Dance

‘Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelemen

Watching Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater perform is a spiritual experience. Beauty, power, and strength reach out from the stage to grab hold of an audience. Now, more than ever, it’s time to...

’30th Annual Choreographers’ Showcase’ at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center by Rick Westerkamp

When I attend a showcase of multiple artists’ works, I expect that the program will be distributed evenly between those that intrigue, and those that bore. It’s a good evening in the theatre when one...

‘SoLe Sanctuary’ with Savion Glover at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts by Audrey Thornton

Savion Glover, artist, actor, choreographer and tap dance superstar extraordinaire, is widely known to everyone, young or old, who loves tap. His latest offering, SoLe Sanctuary offers audiences a...

National Ballet of Canada’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelemen

Canadian dancers chase away winter blahs Washington area folks are dealing with the winter doldrums and the concern about RGIII’s surgically repaired knee. If you’re looking for some daylight, hurry...

‘Qingming Riverside’ at The Kennedy Center by Mike Spain

Qingming Riverside is based on one of China’s most famous paintings, Along the River during the Qingming Festival by painter Zhang Zeduan. The painting is considered a Chinese masterpiece and a...

‘Fiesta de los Reyes Magos/The Three Kings Day Celebration’ at Gala Hispanic Theatre by Carolyn Kelemen

Three kings, a live donkey and dancers galore add up to a GALA DC celebration Since the annual Fiesta de los Reyes Magos/The Three Kings Day Celebration has become so popular in the DC’s...

The Best of 2012: Part 1: ‘Dance Memories, 10 Favorites of 2012’ by Carolyn Kelemen

Alicia’s star still shines the brightest Off stage, she is a stunning five foot 10 inch woman with incredibly long arms and legs that go on seemingly forever. When she dances, she stretches her...

The Moscow Ballet’s ‘The Great Russian Nutcracker’ at The Music Center at Strathmore by Jessica Vaughan

The Moscow Ballet delivers a sweet production of this holiday classic for their 20th anniversary tour. They work with over 3,600 children around the U.S. to fill many of the roles of the ballet and...

‘JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance’ at The Kennedy Center by Jessica Vaughan.

An impressive gathering of American tap convened at The Kennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater for JUBA! Masters of Tap and Percussive Dance. The Chicago Rhythm Project collected twelve performances of...

‘Collision Course – a.k.a. Pillow Talk’ at George Washington University by Rick Westerkamp

Collision Course – a.k.a. Pillow Talk, choreographed by Maida Withers and performed by the Maida Withers Dance Construction Company (MWDCC), is a beautifully complex and thought-provoking piece of...

Ballet West: ‘The Nutcracker’ at The Kennedy Center by Tiffany Draut

There are certain things that always signal the holiday season: among others, candy canes, Santa Claus in the mall, and The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is the ballet of the holiday season, and Ballet...

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company at The Kennedy Center by Breena Siegel

Lar Lubovitch displays his work of artful dance at the Kennedy Center for two nights only. He is amongst the brilliant choreographers on the contemporary dance lineup for the 2012 – 2013 season. Lar’s...

‘Tap Dogs’ at The Music Center at Strathmore by Jessica Vaughan

Six tap dancers brought the house down at The Music Center at Strathmore in a spectacular performance of the Aussie sensation Tap Dogs. It is a surround sound and sight experience as six dancers build...

‘Flamenco: Territorio DeMente’ at Gala Hispanic Theatre by Colleen Sproull

A full house greeted me as I took my seat at the trendy Gala Hispanic Theatre for an exciting evening of Flamenco: Territorio DeMente, part of Fuego Flamenco VIII. A Flamenco virgin, I was mystified...

‘San Francisco Ballet Program B’ by Breena Siegel

San Francisco Ballet, the oldest professional ballet company in the country, wins hearts over with their classical version of Romeo & Juliet. The age-old story is set again the backdrop of sweeping...

The San Francisco Ballet ‘Program A’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelemen

San Francisco Ballet heightens dance expectations Hoist the flags! Uncork the champagne! Let the balloons fly high and wide! The DC ballet season has popped! And it took the oldest ballet company in...

‘The Suzanne Farrell Ballet Program A’ at The Kennedy Center by Colleen Sproull

Growing up as a serious ballet dancer, Suzanne Farrell was one of my biggest idols – she still is. Last night, I couldn’t believe I was so lucky to be sitting in the Eisenhower Theater of the Kennedy...

Hubbard Street 2 & CityDance Conservatory Dancers at Strathmore by Breena Siegel

The CityDance Conservatory and Chicago-based Hubbard Street 2 of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago joined forces over the weekend to perform an array of celebrated works. Hubbard Street 2 is the...

‘Spiraling’ at The Music Center at Strathmore’s CityDance Studio Theater by Breena Siegel

“You are half of the performance,” Artistic Director Christopher K. Morgan of Christopher K. Morgan & Artists (CKM&A) reminded the audience before his company took the stage for the evening-length...

Miřenka Čechová presents ‘S/he is Nancy Joe’ at Mead Flaspoint November 9-11th

Award-winning performer Miřenka Čechová brings her unique blend of movement style to the American premiere of her newest work, S/he is Nancy Joe in a series of preview performances at the Mead Theatre...

