About Danse4Nia
At Danse4Nia, we're committed to using dance to foster personal, cultural, and social change.
Our Mission
In the Kiswahili language, the word “nia” means “purpose.” As an organization, we dance for purpose — to inspire ourselves and others toward positive personal, social and cultural change.
Founded in 2006 by Antoinette M. Coward-Gilmore, Danse4Nia is one of Philadelphia’s premiere performing arts organization serving as the home to professional project-based, dance company Phoenix Danse, youth dance company Nia-Next and arts education/ performing arts training program Danse4Nia Conservatory.
Our mission is to educate, empower and create the next generation of well-rounded arts advocates and citizens by presenting exceptional dance works, collaborating with artists across genres and delivering high-impact residencies.
Since our creation, Danse4Nia has become known for drawing audiences “in” with its passionate brand of performance, showcasing excellence in various genres including the Horton Technique and contemporary movement vocabularies.
Celebrating 20 Years of Purpose
For two decades, Danse4Nia has been more than a dance organization—it’s been a movement. From packed theaters to transformative classrooms, we’ve empowered thousands of artists and audiences through bold, socially conscious performances and meaningful arts education.
This milestone isn’t just about looking back—it’s a celebration of the impact we’ve made and the future we’re building. As we mark 20 years of inspiring change through dance, we honor our legacy by continuing to push boundaries, nurture talent, and use movement as a force for purpose.
Join us as we commemorate this journey with special events, powerful performances, and opportunities to give back to the community that made it all possible.
Our History
DANSE4NIA (official name DANSE4NIA REPERTORY ENSEMBLE, INC.) was created in April 2006 by Antoinette M. Coward-Gilmore to uplift, advocate for and share the power of dance and the performing arts as a tool for change in Philadelphia and across the region.
Debuting “Assemble 4 Purpose” in the world renown Philly Fringe Festival in September 2006 with New York based spoken word artist Mo Beasley and International Turntablist DJ Razor Ramon, DANSE4NIA quickly became a strong performing entity, showcasing works from established choreographers the late Faye B. Snow, Shawn-Lamere Williams and artistic director Coward-Gilmore.