Grantee Database
Versa-Style Dance Company
Grant Year
2024-25
Grant Program
Impact Projects
Award Amount
$23,147.00
Project Description
Versa-Style Street Dance Company (VSDC)’s 20 Year Anniversary Hip Hop and Street Dance Festival will foster intergenerational learning and cultural exchange for local Hip Hop and street dance artists of color who have been historically and systematically under-resourced, prioritizing art forms rooted in their native Los Angeles County (LAC) community. The festival provides young, aspiring street dance artists of color opportunities to strengthen their artistic practice and collaborate with their community. It also provides employment for working professionals and pioneers of Hip Hop and street dance culture, sustaining a healthy, vibrant, and resilient LAC Hip Hop and street dance community. Funding will be allocated to production costs such as rental fees, compensation for performing artists and various weekend activities, including dance battles, performances, a small business market made up of local vendors and more.
Organization Summary
VSDC supports 5,000 young, aspiring Hip Hop and Street Dance artists of color, as well as their families:
Versa Style Next Generation (VSNG): Since 2009, VSNG provides personalized instruction in Street Dance technique, history and creative industry knowledge for local young artists, ages 15-22. Participants receive consistent mentorship and train twice weekly at VSDC’s public Friday Night Dance Classes and a private weekly rehearsal. VSNG reflects our commitment to cultivating local talent from within and building futures grounded in movement, community, and care. During the 2024-25 programmatic year, 38 aspiring young artists gained new skills in Hip Hop and Street Dance and a greater understanding of career development opportunities in the creative industry.
Youth Education:We provide Street Dance instruction during and after school, while our collaboration with Arts for Healing and Justice Network (AHJN) brings residencies to systems impacted youth across the county. VSDC teaching artists offer instruction in Hip Hop and Street Dance technique, history and community building. During the 2024-25 school year, these programs reached nine K-12 schools and three juvenile detention facilities.
Dance Companies: We operate two professional dance ensembles: the original Versa-Style Street Dance Company (VSDC) and Versa-Style Legacy, composed of VSNG graduates. While VSDC tours nationally with full-length productions, Versa-Style Legacy performs interactive educational shows across LA. In 2025, both companies presented 42 live performances to almost 10,300 audience members nationwide and reached more than 4,100 K-12 students through 11 educational school show performances.
Community Programs: VSDC holds community events for skill building and visibility. Friday Night Dance Classes have been held weekly since 2005. We also host Let the Music Move You events and our Anniversary Hip Hop Dance Festival. In 2025, VSDC’s 20 Year Anniversary Hip Hop Dance Festival attracted almost 1,000 community members through workshops, battles, and performances.
Organization
Versa-Style Dance Company
Address
7300 CASE AVE
SUN VALLEY
91352-5034
County
Los Angeles
Region
South – Los Angeles & Orange
Website
Congressional District
CA-29
State Assembly District
AD-43
State Senate District
SD-20
