In 2008, Ms. Glorya Kaufman established the Glorya Kaufman Dance Foundation, an organization rooted in her love for dance and her belief that dance is restorative to the mind, body and spirit of people. In 2018, the name of the foundation was changed to The Glorya Kaufman Foundation and its mission has expanded to include Ms. Kaufman’s other signature philanthropic initiatives.
The Glorya Kaufman Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or letters of inquiry in order to concentrate its resources on signature initiatives that support its funding strategies.
Past Foundation Grants:
The Glorya Kaufman School of Dance and Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center at the University of Southern California
In 2012, Ms. Kaufman founded the Glorya Kaufman School of Dance at USC in order to provide the highest caliber of dancers from around the world with an elevated artistic education that would help them to achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders and global citizens. By remaining responsive to an evolving and worldwide performing arts community, USC Kaufman fosters artistic, intellectual and personal growth for its students; thus, preparing them for successful careers as well-qualified dance artists and leaders. Housed within the state-of-the-art, 54,000-square-foot Glorya Kaufman International Dance Center, USC Kaufman continues to attract and retain renowned faculty in all disciplines of dance, and to encourage students to take an active role in shaping the world of dance.
The Ailey School in New York and national Ailey Camps
The Glorya Kaufman Foundation provided four scholarships in perpetuity for The Ailey School/ Fordham University Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance in addition to supporting the development of new choreographic work. The Foundation also provided funding for Ailey Camp, a program that provides dance classes taught by Alvin Ailey dancers to children from inner-cities from across the US, including Los Angeles.
Glorya Kaufman Dance Studio at The Juilliard School in New York
The Foundation funded the construction of the Glorya Kaufman Dance Studio at The Juilliard School in New York City. The new glass-walled studio overlooks Broadway.
Glorya Kaufman Hall at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Ms. Kaufman’s gift to UCLA transformed its old Women’s Gym into Glorya Kaufman Hall, a state-of-the-art dance building with six rehearsal studios and a black box theater.
Inner City Arts
Ms. Kaufman’s gift provided dance teachers in perpetuity for a South Central arts school. The program, called Glorya Kaufman Academy of Dance, enables students to take dance classes from preschool through high school graduation.
Mar Vista Family Center
Ms. Kaufman provided funds for the completion of the Center Building at Mar Vista Family Center, an organization that provides schooling and care for low-income children and new mothers. Ms. Kaufman provided the funds for the completion of a gym/ dance floor in the new center.
The Glorya Kaufman Foundation continues to prioritize non-profit organizations that make a meaningful impact on health and wellness, and does not support individual dance companies or theater groups. Most recent health and wellness programs supported by The Glorya Kaufman Foundation include:
USC Roski Eye Clinic
Ms. Kaufman donated proceeds of her Paris apartment to the USC Eye Clinic to perform surgeries on children from infancy to 22 years of age in order to correct the alignment of their eyes. The surgery corrects the condition called strabismus that often affects children from birth.
Vista Del Mar
In 2019, Ms. Kaufman’s gift will complete the renovation of a synagogue at Vista Del Mar, a school for children with developmental disabilities, into a new 300-seat theater with a rehearsal room, and special dance /movement classrooms for autistic children.