The Art of Dancing Without Music

While dance is often considered inextricably linked to music, the absence of music can open a unique space for exploration. Three artists share their experiences and advice for dancing in works without music.

a group of dancers smiling while in rehearsal

Mark Morris Dance Group Makes Its Debut at New York City Mainstay The Joyce Theater

The choreographer turns 67 in August, three months before his company turns 43, yet Mark Morris Dance Group has never appeared onstage at the venerable­ Manhattan venue—until now. MMDG’s first-ever Joyce engagement, August 1 to 12, features eight shorter works choreographed between 1980 and 2023, including a world premiere set to Bach’s keyboard partita no. 3 in A minor, mischievously titled A minor Dance.

7 Shows Hitting Screens, Stages or Scenic Settings This Month

Spring is in the air, and performance calendars are (dare we say it?) almost as busy as they ever have been, if still largely housed on the internet. This mix of online screenings, outdoor events and indoor performances for limited audiences caught our eye this month. Caged In Stefanie Batten Bland’s Kolonial Maria Baranova, Courtesy […]

Being a Great Dancer Doesn’t Automatically Mean You’re a Gifted Teacher

Recently, I asked fellow dancers on Facebook for a one-word self-assessment of the first class they ever taught. “Chaotic,” “humbling” and “copycat” were just some of their responses. I was not surprised. For my first-ever class, intermediate ballet for my fellow college students in 2011, I was armed with little more than my own experiences […]

Mark Morris Is About to Become His Own Landmark

There’s always been something larger than life about choreographer Mark Morris. Of course, there are the more than 150 works he’s made and that incisive musicality that makes dance critics drool. But there’s also his idiosyncratic, no-apologies-offered personality, and his biting, no-holds-barred wit. And, well, his plan to keep debuting new dances even after he’s […]

The Dos and Don'ts of Becoming a More Musical Dancer

You know compelling musicality when you see it. But how do you cultivate it? It’s not as elusive as it might seem. Musicality, like any facet of dance, can be developed and honed over time—with dedicated, detailed practice. At its most fundamental, it’s “respect for the music, that this is your partner,” says Kate Linsley, […]