The Houston dance group is as large and sprawling as the town itself.
Houston, the fourth-largest metropolis within the U.S., is acknowledged as extra ethnically numerous than most cities of comparable dimension. Its dance scene displays that dimension and variety, with a spread of corporations, colleges, and choreographers.
Most Houstonians divide the town into “contained in the Loop” and “outdoors the Loop,” the Loop being Loop 610, the innermost circle of the freeway system. t Most (although not all) performances are contained in the Loop, however there are numerous studios outdoors the Loop that present alternatives for dancers and educators as nicely.
Right here’s a listing of Houston’s dance choices.
DANCE COMPANIES
6 Levels: Inventive director and choreographer Toni Leago Valle is a Houston native and a lecturer on the College of Houston. Her work is commonly private and/or political, with a contact of caprice. Her most up-to-date reveals have more and more integrated aerial choreography. 6degreesdance.org
Advert Deum Dance Firm: Randall Flinn’s Christian-based contemporary-dance firm presents work in Houston but in addition excursions internationally. They journey to festivals, sacred and secular, to current work and have seasonal coaching intensives in addition to open lessons. addeumdance.org
Group Acorde: Dancer-choreographers Roberta Paixao Cortes and Lindsey McGill have teamed up with musicians Seth Paynter and Thomas Helton to create an surroundings the place music and dance are created in collaboration. All are veterans of the Houston dance scene, however the firm is comparatively new, presenting each tightly choreographed and extremely improvisational applications. groupacorde.org
Houston Ballet: The internationally acknowledged firm retains a busy schedule of traditional story ballets and historic revivals in addition to up to date works by inventive director Stanton Welch and visitor choreographers. By far the biggest dance firm within the metropolis, Houston Ballet is a crown jewel of Texas dance. houstonballet.org
Houston Up to date Dance Firm: Founding inventive and government director Marlana Doyle directs HCDC as a repertory dance firm, introducing Houston audiences to nationally acknowledged choreographers. There’s additionally a pre-professional youth firm, HC2, and the Institute of Up to date Dance, which holds lessons for movers of all ages. houstoncontemporary.org
Indian Performing Arts, Samskriti: Houston has a thriving classical Indian dance group, in no small half as a result of pioneering work of Dr. Rathna Kumar. From her central perception within the universality of all artwork, Dr. Kumar creates new dance works with an eye fixed for increasing the classical vocabulary by collaborating with artists of different disciplines. samskritihouston.org
Dancers of Samskriti at Barnstorm Dance Competition 2018. Picture by Lynn Lane, courtesy Samskriti.
Ishida Dance: Regardless of beginning a up to date dance theater firm in 2019, simply earlier than the pandemic, completed dancer and choreographer Brett Ishida has managed to propel her firm into the limelight, drawing nationwide consideration to her model of poetic, thought-provoking dance. ishidadance.org
Karen Stokes Dance: Karen Stokes’ dance roots run deep in Houston because the daughter of a dancer-choreographer and longtime educator on the College of Houston. Her work typically depends on deep analysis, making reveals few and much between however at all times an occasion. karenstokesdance.org
Michele Brangwen Dance and Music Ensemble: This well-established firm emphasizes unique music and collaboration. Reside music is prioritized, with the musicians an integral a part of the present. Along with reside performances, the corporate additionally makes dance movies. brangwendance.org
Nia’s Daughters Motion Collective: Founder Stacey Allen’s focus is on Black ladies and ladies, telling intergenerational tales of their lives. Allen just lately began work on a challenge to restage neglected work by Black ladies choreographers. Nia (Swahili for “function”) engages African and fashionable strategies of their unique works. staceyallencde.com
NobleMotion Dance: Andy and Dionne Noble, inventive administrators, typically incorporate expertise into their extremely athletic choreography in addition to experiment with musical and technical artists within the Houston space. They’ve taken work to festivals far and close to, and even to TV. Discover their summer season and winter coaching intensives and pre-professional firm, NMD2. noblemotiondance.com
Open Dance Challenge: Annie Arnoult’s inspirations from historical past and literature result in narrative, immersive work, through which the viewers is invited to maneuver among the many dancers. This group of ingenious dancers additionally retains a busy schedule of youngsters’s dance theater. opendanceproject.org
Pilot Dance Challenge: One of many extra prolific producers of latest dance in Houston, inventive director Adam Castañeda produces his personal and others’ choreography in each conventional and site-specific settings. Moreover, PDP produces the occasional competition, designed to showcase new and unbiased performers. pilotdanceproject.org
Silambam Houston: This group promotes classical Indian dance and music by way of efficiency and outreach to protect the traditions for the subsequent era. Founder Dr. Lavanya Rajagopalan holds a PhD in biochemistry, which she nonetheless teaches. Science and dance generally meet, both within the theater or within the college classroom. silambamhouston.org
Social Motion Up to date Dance Theater: Elijah Alhadji Gibson, inventive director, pushes SMCDT to discover the sides of social divisions by way of dance, believing within the energy of shared tales to deliver folks collectively. Audiences will expertise work that makes use of up to date, jazz, and hip-hop kinds to those ends. socialmovementdance.com
City Souls: Inventive director Harrison Man makes use of up to date dance to advance fairness amongst all folks by way of the lens of the Black expertise on this self-described “social arts group”. Their performances, lessons, and group constructing efforts have earned the corporate an enthusiastic and constant viewers. urbansouls.org
Vitacca Ballet: Underneath the path of Kelly Ann Vitacca, this firm goals to current up to date ballet that engages audiences intellectually and aesthetically. It’s additionally lively as a instructing studio, nurturing new dancers and constructing group. vitaccaballet.org
NobleMotion Dancers Tyler Orcutt, Jacob Regan, and Lauren Serrano. Picture by Lynn Lane, courtesy NobleMotion Dance.
