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, […]

Rena Butler in a red dress is seen from the hips up, leaning to the side, hands framing her face loosely. She looks at the camera with an open expression

Rena Butler: The Epitome of Contemporary Cool

As a rising senior at the Conservatory of Dance at Purchase College, Rena Butler asked Amber Lee Parker to create her graduation solo. Parker, a Purchase alumna, was then dancing with choreographer Kyle Abraham’s company. To suss out Butler’s ways of working, Parker invited the 21-year-old to a rehearsal on a hot summer day in […]