For the children of Kids Dance Outreach, dance is far more than movement. It is confidence, creativity, discipline, community, and for many, an opportunity they may never have imagined possible.
Founded by Michael Johnson, Kids Dance Outreach — widely known as KDO — was built on the belief that every child deserves access to the arts, regardless of socioeconomic background. Johnson’s own journey shaped that mission. Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, he and his family had limited resources, but ballet became a pathway that changed the course of his life. Alongside his brothers and friends, he discovered possibility through dance, eventually earning a full scholarship to Butler University, where he studied dance with a specialization in arts administration.
From there, Johnson spent a decade performing with the Boston Ballet before returning to the outreach world that had once inspired him. After teaching with his former program, CityDance, and later serving as a visiting professor at Butler University, he recognized a growing need in Indianapolis for a community-centered dance outreach organization that could provide children with the same life-changing opportunities he had received.
That vision eventually became Kids Dance Outreach.
According to KDO administrator Monica Munoz, the organization’s purpose was clear from the very beginning. She recalls Johnson saying, “We are going to be leading Kids Dance Outreach, but it doesn’t belong to us or any one person. It belongs to the children.”
For Munoz, that philosophy immediately defined the organization’s culture. “It was for the children, by the children, with the children,” she says. “Very early on, I could tell this was going to be centered in the mission of serving children above all else.”
Initially, KDO focused heavily on supporting children from underrepresented and marginalized communities, particularly Black and Brown youth who often lacked access to arts education. Over time, that mission expanded rather than shifted. Today, the organization continues prioritizing accessibility while embracing the idea that all children benefit from meaningful arts experiences.
That sense of inclusion and empowerment was especially evident during KDO’s major spring 2026 event, where supporters gathered to celebrate the organization’s next chapter — a future permanent home for the nonprofit. The evening centered around the idea of “breaking ground,” both literally and metaphorically, highlighting individuals throughout history who transformed culture simply by daring to be themselves.
The production referenced figures and movements that reshaped society through creativity, courage, and perseverance. From DJ Kool Herc revolutionizing music culture in the 1970s to Dolly Parton redefining storytelling through country music, the performance honored artists and changemakers who opened doors for future generations. It also paid tribute to figures like Ruby Bridges, whose bravery helped dismantle segregation, and Marshall “Major” Taylor, the pioneering Black cyclist who challenged perceptions of race and athletics in the late 19th century.
For KDO, these stories mirrored the organization’s own mission: creating space for children to discover their voice, their confidence, and their ability to shape the future.
Munoz says the organization plans to publicly launch the campaign for its new building in September 2026, with groundbreaking anticipated later in the year. Construction is expected to take approximately one year. Yet even with a permanent facility on the horizon, she emphasizes that the heart of the organization is not tied to a building alone. “KDO magic can happen anywhere,” she says.
Still, the new space represents a transformative opportunity. Beyond establishing long-term permanence for the organization, the facility will allow KDO to expand after-school programming, strengthen partnerships with schools and community organizations, and broaden opportunities for children with disabilities — programs that currently operate across four separate locations.
This summer, KDO will continue extending its reach into the community through a public arts event hosted in a nearby park close to the future site. Munoz describes the event as the result of extensive collaboration and funding efforts designed to make arts education visible and accessible in public spaces.
For the organization’s leadership, long-term success is measured less by growth metrics and more by lasting impact. “Success looks like permanence, quality, and an unwavering commitment to the mission and the children,” Munoz explains. “If those things are intact, everything looks promising.”
As a nonprofit, Kids Dance Outreach remains deeply committed to serving children and families free of charge. While partnerships with schools help offset some expenses, the organization subsidizes more than 75 percent of programming costs to ensure accessibility remains central to its mission. Volunteers and community supporters continue to play a vital role, whether through donations, mentorship, or simply investing time in the organization’s future.
For Indianapolis, KDO has become more than an arts program. It is a growing cultural force rooted in opportunity, belonging, and the belief that creativity can change lives. As Munoz describes it, “KDO is the jewel in the city that we have for our children and for the arts.”