ACADEMIC SCHOOLS
Houston Neighborhood School: The Affiliate in Arts diploma affords research in ballet, fashionable, and jazz kinds. The Midtown campus is inside easy accessibility of many efficiency venues. hccs.edu
Kinder Excessive Faculty for the Performing and Visible Arts: Part of the Houston Unbiased Faculty District, PVA (because it’s typically known as) affords pre-professional coaching in a number of kinds of dance, with lessons in dance pictures and historical past, as nicely. houstonisd.org/hspva
Sam Houston State College: Whereas in Huntsville, SHSU has deep connections with the Houston dance group. School are additionally professionals within the space, and college students entry many alternatives for efficiency and choreography in Houston. BFA and MFA levels supplied. shsu.edu
San Jacinto School: A group school on the southeast finish of higher Houston, San Jac affords an Affiliate of Arts in dance, with alternatives (just like the annual Artists for Hope profit live performance) to community with many corporations throughout southeast Texas. sanjac.edu
College of Houston: Providing a BFA, a BA, a dance minor, and instructing certification in secondary schooling, UH additionally affords manufacturing alternatives throughout the higher group. uh.edu
College of St. Thomas: This BA in dance in a Roman Catholic surroundings is the latest tutorial dance program in Houston. Ballet, fashionable, and world dance are central to the curriculum. stthom.edu
DANCE PRESENTERS
DiverseWorks: DW is a daily producer of dance occasions however makes use of venues round Houston. The up to date avant-garde is its focus, and dance artists from far and close to could also be offered. Artist residencies (not completely for dancers) are supplied. diverseworks.org
Midtown Arts & Theater Heart Houston (MATCH): A fancy of 4 theaters of various sizes (MATCH containers) hosts music, theater, and dance from numerous producing entities in Houston. MATCH Field 2 is configured particularly for dance, however MATCH Field 1 and three are additionally commonly used, relying upon the producers’ wants. matchouston.org
Miller Outside Theatre: Located in historic Hermann Park, this out of doors venue seats 1,700 in coated seating, with room for greater than 4,000 on the hillside. Occasions are at all times free (coated seating is ticketed). Miller presents each native and touring teams. milleroutdoortheatre.com
Moody Heart for the Arts at Rice College: This fastidiously curated area might current evening-length applications of their theater or visitor artists performing inside an set up within the gallery. moody.rice.edu
Performing Arts Houston: This nonprofit focuses on bringing in nationwide touring corporations (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a daily) but in addition presents native artists, significantly (although not completely) by way of its New/Now Commissioning Challenge. performingartshouston.org
Wortham Theater Heart: Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera are resident corporations of this grand theater complicated within the coronary heart of downtown, however can be the location for seeing native and touring corporations. visithoustontexas.com/theater/venues/wortham-center
Zilkha Corridor at The Passion Heart for the Performing Arts: This venue is fashionable amongst midsize to bigger native corporations. It seats 500 on two ranges, giving each viewers member an incredible view of the proscenium stage. thehobbycenter.org
INDEPENDENT CHOREOGRAPHERS
M. Gabriela Estrada: An assistant professor of dance on the College of Houston, Dr. Estrada’s tutorial work brings ballet and flamenco into dialog, which will get mirrored in her personal choreography. gabriela-estrada.com
Rivkah French: Deeply centered on the queer expertise, French makes difficult dances for each the stage and particular websites, in addition to the occasional dance for movie. rivkahfrenchchoreography.carrd.co
Loren Holmes: Not solely a choreographer but in addition a filmmaker, Holmes creates deeply private narratives that attain past the specifics of her life. Instagram: renmarie_
Ashley Horn: Even when confronting troublesome matters, Horn’s choreography typically has a way of surprise and whimsy. She additionally makes costumes for different corporations. Instagram: ashleyhorndance_and_design
Kalpana Subbarao: Making dance within the traditions of kathak and bharatanatyam types of classical Indian dance, Subbarao additionally collaborates with different dance varieties, most notably flamenco. kalpanasubbarao.wordpress.com
Open Dance Challenge ensemble members in “Panopticon” directed by Annie Arnoult at MATCH- Midtown Arts and Theater Heart Houston, March 2019. Picture by Lynn Lane, courtesy Open Dance Challenge.
