Thank You for Your Interest in the International museum of dance
Your curiosity, belief, and support mean everything. The International Museum of Dance is not just about preserving the past — it's about ensuring the future of dance is rooted in truth, equity, and visibility. We believe dance is a living archive of humanity. With your partnership, IMOD will shape the next generation of dancers, scholars, and communities, while fiercely protecting where dance comes from so that no history is ever erased.
Our Journey So Far: Research & Development Phase (Late 2019–2024)
The past five years have been our deep research and development phase. We unapologetically focused on supporting artists worldwide, especially in Native communities in New Mexico, international communities in Northern California, and overlooked "old school" legacy dance families on the East Coast.
We traveled the world gathering data and insight on what’s missing from the field. What we found:
A desperate need for immediate digitization and preservation
Dance education that responds to the communities it serves
Public experiences that make dance accessible for everyone
We started scrappy and nimble — and we're proud we did. We now stand with a rich foundation of partnerships, programs, and insights that will anchor us for decades.
Our Next Chapter: The Launchpad Phase (2025–2027)
The time has come to bring all that we’ve built under one roof—to centralize our work, magnify our impact, and become a national and global center for dance.
This "launchpad" phase will:
Serve as the foundation for a future state-of-the-art home
Centralize IMOD’s programs, IP, partnerships, and digital reach
Provide digital and physical access points worldwide
Build the visibility needed to grow audiences and raise an endowment
We’ll be “everywhere” — through digital access, pop-ups, touring exhibits, and partnerships — but we’ll also be “somewhere”: a clear, recognizable center for the future of dance.
This Year: Our First Space in San Francisco
In partnership with MAVEN and Vacant to Vibrant, IMOD is currently seeking a physical space in San Francisco as part of the city’s “New Deal” to revitalize downtown and reinvest in the arts. This opportunity offers IMOD a no- or low-cost lease, allowing us to focus our resources on programming, partnerships, and legacy-building.
Minimum Space Requirements: 25,000 sq ft
Intended Use Includes:
Public exhibitions: immersive, moving, and community-rooted
IMOD Dance Conservatory: training, career pathways, and a “Juilliard of the West”
Children’s Center for Dance
Digital Archive Lab: public-access digitization support
Home for the San Francisco Dance Film Festival
International performance venue
Library, bookstore, and café
Public-facing programs: late-night events, rentals, and experiences
Even with a subsidized space, capital improvement funding will be essential to realize this vision.
IMOD Funds
The seed Fund (Unrestricted)
Supports IMOD’s essential pillars:
Archives: Digitization, preservation, and public access to dance history
Education: Inclusive dance education for all ages and levels
Experiences: Exhibitions, performances, and storytelling that bring dance alive
This fund ensures that our core programs continue to grow, serve, and transform lives. It also helps us build the infrastructure and team required to generate sustainable revenue, allowing future donations to power new dance projects directly.
The Legacy Trust (Restricted)
Invests in IMOD’s long-term vision through:
Special exhibits, commissions, and preservation projects
Grants to artists, scholars, and nonprofits
Acquiring and building spaces for IMOD and its partners
Ongoing archiving and digitization efforts
Funded through philanthropic gifts and future IMOD contributions, this restricted trust safeguards dance’s future and ensures legacy work lives on.
Why This Matters
We are building a fully sustainable arts institution from the ground up — one that centers community, equity, and cultural memory. We are not seeking to replace any other institution — we are inviting the field to grow and work together, not in competition.
With your support, we will launch the future of dance.
Call to Action
We invite you to support IMOD’s launch into its permanent home by contributing to our two key funds:
The Seed Fund (archives, education, experiences)
The Legacy Trust (long-term investment in space, legacy, and grants)
Let’s create something historic — and make sure dance always has a home.
WAYS TO SUPPORT
The International Museum of Dance (IMOD) is deeply grateful for your support. We are happy to work with you to find the best way for you to contribute. All donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
We currently accept donations in the following forms:
Online – Donate easily through our secure donation portal.
Check – Payable to Museum of Dance.
Wire Transfer – Contact us for transfer instructions.
To arrange your donation or request additional information, please contact our Founder, hilary.palanza@museumdance.org, or our Chief Advancement Officer, eliza.auld@museumdance.org, depending on who you have spoken with/feel most comfortable with.
Your generosity helps us preserve, uplift, and celebrate dance legacies worldwide. Thank you for being part of our movement.
