Grantee Database
Versa-Style Dance Company
Grant Year
2025-26
Grant Program
General Operating Support
Award Amount
$15,600.00
Project Description
With support from the California Arts Council, Versa Style Street Dance Company (VSDC) will subsidize livable wages for three members of our seven-person core administrative staff. Staff members are critical to the organization’s sustainability and capacity as an anchor of Hip Hop and Street Dance culture and education across Southern California. VSDC staff occupy vital roles within the organization, including teaching artist, performer, mentor and cultural practitioner and represent an internal career development pipeline crucial to the organization’s ethos as a cultural institution with county-wide impact. California Arts Council funding will support VSDC’s ability to care for its artists and provide equitable pay.
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
