LOS ANGELES (August 5, 2025) – Today, Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center, issued the following statement:
“The Music Center and our Board of Directors are profoundly saddened to learn about the passing of Glorya Kaufman. An extraordinary champion of the performing arts and the dance field, in particular, Glorya was the catalyst for the growth of The Music Center’s acclaimed dance series, which is named Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center in her honor. Her gift to The Music Center has made it possible for us to bring the joy and beauty of dance into the hearts, minds and souls of countless Angelenos and visitors from around the world. As a result of Glorya’s significant visionary leadership and generosity, Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center today stands as a vital part of Los Angeles’ cultural fabric. We are honored to call Glorya a cherished friend and a devoted supporter of our work. We convey our heartfelt condolences to Glorya’s family and friends and will dedicate our upcoming 2025 – 2026 season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center to honor her legacy.”
In 2009, Glorya Kaufman made a $20 million gift to The Music Center. Her inaugural contribution to the organization also became the largest donation in Los Angeles’ dance history. Her celebrated gift set a new era for L.A.’s performing arts center to present a diverse range of internationally renowned dance companies—from The Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre and The Royal Ballet to Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Hispánico and numerous others—and to engage new audiences. The Music Center renamed its dance series in her honor, beginning with the 2009 – 2010 season.
Glorya was a widow to the late Donald Kaufman of KB Homes. Her Glorya Kaufman Dance Foundation has fueled the growth of other dance programs nationwide, including UCLA’s Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater, The Juilliard School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.
ABOUT THE MUSIC CENTER
As L.A.’s performing arts center, The Music Center convenes artists, communities and ideas with the goal of deepening the cultural lives of every resident in Los Angeles County. The $80 million non-profit performing arts organization has two divisions: TMC Arts and TMC Ops. TMC Arts, The Music Center’s programming engine, provides year-round programming inside The Music Center’s four theatres, on Jerry Moss Plaza, outside at Gloria Molina Grand Park—a 12-acre adjacent green space—in schools and other locations all over Los Angeles County. TMC Arts presents world-class dance with Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center, free and low-cost public concerts and events, live and digital K–12 arts education programs, workshops, performances, interactive experiences and special events. TMC Ops manages the theatres, the Plaza and Gloria Molina Grand Park, which comprise $3 billion in county assets, on behalf of the County of Los Angeles. The Music Center is also home to four renowned resident companies—Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Master Chorale, LA Opera and LA Phil. For more information, visit musiccenter.org. Follow The Music Center on social media @MusicCenterLA.
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