Dance List 24
Aug. 3-30
It’s a bit of a sleepy month for dance in the city, but also the tail end of outdoor dance season, so catch those shows at the park / in the street / on the boardwalk while you can (see below: esperanza spalding with Kayla Farrish and friends, SToopS Summer Festival, Coney Island Breakers Reunion, and more). And although there’s a lull in performances, it’s peak summer dance party time; I’ve included a few to check out in a special section at the end. Also: Did you know the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation sponsors a ton of free outdoor (and indoor) dance classes across the city? Explore them here. (I aspire to go to 9:30am Bodyroll in Washington Square Park.)
A few notes for navigating Dance List:
The events are listed in order of opening date. Where listed as “through” a certain date, the event has already opened.
The list has two main sections: performances (week by week), followed by a roundup of dance-related screenings, talks, and exhibitions. You’ll also find two mini sections at the end: out of town highlight and virtual highlight. (Since it’s a slow time for shows in the city, the mini sections are expanded this month.)
I often add to Dance List as I learn of new events. To send an addition or a correction, reply to this email or write to me at danceletter@substack.com. (To keep the workload of this project manageable, I tend not to list student recitals or showcases, as much as I appreciate them!)
* = free or donation-based event
When I have work/news of my own to share, you can find it at the end under p.s.
Updated 8/12/26 at 9:41pm ET
Performances
Week of Monday, Aug. 3
Aug. 4-6: Madeline Anderson, Overflow at the Tank
Aug. 4-16: Ballet Festival, curated by Misty Copeland, at the Joyce
*Aug. 5-8: Vangeline, Naiad Metal, part of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City, at Hearst Plaza
Aug. 6-15: Isa Spector, Real Estate at the Brick
Aug. 7: Coney Island Breakers Reunion at Paradise Coney Island
Aug. 7: eni artist collective and Liron Kichler at Arts on Site
Aug. 8: Accabadora, Ash and Air at Brooklyn Art Haus
Aug. 8: presence 001: annalise gehling and cate christiansen at Arts on Site
*Aug. 8: esperanza spalding in ceremonial grade creation with Kayla Farrish and friends, part of LMCC River to River Festival, at Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park
*Aug. 8: STooPS 2026 Summer Festival: Joy As Resistance at Decatur St between Lewis Ave and Stuyvesant Ave
Aug. 9: Macee Eppard, Amphora Underway and Cate Cameron, Wild Is the Witch at Arts on Site
Week of Monday, Aug. 10
*Aug. 10-16: Battery Dance Festival at Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park
Aug. 13: Coffee Service – A New Futurist Cookbook Event, choreographed by Catherine Kirk, at 904 Grand Street
*Aug. 14: Maia Chao, American Idle 2026, choreographed by Lena Engelstein, at Broadway between 46th and 47th Streets
Aug. 15-16: Black Box Movers: In the Spotlight at Arts on Site
Through Aug. 16: Ballet Festival, curated by Misty Copeland, at the Joyce
Week of Monday, Aug. 17
Aug. 19: 4:15 Monthly Movement Series, feat. Parker Kaila, Amelia Rose Larson, Katie Sponenburg, and Isabel Torok, at Green Lung Studio
Aug. 20: Fadi Joseph Khoury, Live Painting at Arts On Site
Aug. 21: Pageant Presents Pageant at the Museum of Modern Art
*Aug. 21: Fabrications workshop showings, presented by the Merce Cunningham Trust, at City Center Studios
Aug. 22: Anna Antongiorgi, CONGRATULATIONS and Tashae Udo, Lifelines at Arts on Site
Aug. 22-23: BARE Dance Company and Annalee Traylor at CPR
Aug. 23: FLEE Dance, Still Here at Arts on Site
Week of Monday, Aug. 24
Aug. 24: Wise Fruit 12.0: Ocean Ma, hosted by Courtney J. Cook, curated by Brinda Guha, at Drom NYC
Aug. 27: GREYZONE and Pamela Pietro & Jesse Zaritt at Arts on Site
Aug. 27: PITCH: Joëlle Antonia Santiago and Angelina Laguna at Supr Omen
Aug. 27-30: Celia Krefter and Kate Purdum, HOW TO BE NORMAL AND REGULAR at the Brick
Aug. 29: Dance Theatre of Harlem at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
Screenings, Talks & Exhibitions (etc.)
Aug. 30: Talking Pageant at the Museum of Modern Art
*Through Aug. 19: Consider Dwelling Here Too Long: Photography by Casandra Trenary, presented by Gray Matters, at Studio 9BC
*Through Nov. 7: Martha Graham: The Mother of Psychological Dance, curated by Jack Ferver, at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (with free gallery tours Aug. 8 and 26)
*Ongoing: When the Bronx Moved: Histories of Dance, 1970-84 at the Museum of Bronx History
Out of Town Highlights
A few things to see outside the five boroughs:
Aug. 29: Asbury Park Dance Festival at House of Independents, Asbury Park, NY
Aug. 29: Kaatsbaan Cultural Park 2026 Annual Festival, opening weekend, feat. Calpulli Danza Mexicana, Ballez, and Anna Sperber; Tivoli, NY
*Thursday evenings: Siren Arts: States of Matter public performance art series, feat. Nicolás Dumit Estévez Raful Espejo Ovalles Morel Atrib (8/6), Raúl Romero (8/13), and Larissa Velez-Jackson (8/20), at 2nd Avenue Beach, Asbury Park, NJ
Virtual Highlights
A few things to watch or do on the internet:
America’s Sweethearts on Netflix. Sort of an unconventional pick for Dance List, but I’ve been very into this show about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders since Season 1 — fascinated and infuriated in equal measure (and maybe someday I’ll write more about that). Season 3 came out this summer, but I’d start from the beginning if you’re new to it (there are arcs worth following!)
*Blood Orange, “Westerberg” music video, choreographed by Sharleen Chidiac, starring Benin Gardner, Owen Prum, Sharleen Chidiac, and Devonté Hynes.
Stephen Petronio Company digital archive. An expansive new online resource, just announced today.
Summer Dance Parties
A few places to move your body this August:
*Aug. 9: Public Service at Classon Playground
*Aug. 9: Soul Summit in Fort Greene Park
*Aug. 13: ¡Arriba! on the High Line
*Aug. 16: Soul Summit at Beach 97th Concessions, Far Rockaway Beach
*Aug. 17 and 31: Dance Is Life at Hudson River Park’s Pier 76
Aug. 21: Soul in the Horn at 99 Scott
*Aug 22: Saint James Joy in Clinton Hill
*Wednesdays: Pa’ La Calle NYC at Bella Abzug Park
*Wednesdays: Salsa Social with Mi Salsa Dura Baile at Washington Square Park
Sundays: Mister Sunday at Nowadays