
-Catherine Allison
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i felt so inspired and hungry for more
I started Rud about three years ago and
i immediately fell in love and started going every class i could. it was my first hip hop class and surprisingly instead of feeling discouraged by the new style, i felt so inspired and hungry for more. The teachers, the students, the mission, and now, the location of RUD is something every dancer should experience and i promise they’ll never wanna leave.
-Rebeca Barragan
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i always feel welcomed and never judged for my skill level!
RUD is SUCH an uplifting place to dance and meet kind, energetic, talented people. I am a inexperienced dancer nearing middle aged and always feel welcomed and never judged for my skill level! Generally just a friendly community and legitimately fun/challenging environment too.
-Chelsea Kaihoi
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RUD is such a blessing in this community
RUD is such a blessing in this community. If you have ever wanted to try dancing, you won’t find a more friendly and welcoming environment to do it in. Can’t say enough great things about this place and it has really become my new home and family since moving to the area.
-Katya Rumrill
