December brings with it a plethora of Nutcracker productions, but that’s not the only show on offer. Whether you’re looking for a memorable trip to the Land of the Sweets or would prefer something Sugarplum-free, here are 10 shows on our radar.

On any given night across the country, queer people can be found dancing hand in hand, arm in arm, cheek to cheek in bars, bowling alleys, and convention centers. From line dance classes to salsa parties to Irish dance céilís, social dance culture is becoming increasingly queer-friendly, often flipping the script on the strict gender binary these genres have traditionally upheld. And while the recent surge in LGBTQ+ social dance is undeniable, so too are the progressive—and, in some cases, queer—roots of many of these dance styles.

An American company crossing the pond for the first time, festivals centering Asian dancemakers, premieres responding to colonization, transgender identity, audience relationships, and more—the performance landscape over the next two months is overflowing with possibility. Here’s what’s at the top of our lists.

Unexpected collaborations, women-led ballets, superstar choreographers turning their talents to opera and musical theater, singular dancemakers wrestling with issues of labor, environmental justice, and more—here’s what our contributors are looking forward to most as the 2023–24 season gets underway.

I’m glad I have dance; it’s the constant. It’s the lens through which I experience everything else. It’s simply the most interesting thing I’ve ever chosen to do.

“People think being nonbinary is like this third gender, but it’s anything but. My nonbinary identity is an outright rejection of the concept of gender as a whole.”

What happens when a dance festival is set to celebrate a landmark anniversary, but a global pandemic has other plans? Chicago’s Rhythm World, the oldest tap festival in the country, should have enjoyed its 30th iteration last summer. Disrupted by COVID-19, it was quickly reimagined for virtual spaces with a blend of recorded and livestreamed […]

It’s always been difficult for independent dance artists to gain traction, since they often exist outside of more secure infrastructures provided by full-time companies. They are used to rejection, injury and the usual career interrupters. But to be COVID-canceled is especially harsh, since it’s totally out of an artist’s control. And it’s particularly disappointing when […]