DANCE FESTIVALS
Barnstorm Dance Fest: Produced by Dance Supply Houston, this annual competition is a chance for Houston audiences to get a sampling of a broad vary of dance kinds. Ballet, fashionable, jazz, faucet, classical Indian, and extra, are all represented. Grasp lessons and dance-on-film elements fill out a busy week. The main focus is on Houston, however there are at all times teams from out of city on the invoice. dancesourcehouston.org/barnstorm-dance-fest
[See also: Pilot Dance Project and Frame Dance Productions]
DANCE TRAINING CENTERS
Ballet Heart of Houston: A northwest-Houston location for coaching, Ballet Heart of Houston focuses on very younger by way of pre-professional college students, with some outreach into native colleges. Lessons in fashionable and jazz kinds are additionally accessible. balletcenterofhouston.com
Bayou Metropolis Ballet Faculty: One of many newer ballet academies, Bayou affords lessons for toddlers to adults. There are pre-professional {and professional} lessons, in addition to choices for adults who’ve by no means taken ballet. bayoucityballet.com
Claire Faculty of Dance: Roxanne Claire’s studios (there are two places within the Heights) focuses on small lessons and particular person consideration. Ballet lessons comply with the American Ballet Theatre Nationwide Coaching Curriculum. College students commonly advance to bigger colleges. Fashionable, faucet, and different varieties are additionally taught. Unbiased choreographers typically lease studio area right here for rehearsals. clairedance.com
Body Dance Productions: Lydia Hance’s imaginative and prescient for her studio is that individuals of all ages, sizes, and talents can dance and are welcome inside quite a lot of choices. Body Dance additionally has an expert firm, typically producing site-specific work all over the place from parks to parking heaps, and produces the annual Body X Body Movie competition. framedance.org
Hope Stone Inc.: Jane Weiner’s Hope Challenge doesn’t have a studio, nevertheless it takes its curriculum into colleges and elder-care services, impacting a whole lot of scholars everywhere in the metropolis. Educating artists obtain specialised coaching. Along with dance, different artwork varieties are taught in what Weiner calls “conscious arts schooling.” hopestoneinc.org
Houston Academy of Dance/West College Dance Heart: These two studios are each directed by Evelyn Ireton and caters to the intense in addition to the informal dance fanatic. Ballet is central to the curriculum, however lessons in faucet, jazz, up to date, and hip hop are additionally accessible. chasingperfectiondance.com
Houston Ballet Academy: Houston Ballet’s lovely downtown headquarters is the place for the intense ballet pupil. At first look, the emphasis is on youngsters and youth, however there are grownup lessons, from newbie to skilled. houstonballet.org/academy/
Houston Met Dance: Situated within the Museum District, this well-established studio affords dance lessons for inexperienced persons to professionals, youngsters to adults. It additionally has an outreach program, partnering with a handful of elementary colleges. metdance.org
Hunter Dance Heart: This lively studio affords lessons for all ages and ranges in an array of kinds: ballet, fashionable, hip hop, aerial, Pilates, and extra. hunterdancecenter.com
Soreal Dance Studio: This studio on Houston’s far west aspect focuses on hip hop and heels kinds, with a diverse workforce of instructors on the schedule. sorealdancestudio.com
Soundbox Studios: An incredible website for the newest kinds from hip hop to Okay-pop. The constructing affords 5 studios of various sizes, which can be found for rental. soundbox-studios.com
Uptown Dance Centre: Ballet is the main focus on this studio, with ranges accessible from 3-year-olds to adults. The Centre additionally has a efficiency group, Uptown Dance Firm. Each are run by dancer and choreographer Beth Gulledge-Brown. uptowndance.org
DANCE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
Dance Supply Houston: The one establishment that each dancer in Houston must know is Dance Supply Houston, an artist service group. In addition to sustaining membership lists for corporations, choreographers, and studios, it supplies manufacturing alternatives (the annual Barnstorm Fest and the extra frequent Thoughts the Hole displays), well being assets, funding, {and professional} growth. dancesourcehouston.org
Houston Arts Alliance: HAA just isn’t a dance-specific group, however dance is without doubt one of the artwork varieties it funds. In addition to grant assets, it affords disaster-preparation assets and different vital data for the Houston artist. It’s a authorities group, overseen by the Mayor’s Workplace of Cultural Affairs. houstonartsalliance.com
