Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles, California
L.A. Dance Project
Benjamin Millepied's contemporary dance company in the DTLA Arts District, opening its studio for community ballet, contemporary, improvisation, and somatic classes.
- Contemporary
- Ballet
How L.A. Dance Project comes across
L.A. Dance Project comes across as a touring contemporary company and presenting organization rather than a conventional teaching studio — a parent should read it primarily as a professional ensemble with civic and community programming. Its own homepage is dominated by seasons and events: "City of Dance," a citywide program of free public performances with Paris Dance Project; appearances at the Ojai Music Festival; and its self-presented "MovementFest LA." The framing is artist- and repertory-driven, foregrounding its company dancers, a downtown studio, and a "Santa Barbara Fund for New Choreography," with Van Cleef & Arpels named as presenting sponsor — signals of a well-patronized, internationally oriented contemporary institution. Community and studio links exist in the navigation, suggesting some classes and engagement programming, but the public face is performance, new choreography, and public access to dance. The impression is of a serious, contemporary-dance organization whose center of gravity is the stage and the choreographic project, not graded instruction for young beginners.
An editor's impression, drawn from the school's own website and public materials, 13 June 2026. Not a review — if it misses the mark, the school or a parent can tell us via the form below.
About the school
L.A. Dance Project is a nonprofit contemporary dance company founded in 2012 under the artistic direction of Benjamin Millepied, former New York City Ballet principal and former director of dance at the Paris Opera Ballet. The company opened its dedicated studio and performance space in the Downtown LA Arts District on Washington Boulevard in 2017. LADP hosts community classes led by company artists and guest instructors in ballet, contemporary, improvisation, and somatic practices, alongside a residency program for LA-based artists, a summer intensive, and the company's repertory performance season.
At a glance
- Address
- 2245 E Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90021
- Suburb
- Downtown Los Angeles
- City
- Los Angeles
- State
- California
- Disciplines
- Contemporary, Classical Ballet, Improvisation, Somatic Practices
- Approach
- Both
What stands out
- i.Founded by Benjamin Millepied (2012)
- ii.Studio opened in Arts District (2017)
- iii.Annenberg-funded community programs
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