Grantee Database

RX BALLROOM DANCE

Grant Year

2026-27

Grant Program

General Operating Support

Award Amount

$24,000.00

Project Description

With support from the California Arts Council, Rx Ballroom Dance (RxBD) will provide evidence-based dance therapy programming to individuals with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease across underserved communities in Southern California, including recent expansion to Temecula and the Inland Empire. CAC grant funds will support core organizational functions including bilingual instructor compensation, program materials, community partnership development, research collaboration with Concordia University, and administrative infrastructure necessary to sustain and expand services. RxBD addresses health disparities and social isolation through ballroom and Latin dance forms that improve motor function, balance, cognitive health, and emotional well-being. Our programming serves historically under-resourced populations including Spanish-speaking communities in Garden Grove/Santa Ana and Chula Vista/El Cajon, as well as rural and inland areas such as Fallbrook, Oceanside, and the Inland Empire, regions with limited access to specialized therapeutic arts resources.

Organization Summary

Rx Ballroom Dance provides free, adaptive ballroom dance programs designed for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and other neurological or age-related conditions. Our core programs blend the artistic beauty of ballroom dance with evidence-based therapeutic strategies to improve quality of life, mobility, and emotional well-being. All programs are culturally inclusive, community-centered, and accessible to people with disabilities.

1. Free Weekly Therapeutic Dance Classes
• Offered in-person at community centers and virtually for homebound or rural participants.
• Led by certified instructors trained in both ballroom dance and working with neurological conditions.
• Classes include standing, seated, and wheelchair-based options to meet all ability levels.
• Focus areas include balance, posture, rotational movement, strength, and confidence.

2. Care Partner Involvement
• Caregivers, spouses, and family members are encouraged to participate in class alongside their loved ones (free of charge).
• Dancing together fosters emotional connection, mutual joy, and shared progress.
• Care partners also become part of a broader support network, building ties to the community.

3. Participant Performances & Showcases
• Participants have opportunities to perform at events like annual galas and local showcases.
• Scholarships help cover costume, travel, and coaching costs so participants can proudly represent their diagnosis and cultural identity through
dance.

4. Community Engagement & Education
• Outreach at senior expos, support groups, and health fairs.
• Collaborations with organizations fostering cognitive, physical and emotional well-being as well as local care networks.

5. Instructor Training & Evaluation Partnerships
• Ongoing instructor training in adaptive dance practices.
• Program impact is measured through partnerships with Concordia University, tracking progress in balance, posture, and strength.

Together, these services create a joyful, empowering space for healing and artistic expression.

Organization

RX BALLROOM DANCE

Address

28 AGAVE CT

LADERA RANCH

92694-0877

County

Orange

Region

South – Los Angeles & Orange

Website

Email

Congressional District

California's 49th Congressional District

State Assembly District

California's 71st State Assembly District

State Senate District

California's 38th State Senate District

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