Support U.S. Artists Facing Grant Cancellation

URGENT: Help Us Restore the Funding for Inclusive Dance at XDance Festival!

We were thrilled to receive a $12,000 grant from the U.S. Embassy to Finland’s Small Grants Program to bring dancers and educators with disabilities to the X Dance Festival in Helsinki, Finland in June 2025. This funding recognized the incredible work of dance educators who have spent over 30 years pioneering accessibility in dance. Our plan was to share the unique and innovative inclusive pedagogy, which adapts American Modern Dance techniques (including those of Martha Graham and Doris Humphrey) to dancers of all bodyminds.

The X Dance Festival was set to be a powerful platform for international exchange, challenging each country’s best practices and fostering a deeper understanding of inclusive dance education. Through our workshops, we aimed to strengthen connections between American and Finnish dance communities, enriching both cultures with new perspectives and teaching strategies.

We were ready. Our Chicago-based dancers had already booked their flights. We were excited to represent American culture on an international stage, just as we did in South Africa at the JOMBA! Dance Festival (2024) with support from a USA Arts International Grant.

Then It All Fell Apart.

On January 31, 2025, our grant was abruptly terminated with the explanation that it “no longer effectuates agency priorities.” This decision leaves our dancers and educators with disabilities burdened with nonrefundable flight costs and no funding to support their participation in the festival. The festival itself is now unable to cover these expenses without the promised funds.

This cancellation is a direct consequence of Executive Order 14173: Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity. Our work—focused on making dance accessible—is now perceived as “illegal discrimination”, despite decades of success in creating opportunities for dancers with disabilities.

What’s at Stake

Why Your Help is Critical

Traveling as an artist with a disability is expensive—accessible housing costs more, caregivers aren’t always covered by grants, and additional accommodations are necessary. This abrupt retraction places the entire financial burden on the individual artists who were selected to share a unique and vital part of American dance culture.

We have represented the United States on international stages, and this was another opportunity to strengthen international connections and continue the work of inclusive dance education. But now, this trip to Finland might not happen unless we raise the retracted funds.

How You Can Help

We are calling on our community, allies, and advocates to step in and replace where a government award was not honored. Your donation will ensure that artists with disabilities can take their rightful place at X Dance Festival, sharing their knowledge, skill, and perspectives with the world.

This is not just about one trip—this is about ensuring that American artists with disabilities are not erased from cultural exchange and international representation.

Donate today. Share our story.