14 Dance Performances to See This Summer—5 Are FREE
Plus pay-what-you-wish events, Michelle Dorrance, Pilobolus and more
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Smuin Contemporary Ballet
The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in Chelsea
Runs July 9-14.
Founded 30 years ago by the late Tony-winning choreographer Michael Smuin (Sophisticated Ladies, Anything Goes with Patti LuPone), his namesake company dances on as a repertory troupe. Its Joyce program features three commissioned works, all NYC premieres: Val Caniparoli’s neoclassical Tutto Eccetto il Lavandino; Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Tupelo Tornado inspired by Elvis’ love-hate relationship with fame; and Renaissance by the company’s incoming artistic director Amy Seiwert.
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Aakash Odedra Company: Samsara
Runs July 11-12.
Part of India Week at Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City festival, Aakash Odedra Company’s Samsara draws on the essence of Buddhist philosophy, exploring the obstacles and states of mind that hold us back. Odedra, a striking British dancer of South Asian ancestry, made several memorable solo appearances in NYC over a decade ago. So his long overdue return with his eponymous troupe is a notable event.
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New Victory Theater, 209 West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in Midtown West
Runs July 11, 18 and 25
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Chelsea Green Park, 20th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues in Chelsea
CANCELED DUE TO RAIN. Runs July 12. FREE
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The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in Chelsea
Runs July 16-21
Prolific tap innovator Michelle Dorrance brings her namesake company back to The Joyce with a world premiere for which she provides not just some of the moves, but the entire percussive score. The hour-long work is inspired by the spirit and philosophy of one of Dorrance’s early mentors, Gene Medler, the founder and director of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble. Her company, a tight-knit group of musician-dancers, alternate between improvisational solos and choreographed ensemble sections.
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American Ballet Theatre: Like Water for Chocolate
Metropolitan Opera House, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza at 62nd Street on the Upper West Side
Runs July 16-20. If you’re a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase discount tickets.
American Ballet Theatre’s summer season wraps up this month with a return engagement of last year’s major premiere, Christopher Wheeldon’s Like Water for Chocolate, inspired by Laura Esquivel’s celebrated novel-turned-film about thwarted lovers. The score is by Joby Talbot, a longtime Wheeldon collaborator, and Bob Crowley created the elaborate scenery and costumes.
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Pam Tanowitz: Day for Night
Little Island, Pier 55 in Hudson River Park at 13th Street in the Meatpacking District
Runs July 17-21
A new work by the singularly musical and intelligent choreographer Pam Tanowitz is always a must-see. Day for Night is particularly exciting because she has crafted this world premiere to complement the dramatic natural landscape of Little Island. A meditation on memory and nostalgia, the piece was created with several of her longtime dancers and features costumes by Reid Bartelme & Harriet Jung.
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Pilobolus: re:CREATION
The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in Chelsea
Runs July 23-August 11
Pilobolus may have reached middle age but the unique 53-year-old troupe continues to evolve and create bold new works. The company returns for its annual summer run at The Joyce with two distinct programs: Dreams and Memory. In addition to performing classics, including early works Untitled and Gnomen, there will be two NYC premieres: the athletic duet Bloodlines and Tales from the Underworld set to a score by Stuart Bogie. Note that Memory features full frontal nudity. For a G-rated experience, try the family matinee on Saturday, Jul 27.
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Urban Bush Women 40th Anniversary Events
Various Lincoln Center venues in Lincoln Square
Runs July 26-August 4. All events are FREE. General admission is first come, first served or you can make free fast track reservations online in advance, which give you priority.
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar’s Urban Bush Women is still going strong at 40, continuing to explore and communicate the power, resourcefulness and spiritual strength of Black women. To mark its Ruby Anniversary, the troupe presents a series of no-cost events as part of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City festival. The main attraction is Haint Blu (July 28 and August 4), a roaming work in and around Hearst Plaza named after the color that Southern families paint their front porches to ward off evil spirits. Additional celebratory events include movement classes (July 26 and 28); How We Got to the Funk by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (July 26), a performative workshop; and Mindful Bodies and Reflective Practices (July 31 and August 4) focused on self-care and rejuvenation.
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Various Lincoln Center venues in Lincoln Square
Runs July 30-August 3. FREE and pay-what-you-wish.
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Bryant Park, 40th to 42nd Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown West
Runs August 10 and 31. FREE
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Rockefeller Park, enter at Murray Street and River Terrace in Battery Park City
Runs August 11-17. FREE
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Ballet Festival: UNITE
The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in Chelsea
Runs August 13-18
The Joyce’s summer season closes with a week of ballet curated by American Ballet Theatre principal Calvin Royal III, who will also perform. He brings together an incredible roster of performers, including dancers from ABT, Paris Opera Ballet, Boston Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Ballet Eloelle/Grandiva and the winner of this year’s Youth America Grand Prix competition. The two ambitious and diverse programs feature choreography by legends such as George Balanchine and Kenneth MacMillan alongside recent works by Royal’s ABT colleagues, including James Whiteside, Duncan Lyle, Aleisha Walker and Zhong-Jing Fang.
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Navatman Drive East 2024
Navatman, 38 West 32nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown West
Runs August 22-25 and September 13-15
This thoughtfully curated festival of Indian dance and music features seven different programs exploring the diverse range of styles within the nation’s many regions. A bona fide celebration of community and culture, each performance focuses on a distinctive genre and its traditions. Workshops and panel discussions are also on the agenda.
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Susan Reiter covers dance for TDF Stages.