Our Artistic Advancement Program serves as a training ground for professional D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists and consists of our Summer Intensive, Company Appreniceship, Choreo-Lab, and Teacher Trainings. Our Summer Intensive, now entering its seventeenth year, provides professional development for dancers at all levels of their growth through a multi-day experience that connects participants.

Our Choreo-Lab paves the way for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent choreographers to elevate their artistry through mentoring, networking, and peer support while producing original work. We have built a robust professional development suite of services that deepens Choreo-Lab participants’ understanding of the craft, including grants & fellowships, budgeting, production, presenting, and disability justice workshops, an enhanced year-round mentorship component, and opportunities to connect with Choreo-Lab Alumni and meet with presenters to learn from them. Through our Choreo-Lab program, we have a unique capacity to increase the representation of D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists in the dance field.

Many educators lack the tools or training to confidently create inclusive learning spaces for D/deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent students. AXIS bridges that gap. We pair 45-minute integrated dance performances with artist-led discussions, introducing young audiences to disability representation and the expressive power of movement. These experiences are joyful, interactive, and often a student’s first encounter with professional dance. In tandem, we equip educators with tools to create inclusive classrooms through movement-based exercises and dialogue about language, access, and belonging. Our focus on youth programming furthers our goal to introduce new populations to integrated dance. In 2024, AXIS reached 8,000 K-12 students in the Bay Area. 50% of participants were from low-income communities and 80-100% of participants were BIPOC.