‘Dracula’ at The Washington Ballet by Carolyn Kelemen

The Redskins may be in a slump but The Washington Ballet has never looked better. The nation’s capital premier ballet troupe is beginning its season with an impressive undertaking of the full-length,...

‘VelocityDC Dance Festival’ by Breena Siegel

VelocityDC Dance Festival kicked off this past Thursday at the Sidney Harman Hall at Shakespeare Theatre Company. Entering its fourth year, the festival provides an opportunity to experience dance in...

Mariinsky Ballet’s ‘Cinderella’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelemen

Young Russian dancers keep Cinderella on her toes With its remarkable legacy of theatrical and musical traditions, St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Ballet boasts the best ballerinas and male bravura – the...

‘Voices of Strength: Two Programs of Contemporary Dance and Theater by Women in Africa’ at The Kennedy Center by Jennifer Perry

On October 4 and 5, 2012, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts played host to a MAPP International Productions tour that showcases the work of talented female choreographers from Haiti,...

An Interview With Choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess by Rick Westerkamp

In preparation for his show on September 21st, 22 and 23 at 8 PM at The Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre, I interviewed Dana Tai Soon Burgess, the director of DC modern dance company Dana Tai Soon Burgess...

‘The Bad Boys of Dance’ at Montgomery College by Carolyn Kelemen

Bad Boys get folks begging for more The Bad Boys of Dance, with guest artist Adrienne Canterna of Pretty Girls of Dance, attracts an audience looking for a fun night on the town. These fans – who were...

A Preview of Dance in DC and Baltimore by Carolyn Kelemen

Take a bite out of dance Call it intuition, cultural channeling or just a hunch, but the feeling here is that this is going to be a lively and wide-ranging dance season. It’s also going to be quite...

‘Paul Taylor Dance Company’ at Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center by Tiffany Draut

If tonight’s performance by the Paul Taylor Dance Company is anything to go on, this year’s season at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland College Park is going to be...

An Appreciation of Post Dance Critic Alan M. Kriegsman by Carolyn Kelemen

Each ballet season at the Kennedy Center Opera House, dancers flock to see the company chosen for the opening program. This year, the Mariinsky (a.k.a. The Kirov) will oblige. However, the man usually...

‘Double Consciousness’ by Holly Bass and Jaamil Olawale Kosoko at Dance Place by Breena Siegel

Double Consciousness is a fierce amalgam of the creative personalities of performance artists Holly Bass and Jaamil Olawale Kosoko. It is a unique and rare opportunity to experience the vibrant minds...

Dance Review: Bill T. Jones and the Arnie Zane Dance Company performing ‘Story/Time’ at Wolf Trap by Carolyn Kelemen

“All art is informed by a spiritual impulse,” Bill T. Jones told fans at a Columbia Festival of the Arts workshop in 1994, which I attended. “Language and idea and emotion transcend intellectual...

Coming to The Capital Fringe Festival: ‘Donna Has a Boyfriend: A Collection of Works’ by Hayley Cutler

Donna Has a Boyfriend is a collection of three works from critically acclaimed postmodern dance company darlingdance. The show consists of (The Censoring of) Approximate Location, a controversial...

‘Giselle’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelemen

Romantic Giselle gets new life When The Paris Opera Ballet performs Giselle at The Kennedy Center through the weekend, you won’t see the traditional, slow entrance from the wings by the “Wilis” –...

‘Bolshoi Ballet’s Coppélia’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelemen

Bolshoi Ballet adds comic flair to Coppélia Subtlety has never been considered a characteristic of the Bolshoi Ballet. The reputation of the 236-year-old Russian company suggests dance that is flashy,...

‘Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’ at The Lyric by Carolyn Kelemen

Ailey gets audiences begging for more More than any other major dance company, the world famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater attracts an audience looking for a fun night on the town. These fans...

Alicia Graf Mack: Dancing with Ailey American Dance Theater at The Lyric by Carolyn Kelemen

Alicia’s talent just keeps growing by leaps and bounds. The phones have been ringing off the hooks with callers wanting to know which shows Columbia’s sweetheart ballerina, Alicia Graf Mack, will be...

Dance Review: ‘Noism’ at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelermen

If off-the wall comedy, space-age dancing, technical wonders, and choreography that defies definition turn you on, catch tonight’s performance of choreographer/lighting designer/architect/poet Jo...

An Interview with Come Fly Away’s Ashley Blair Fitzgerald by Carolyn Kelemen

Ashley Blair Fitzgerald swings back into town When you dance in a Twyla Tharp show, you’ve got to do more than pirouettes or pretty ballet steps. Tharp’s choreography is unique. It’s gutsy, quirky and...

‘ALICE (in wonderland)’ at The Washington Ballet by Carolyn Kelemen

Alice (in La La Land) takes us on a heady trip Moments before last night’s world premiere of ALICE (in wonderland), Septime Webre bounced onto the Eisenhower Theater stage as he has done so many times...

An Interview with CityDance’s Lorraine Spiegler by Jane Coyne

I recently had the opportunity to visit with Lorraine Spiegler – Director of Studio Education of and Conservatory at CityDance. CityDance is a wonderful arts organization, and they have very exciting...

New York City Ballet at The Kennedy Center by Carolyn Kelemen

New York City Ballet Carries on the Message of the Master Ballet troupes have their ups and downs and dancers come and go, but the New York City Ballet soars high and steady because of a dance style...