Sustaining Artists 

Our Impact and Commitment

  • Ballet is a full-time commitment — but for most dancers, it’s not a full-time job.

    Top-tier ballet companies in the U.S. typically offer only 30 to 35 weeks of paid work per year. That leaves dancers with months of unpaid time — a gap that can threaten not only their financial stability, but their physical health, creative momentum, and long-term career viability.

  • Pointeworks was created to change that.

    We provide paid, professional opportunities for dancers in the crucial off-season — a time when most performing artists are left without work. By commissioning new choreography, presenting performance opportunities, and fostering a supportive creative environment, Pointeworks fills a critical gap in the ballet world.

  • In 2025, Pointeworks offered:

    8 weeks of paid work

    To dancers from over a dozen cities across the U.S.

    Including dancers from major companies such as New York City Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, Texas Ballet Theater, Philadelphia Ballet, and more

    But these weren’t just rehearsals.
    They were career-sustaining, health-preserving, and artistically expansive experiences that helped dancers:

    Stay in peak physical condition

    Prevent off-season injuries

    Maintain income during contract gaps

    Explore new artistic voices

    Build community and connection

  • Our Commitment

    Pointeworks is more than a summer project — it's a platform for longevity, growth, and representation in ballet. As we work toward Season 3, we remain committed to:

    Championing dancers as whole artists
    We support dancers not just as performers, but as complete creative individuals — investing in their physical health, artistic development, and long-term careers. Through meaningful collaboration, injury-conscious schedules, and off-season employment, we foster an environment where dancers can thrive as artists, collaborators, and people.

    Providing consistent, paid work opportunities
    Especially during the critical off-season months when most dancers are left without income or structured training.

    Elevating the artistic voices of female-identifying choreographers
    Women remain underrepresented in choreography and leadership roles across the ballet field. Pointeworks actively bridges that gap by commissioning new works from female-identifying creators — bringing fresh perspectives to the stage and advancing gender equity in the art form’s evolution.

    Enriching audiences with world-class performances rooted in collaboration and care
    By uniting top-tier artists from around the country in a supportive creative environment, Pointeworks delivers performances that are both technically outstanding and deeply human.

From our dancers

“Dancing with Pointeworks when I’m on layoff from my seasonal contract allows me to not only earn income but also improve my dancing. Getting to work with different choreographers and dancers helps inspire me in new ways.”
Rayleigh Vendt, Texas Ballet Theater

“It is both unique and inspiring to work with dancers I otherwise would not have crossed paths with.”
Sophie Savas-Carstens, Philadelphia Ballet

“Dancing with Pointeworks felt like a breath of fresh air, creating new avenues of artistic growth and opportunity.”
Emma Von Enck, New York City Ballet

“Pointeworks helped me stay in shape over my layoff, making me less prone to injuries when I got back to my main season contract. Beyond the physical, Pointeworks cultivated such a positive impact on my mental health.”
AvaRose Dillon, Texas Ballet Theater

SPONSOR A DANCER. SUSTAIN A CAREER.

Every gift makes a tangible impact. Choose a giving level that speaks to you and know your support directly sustains Pointeworks artists.

Why Your Support Matters

When you sponsor a dancer, you are:

  • Funding fair pay ($800/week contracts for 40 hours of weekly rehearsal and performance preparation)

  • Providing housing and travel for artists

  • Sustaining artistry during the critical off-season

  • Enriching audiences with performances that are both technically brilliant and deeply artistic

Together, we are ensuring dancers don’t just survive — they thrive.

Donation Menu

One-Time Sponsorship Levels

  • $500 – Travel Sponsor
    Covers one dancer’s roundtrip domestic flight to San Diego.

  • $1,000 – Community Sponsor
    Helps underwrite rehearsal costs, housing, and artist pay.

  • $2,400 – Housing Sponsor (4 weeks)
    Provides safe housing for one dancer during their contract.

  • $4,800 – Artist Underwriter (6 weeks)
    Covers a dancer’s wages for 6 weeks of rehearsals and performances (40 hrs/week).

  • $7,700 – Full Dancer Sponsorship
    Funds one dancer’s entire season — wages, housing, and travel.

🌟 Monthly Giving — The Pointe Circle

  • $25/month – Supports rehearsal supplies and dancer wellness resources.

  • $50/month – Provides weekly groceries for a dancer living in San Diego.

  • $100/month – Helps cover housing and travel support for artists.

  • $250/month – Supports one full week of rehearsals (40 hours) for a dancer.

  • $500–650/month – Sponsors an entire dancer’s summer contract over the course of a year.

✨ Yearly Giving Levels

  • $1,000 – Community Patron
    Provides essential support for rehearsal space and dancer wellness.

  • $2,500 – Travel & Training Sponsor
    Funds flights for multiple dancers and helps cover injury-prevention resources.

  • $5,000 – Artist Underwriter
    Covers a dancer’s full summer contract wages.

  • $10,000 – Season Sponsor
    Fully sponsors one dancer’s season — wages, housing, and travel.

Every gift makes a tangible impact. Choose a giving level that speaks to you and know your support directly sustains Pointeworks artists.