A dancer costumed in bright yellow steps into a wide stance, legs crossed. Her arms are raised at the elbows, hair flying up as she begins to turn. In the foreground, a couple of dancers stride around her. Upstage are musicians.

A Sizzling Summer: The Shows to Catch as Festival Season Hits Its Stride

Summer festival season is underway, boasting a staggering number of must-see performances. Here are a handful of highlights, along with a pair of July premieres happening outside any festival umbrella. American Dance Festival DURHAM, NC  The modern dance festival’s 90th-anniversary season blazes on through July 22, with 32 performances featuring 13 festival commissions, 9 premieres, […]

Meet Our 2021 "25 to Watch"

At a moment when our field feels ripe for reinvention, the artists on our annual list of dancers, choreographers and companies poised for a breakout year are brimming with possibilities. Here they are: the 25 movers, makers and multi-hyphenates we believe are shaping the dance world of tomorrow. Keerati Jinakunwiphat Jayme Thornton For Keerati Jinakunwiphat, […]

Mark Your Calendars: October's Must-See Shows, According to Our Editors

From an indie rock collaboration to major anniversary celebrations to yet another retelling of the Orpheus myth, the fall performance season has fully hit its stride. Here are the six shows we have on our calendars. Orchestrating the Underworld Wayne McGregor and his company in rehearsal Camilla Greenwell, Courtesy McGregor LONDON Wayne McGregor will be […]

What To Do When You All of A Sudden Have A New Artistic Director

When news reached the Limón Dance Company that Colin Connor was replacing longtime director Carla Maxwell in 2016, the tight-knit group experienced a range of emotions. “Everyone agreed that fresh energy would be a benefit to the company,” says veteran dancer Logan Kruger. But the excitement lasted only until the fear sunk in—there would be […]

Why Physically Integrated Dance Still Faces So Many Challenges

After 30 years of pioneering work in physically integrated dance, AXIS Dance Company co-founder Judith Smith has announced plans to retire from the Oakland, California, company. Throughout her tenure, she strived to get equal recognition for integrated dance and disabled dancers, commissioning work from high-profile choreographers like Bill T. Jones. Her efforts generated huge momentum […]

Keep On Turning: New Artistic Director Marc Brew's Big Plans for AXIS Dance Company

Now in its 30th year, AXIS Dance Company, the pioneering physically integrated troupe in Oakland, California, is celebrating with a new artistic director, a new logo and expanded ambitions. Australia-born Marc Brew, 40, took the helm this spring. A dancer, choreographer and filmmaker, Brew trained at The Australian Ballet School and was a 20-year-old professional […]

"Occupy" Is Not Your Average Site-Specific Work

On July 1 and 2, San Francisco audiences will encounter a performance that’s an unsettling kick to our assumptions. Stephan Koplowitz has created Occupy, A site-specific journey through an urban garden to be performed by AXIS Dance Company at the Yerba Buena Gardens. This is a dance about inclusion. Site-specific dance is Koplowitz’s mainstay. In […]

This Powerful Video Shows What It's Like to Dance with Cerebral Palsy

When Jerron Herman was diagnosed with hemiplegia cerebral palsy, the doctors told him that he would likely need help doing everyday tasks like eating and getting dressed. Today, Herman is six years into his professional dance career. He currently performs with Heidi Latsky Dance, an integrated company that includes dancers with a range of physical […]