Dance Team World
Education Foundation

Why the dance team community needs a non-profit organization like ours!

OUR MISSION

We are a nonprofit organization on a mission to open doors and ignite possibilities for young dancers through unforgettable programs, powerful resources, and life-changing opportunities.

As a nonprofit, we’re driven by purpose — not profit. Every dollar we raise goes right back into supporting the dance team community: scholarships that make dreams possible, competitions that celebrate every level of talent, national and international events that inspire, and digital tools that keep teams connected and growing.

Whether it’s a dancer stepping on stage for the first time or a team traveling across the country to compete — we’re here to help make it happen.

OUR VISION

Dance Team World Education Foundation believes that every student deserves more than just a place to perform — they deserve a platform to belong, be seen, and become the best version of themselves.

Our vision is a future where dance team culture is inclusive, creative, and empowering — no matter a dancer’s background, zip code, physical challenges, or financial circumstance.

Through collaborative partnerships, high-impact programming, and a national network of passionate educators and artists, Dance Team World is building a community where dancers don’t just succeed — they shine!

DO YOU REMEMBER VIRTUAL DANCE NATIONALS?

Dance Team World didn’t start as an organization — it started as a movement.

In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, founder Activate Arroyo created Virtual Dance Nationals as a safe, online platform for school-based dance teams to celebrate their creativity and resilience. The event went viral, inspiring coaches & dance teams across the country to share their art.

By 2023, Activate expanded those community-building efforts into Dance Team World, launching a popular vlog that continues to grow on social media.

In 2025, we officially became the Dance Team World Education Foundation (DTWEF) — a pending 501(c)(3)nonprofit — with a mission to support the dance team community and advocate for K–12 dance education opportunities nationwide.

ABOUT OUR FOUNDER

ACTIVATE ARROYO
Founder / Executive Director

When it comes to dance team, Activate Arroyo isn’t just a producer — he’s one of you.

With roots as a coach, choreographer, and full-time high school dance teacher, Activate brings a rare and authentic perspective to the dance team world. He knows firsthand what it takes to build a program, lead a team, and inspire young dancers to greatness — because he’s done it himself every step of the way.

Activate trained at the world-renowned EDGE Performing Arts Center in Hollywood and holds a BFA in Film & Television Production from UCLA and an MFA in Arts Education. In 2006, he left the commercial dance industry to dedicate himself to public education and youth arts, opening the dance department at Grand Arts High School (Los Angeles, CA) and later transforming his program at Mark Keppel High School (Alhambra, CA) into one of the top-ranked teams in the country (His students have earned 35 national championship titles since 2016).

His career highlights include:

? Creative Consultant for the 2016 Rio Olympics Opening/Closing Ceremonies

? Featured Coach & Co-Choreographer on NBC’s World of Dance and America’s Got Talent

? Executive Producer of Miss Dance Drill Team USA 50th Anniversary National Competition, where he also served as Executive Director/Producer for 12 years.

? Created the world’s first live-streamed Virtual Dance Nationals during the COVID-19 lockdown

Recently stepping away from coaching and having launched the Dance Team World Education Foundation, Activate is focused on a bold new mission — to reimagine dance team events that are truly built for the dance team community, by the dance team community.

Because at Dance Team World, it’s simple: We are you.