Essential Dance Companies

South Dayton Dance Theatre’s objective is to give dancers pre-professional training in a supportive learning environment. SDDT is a nonprofit dance company working with dancers ages 10 through 18 to help them reach their professional dance goals and aspirations. They are also a member of Regional Dance America Northeast. SDDT dancers get the opportunity to dance in The Nutcracker, the Spring Concert, and the Regional Dance America festival, as well as in other local performances.

For over 30 years, the Celtic Academy of Irish Dance has been dazzling audiences with performances showcasing the beauty and energy of Irish dance. Their classes, which are offered for ages four through adult and accept new dancers year-round, have earned the organization “Best of Dayton '' awards for the past seven years. Striving for excellence on the local, regional, national, and world levels, their teachers use innovative methods to create a positive environment in which dancers can gain confidence and achieve their performance goals in a unique and intricate form of dance.

The UD Dance Ensemble embodies the essence of liberal arts education by providing students with a unique platform to delve deeper into dance's technical and performance aspects. The ensemble offers an enriching opportunity for students to refine their skills and expand their artistic horizons. Ensemble dancers will gain valuable insights and guidance that complement their academic pursuits. To ensure inclusivity and diversity, the ensemble embraces students from various backgrounds, levels of experience and academic disciplines.

Volkstaenzer, affiliated with Dayton Liederkranz-Turners, teaches and performs authentic folk dances from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Zivio, part of the south Slavic Club of Dayton, is a folk dance group whose purpose is to preserve the folk culture, especially dance, of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia.