USDD Dance to Business Academy
Love Dance.
Build a Career.
Make a Living.
Your talent deserves opportunities. Learn how to turn your passion for dance into a sustainable professional career through personalised one-to-one business mentoring, career planning and practical resources. Your support is shaped case by case around your experience, ambitions and circumstances.
In development · Register your interest · No payment required
Your experience. Your ambition.
Dance career support for every style
For dancers ready to understand the business behind their craft, from emerging dancers aged 18–25 to experienced professionals building their next chapter.
- Emerging dancers, 18–25
- Professional dancers
- Freelance dance teachers
- Choreographers and performers
- Dance crew leaders
- Aspiring studio owners
- Creative entrepreneurs
No previous business experience is needed. Bring your questions, your ideas and a willingness to put learning into practice. The proposed programme is intended for adults aged 18+.
Rooted in street dance. Open to all dancers.
Our dance business mentoring is especially relevant to hip-hop and street dancers, including practitioners of breaking, popping, locking, house, krump and litefeet. We also welcome dancers working in Afro dance, dancehall, Kizomba, salsa, kompa, bachata, commercial, contemporary, jazz, ballet, ballroom and other dance traditions. The focus is on building your dance career and creative business; this does not mean technical dance courses in every style are available.
Whether you want to earn from teaching hip-hop workshops, pitch choreography, develop a performance portfolio or build a freelance dance business, explore a route around your skills and goals. Online dance career development is planned for dancers across the UK and internationally.
Eight pathways. Practical next steps.
Dance career development that connects talent to opportunity
Explore how to make money as a dancer through skills, services and creative projects that suit your strengths. Our planned dance entrepreneurship courses combine professional dancer career advice with tools you can use.
Dance teaching and workshops
Shape a workshop offer, identify learners and organisations, and prepare a clear teaching portfolio. Dance teacher business training for freelance practice.
Choreography and performance
Present your creative work professionally, understand project briefs and develop proposals for performances and choreography.
Dance business and entrepreneurship
Turn an idea into a focused offer, consider costs and capacity, and map out a realistic business plan.
Personal branding and marketing
Clarify your identity, strengthen your portfolio and communicate your value through content and a professional online presence.
Sales, pricing and negotiation
Identify potential paying clients, prepare pitches, set prices and practise outreach and negotiation.
Digital products and online income
Explore courses, resources and digital offers. Assess the audience, effort and delivery involved before investing.
International opportunities and partnerships
Research relevant networks, build professional relationships and prepare for cross-border collaboration.
Funding, commissions and creative projects
Develop project ideas, outline budgets and outcomes, and prepare stronger funding and commission proposals.
Optional resources. Learn at your pace.
USDD Online Academy on Skool
The planned Skool platform will provide self-paced recorded courses, practical resources and templates. These optional learning resources are separate from your individual mentoring programme.
Choose resources relevant to your development. Private mentoring is delivered individually, not as a group course or shared cohort programme.
Proposed introductory memberships — these are plans for review, not live offers. Skool access, resource content and final prices will be confirmed before enrolment opens.
Community
Free
Community access and selected resources.
Dance Training
£15/month
Freestyle and dance development courses.
Dance to Business
£19/month
Self-paced business education and templates.
Full Academy
£29/month
Both dance training and business pathways.
No courses or memberships are being sold through this page. Joining the waiting list is free and does not reserve a place.
Founder-led. Focused on you.
Private dance business mentoring
Work one-to-one with Lexi Maize to examine your goals, strengthen your offer and build a practical plan. Each enquiry is assessed individually. Your priorities, session focus and action plan are agreed around your current situation, dance practice and career ambitions.
All mentoring prices below are proposed introductory prices, subject to approval. The packages outline possible levels of private support; the right approach and scope are agreed case by case after discussing your needs. There is no shared cohort or fixed group start date. Enquiries are open; bookings and payments are not.
Career Consultation
£65
One 60-minute private session
Explore your professional goals, current challenges and income opportunities. Leave with a practical action plan.
Enquire About a ConsultationBusiness Development Programme
£225
Four weeks · Three private sessions
Business planning, marketing, pricing, outreach and accountability to help you put your next steps into practice.
Enquire About the ProgrammeCareer Accelerator
£450
Eight weeks · Six private sessions
Personalised strategy, business development, sales planning and a 90-day growth roadmap.
Enquire About the AcceleratorInstalments may be available for selected programmes, subject to agreed arrangements. Ask when you enquire.
Realistic expectations: mentoring does not guarantee paid bookings, employment or specific income. Opportunities depend on your circumstances, actions and market demand.
Meet your mentor
Lexi Maize
Founder of USDD Networks · Lead mentor
Lexi leads USDD’s street dance practice, bringing together choreography, dance education, coaching, performance, events and creative projects across London and Kent.
The mentoring approach connects creative entrepreneurship with the practical work of developing projects, building partnerships and managing a dance organisation. USDD’s community and youth programmes inform an approach that respects different starting points and ambitions.
Meet the USDD team.
Different starting points. Shared ambition.
Accessible career development
Money should not stop dancers from exploring their next step. USDD aims to offer affordable self-paced resources, free introductory materials and potential sponsorship towards individual mentoring as the Academy develops.
Sponsored places depend on funding or partner support and are not currently guaranteed. Tell us about your interest in the waiting list form.
For colleges, universities, councils and youth organisations
Sponsor individual dancers to receive tailored career mentoring. Each dancer’s needs and support plan are assessed separately, with potential focus on enterprise, pricing, professional portfolios and progression.
Discuss Sponsored Individual MentoringRooted in London, Medway and Kent, with online learning planned for participants internationally.
Take the next step
Join the Academy waiting list
Tell us where you are now and where you want dance to take you. Choose “Join Academy Waiting List” in the form and share your interests and preferred package.
Registration is free. No launch date has been confirmed. We will use your details to respond and share relevant waiting list updates; wider marketing is optional and separate.
Open the Academy Waiting List FormRequest a private consultation
Choose “Request Private Consultation” in the same form. Share your current professional situation, challenges, desired outcomes and preferred format so we can discuss suitability and availability.
Request a Private ConsultationAn enquiry is not a confirmed booking. No payment is collected. Questions? Email info@usddnetworks.co.uk. Read our Privacy Policy.
Before you join
Frequently asked questions
Is this a group programme?
No. Career mentoring is delivered one-to-one and shaped case by case. Your goals, current challenges, priorities and action plan are discussed individually with Lexi. Optional Skool resources support self-paced learning and do not turn mentoring into a group programme.
Can beginners join?
Yes. You do not need previous business experience. The Academy is being developed for adults with different levels of dance experience; we will confirm the right pathway and entry details before enrolment.
Is dance business mentoring suitable for my dance style?
Yes. The business and career principles can support dancers across styles. USDD is rooted in street dance culture, with particular relevance to hip-hop, breaking, popping, locking, house, krump and litefeet. Afro dance, dancehall, Kizomba, salsa, kompa and bachata dancers are welcome, alongside dancers from other traditions. The focus is on career and business development; technical instruction in every style is not promised.
Do I need to be a professional dancer?
No. Emerging dancers, freelance teachers, choreographers, crew leaders and aspiring creative business owners can register interest.
Is the programme available internationally?
Online education and mentoring are planned for international participants. Session availability, time zones and any delivery requirements will be confirmed before booking. In-person activity depends on location.
What is the difference between Skool and private mentoring?
The proposed Skool memberships provide optional self-paced recorded learning and resources. Private mentoring is individual support with Lexi, shaped case by case around your own goals and business development. It is not a group programme.
Can I pay in instalments?
Instalments may be available for selected mentoring programmes. Terms must be agreed before booking. No instalment plan or payment product is live through this page.
Can an organisation sponsor my participation?
Yes. Organisations can enquire about sponsoring an individual dancer’s mentoring. Support is assessed case by case and depends on an agreed arrangement; USDD cannot promise funding.
Does joining guarantee paid dance work?
No. The programme supports your skills, planning and professional development. It does not guarantee bookings, employment or a particular level of income.
When can I start private mentoring?
There is no group intake or shared programme start date. We discuss your enquiry individually and agree a possible start around suitability, availability and the approved booking arrangements. Submitting an enquiry does not confirm a booking.