Harkness Center Healthy Dancer Initiative
The Harkness Center Healthy Dancer Initiative (HCHDI)
A program of the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries at NYU Langone Health in partnership with Broadway Dance Center, Gibney, and Mark Morris Dance Center.
HCHDI provides a cohort of professional dancers in financial need with free wellness workshops to encourage a sound, holistic approach to self-care and aid in career longevity and subsidized classes at three of New York City’s premier dance centers.
Benefits include:
- Free professional development courses, injury prevention workshops at the three Centers, led by Harkness Center for Dance Injuries staff.
- Free injury prevention workshops and check-in meetings at the four partner organizations as well as virtually.
- $5 dance technique and somatic classes at Broadway Dance Center, Gibney, and Mark Morris Dance Center. Dancers may take up to 25 classes over the six-month term across the three centers. All adult drop-in classes are included.
- Free Injury Prevention Assessment conducted by the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries.
Dancers are eligible based on financial need – gross household income is equal to or below 225% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) – and accepted by lottery into each six-month term. There are two terms each year. View Income Threshold Chart.
Term Dates: July 1 – December 30, 2026
- Application Opens: Wednesday, April 15, 2026
- Application Closes: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
- Notification of Acceptance: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
HOW TO APPLY
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Professional and professional-track dancers are eligible based on financial need which is determined based on income and household size.
Dancers are eligible based on financial need – gross household income is equal to or below 225% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) – and accepted by lottery into each six-month term. There are two terms each year. View Income Threshold chart.
60 dancers are accepted for each six-month term. Please note: Only complete and qualified applications will be entered into the lottery.
Participants should be based in the New York City area as most of the the class offerings are in person only.
We encourage participants to visit all Centers over the course of the program to experience a wider variety of teachers, styles, and environments. However, there are no requirements or quotas.
Dancers who have previously participated in an HCHDI cohort can re-apply after 3 years (or six 6-month terms) and will be considered a new applicant.