MISSION STATEMENT
Dance for All's Mission is to provide children in historically disadvantaged communities with the opportunity for enjoyment, promotion of self esteem and empowerment through the medium of dance, as well as training professional dancers and developing a unique, indigenous dance company.

ABOUT US
Dance  for All is honoured to have Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu as its Honorary Life Patron and Dr. Mamphela Ramphele and John Persenda as Patrons.

Philip Boyd, a former principal dancer with CAPAB (now Cape Town City Ballet), founded Dance for All in 1991 as Ballet for All. This was to build on the legacy of Cape Town ballet chief David Poole, who started teaching ballet in the townships of Cape Town in the mid-80s. Ballet for All began its life in a classroom in Gugulethu with 34 children participating. These numbers quickly multiplied and with the recruitment of more dance teachers, Boyd expanded the programme to include a diverse range of dance forms and in 1995, Ballet for All became Dance for All.

Today DFA runs an Outreach Programme of daily dance classes in ballet, African, contemporary, musical theatre and Spanish dance for over 1000 children and youth in the historically disadvantaged communities of Gugulethu, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Athlone and the rural areas of Barrydale , Montagu, McGregor, Bonnievale and Nkqubela near Robertson. Beyond teaching dance, these classes promote the personal development of the children by encouraging their creativity, self-discipline and confidence. DFA's students receive first-class training from a talented and diverse teaching team.

In addition to providing this positive extra-mural activity, DFA has become a highly regarded school of dance, successfully training a new generation of professional South African dancers. DFA has been able to achieve this through the introduction of its Junior and Senior Programmes. These  Programmes provide especially talented students with intensive dance training to prepare them for careers in the performing arts. Students on the Senior Ballet Programme receive a scholarship administered by DFA that pays for their school fees, textbooks, transport, dance training and togs.

Twenty 'graduates' of the DFA programme are now working professionally in the performing arts industries in South Africa and abroad.

In 2005, DFA formed its own Youth Company (DFAYC), which launched officially in November of the same year at the Artscape Theatre. The DFAYC had a unique signature style presenting a dynamic neo-classical/afro-contemporary repertoire, which included some of their own works as well as diverse pieces by established local and international choreographers.

In 2009, Philip Boyd, the CEO & Artistic Director announced the re-naming of the Dance for All Youth Company (DFAYC). The company will now be known as the InSPIRAtions Dance Company, after the late Phyllis Spira (OMSG),  Prima Ballerina Assoluta of CAPAB Ballet and the Assistant Artistic Director of the DFAYC up until her unexpected death in 2008.  Spira’s legacy, her inspirational influence and her incredible contribution to dance both in the professional arena and in the community, will be perpetuated in and through this vibrant company.