The dance is a gift
Why is Soul Sanctuary Dance volunteer-produced and offered as a gift without an admission fee?
Our mission is to produce a welcoming and inclusive all-ages community freestyle dance that supports free expression, community, physical and emotional health, and a spirit of generosity. An all volunteer produced dance offered as a gift is the best way we can see to further that mission.
Is this a viable "business model"? How is it going?
We have been been inching towards this model since the beginning in 2003: a lot of volunteer effort went into the dance, and for a long time we had a sliding scale admission fee, and a policy of "no one turned away for lack of funds." In May, 2010 we made the full transition to all volunteer and no admission fee. As we expected, we have plenty of volunteer help, and our dance is sustaining itself through "pay it forward" gifts. Each year, over 350 hours of volunteer time makes our dance possible, and we receive about $4000 in gifts. We spend that money on rent, music, fruit, our email list, postcards, supplies, technology, and business registration. Our finances are public.
Is the dance really a gift?
Yes. Since 2010, we've made it explicit that the dance is something we all give each other. There are no expectations or strings attached. We post this invitation at the welcome table: "Your dance today at Soul Sanctuary Dance is a gift from those who have made donations to the dance, and from the volunteers who organize and produce the dance. We invite you to pay this generosity forward for future dancers, in whatever amount or manner you choose, so that we can continue to keep this chain of gifts alive."
Where did this idea come from?
We were inspired by several all-volunteer gift ecology organizations, including these:
ServiceSpace
Karma Kitchen
Works & Conversations Magazine
greenmuseum.org
Karma Clinic
Can I volunteer? Can I make a gift of money or goods to the dance?
Yes. To volunteer, contact us. To make a physical gift, contact the organizers. To give money, use this link: paypal.me/soulsanctuarydance (Note: Account name says Herbert Heinz).
Our mission is to produce a welcoming and inclusive all-ages community freestyle dance that supports free expression, community, physical and emotional health, and a spirit of generosity. An all volunteer produced dance offered as a gift is the best way we can see to further that mission.
Is this a viable "business model"? How is it going?
We have been been inching towards this model since the beginning in 2003: a lot of volunteer effort went into the dance, and for a long time we had a sliding scale admission fee, and a policy of "no one turned away for lack of funds." In May, 2010 we made the full transition to all volunteer and no admission fee. As we expected, we have plenty of volunteer help, and our dance is sustaining itself through "pay it forward" gifts. Each year, over 350 hours of volunteer time makes our dance possible, and we receive about $4000 in gifts. We spend that money on rent, music, fruit, our email list, postcards, supplies, technology, and business registration. Our finances are public.
Is the dance really a gift?
Yes. Since 2010, we've made it explicit that the dance is something we all give each other. There are no expectations or strings attached. We post this invitation at the welcome table: "Your dance today at Soul Sanctuary Dance is a gift from those who have made donations to the dance, and from the volunteers who organize and produce the dance. We invite you to pay this generosity forward for future dancers, in whatever amount or manner you choose, so that we can continue to keep this chain of gifts alive."
Where did this idea come from?
We were inspired by several all-volunteer gift ecology organizations, including these:
ServiceSpace
Karma Kitchen
Works & Conversations Magazine
greenmuseum.org
Karma Clinic
Can I volunteer? Can I make a gift of money or goods to the dance?
Yes. To volunteer, contact us. To make a physical gift, contact the organizers. To give money, use this link: paypal.me/soulsanctuarydance (Note: Account name says Herbert Heinz).
