The Houston dance group is as massive and sprawling as town itself.
Houston, the fourth-largest metropolis within the U.S., is acknowledged as extra ethnically various than most cities of comparable dimension. Its dance scene displays that dimension and variety, with a variety of firms, colleges, and choreographers.
Most Houstonians divide town into “contained in the Loop” and “outdoors the Loop,” the Loop being Loop 610, the innermost circle of the freeway system. 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 an inventory of Houston’s dance choices.
DANCE COMPANIES
6 Levels: Creative director and choreographer Toni Leago Valle is a Houston native and a lecturer on the College of Houston. Her work is usually private and/or political, with a contact of caprice. Her most up-to-date reveals have more and more included aerial choreography. 6degreesdance.org
Advert Deum Dance Firm: Randall Flinn’s Christian-based contemporary-dance firm presents work in Houston but additionally 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 atmosphere 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 modern 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 govt 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
Ishida Dance: Regardless of beginning a up to date dance theater firm in 2019, simply earlier than the pandemic, achieved 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 all the time an occasion. karenstokesdance.org
Michele Brangwen Dance and Music Ensemble: This well-established firm emphasizes authentic music and collaboration. Reside music is prioritized, with the musicians an integral a part of the present. Along with dwell performances, the corporate additionally makes dance movies. brangwendance.org
Nia’s Daughters Motion Collective: Founder Stacey Allen’s focus is on Black girls and ladies, telling intergenerational tales of their lives. Allen just lately began work on a challenge to restage ignored work by Black girls choreographers. Nia (Swahili for “function”) engages African and trendy methods of their authentic 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 Mission: Annie Arnoult’s inspirations from historical past and literature result in narrative, immersive work, wherein the viewers is invited to maneuver among the many dancers. This group of creative dancers additionally retains a busy schedule of youngsters’s dance theater. opendanceproject.org
Pilot Dance Mission: One of many extra prolific producers of up to date 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 impartial performers. pilotdanceproject.org
Silambam Houston: This group promotes classical Indian dance and music via efficiency and outreach to protect the traditions for the subsequent technology. 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 via dance, believing within the energy of shared tales to convey folks collectively. Audiences will expertise work that makes use of modern, jazz, and hip-hop types to those ends. socialmovementdance.com
City Souls: Creative director Harrison Man makes use of modern dance to advance fairness amongst all folks via 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: Beneath the course of Kelly Ann Vitacca, this firm goals to current modern ballet that engages audiences intellectually and aesthetically. It’s additionally energetic as a instructing studio, nurturing new dancers and constructing group. vitaccaballet.org
ACADEMIC SCHOOLS
Houston Group School: The Affiliate in Arts diploma provides research in ballet, trendy, and jazz types. The Midtown campus is inside quick access of many efficiency venues. hccs.edu
Kinder Excessive Faculty for the Performing and Visible Arts: Part of the Houston Impartial Faculty District, PVA (because it’s typically referred to as) provides pre-professional coaching in a number of types of dance, with lessons in dance images and historical past, as nicely. houstonisd.org/hspva
Sam Houston State College: Whereas in Huntsville, SHSU has deep connections with the Houston dance group. College are additionally professionals within the space, and college students entry many alternatives for efficiency and choreography in Houston. BFA and MFA levels provided. shsu.edu
San Jacinto School: A group school on the southeast finish of better Houston, San Jac provides an Affiliate of Arts in dance, with alternatives (just like the annual Artists for Hope profit live performance) to community with many firms throughout southeast Texas. sanjac.edu
College of Houston: Providing a BFA, a BA, a dance minor, and instructing certification in secondary training, UH additionally provides manufacturing alternatives throughout the better group. uh.edu
College of St. Thomas: This BA in dance in a Roman Catholic atmosphere is the most recent educational dance program in Houston. Ballet, trendy, 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 modern avant-garde is its focus, and dance artists from far and close to could also be offered. Artist residencies (not completely for dancers) are provided. diverseworks.org
Midtown Arts & Theater Heart Houston (MATCH): A posh of 4 theaters of various sizes (MATCH containers) hosts music, theater, and dance from a variety of producing entities in Houston. MATCH Field 2 is configured particularly for dance, however MATCH Field 1 and three are additionally frequently used, relying upon the producers’ wants. matchouston.org
Miller Outside Theatre: Located in historic Hermann Park, this outside venue seats 1,700 in coated seating, with room for greater than 4,000 on the hillside. Occasions are all the time free (coated seating is ticketed). Miller presents each native and touring teams. milleroutdoortheatre.com
Moody Heart for the Arts at Rice College: This rigorously curated area could 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 firms (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a daily) but additionally presents native artists, significantly (although not completely) via its New/Now Commissioning Mission. performingartshouston.org
Wortham Theater Heart: Houston Ballet and Houston Grand Opera are resident firms of this grand theater complicated within the coronary heart of downtown, however can be the location for seeing native and touring firms. visithoustontexas.com/theater/venues/wortham-center
Zilkha Corridor at The Interest Heart for the Performing Arts: This venue is standard amongst midsize to bigger native firms. It seats 500 on two ranges, giving each viewers member a terrific 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 educational 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 additionally a filmmaker, Holmes creates deeply private narratives that attain past the specifics of her life. Instagram: renmarie_
Ashley Horn: Even when confronting tough subjects, Horn’s choreography typically has a way of surprise and whimsy. She additionally makes costumes for different firms. 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
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 types. Ballet, trendy, jazz, faucet, classical Indian, and extra, are all represented. Grasp lessons and dance-on-film elements fill out a busy week. The main target is on Houston, however there are all the time 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 via pre-professional college students, with some outreach into native colleges. Courses in trendy and jazz types are additionally accessible. balletcenterofhouston.com
Bayou Metropolis Ballet Faculty: One of many newer ballet academies, Bayou provides 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 areas within the Heights) focuses on small lessons and particular person consideration. Ballet lessons observe the American Ballet Theatre Nationwide Coaching Curriculum. College students frequently advance to bigger colleges. Fashionable, faucet, and different varieties are additionally taught. Impartial choreographers typically hire 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 skills can dance and are welcome inside quite a lot of choices. Body Dance additionally has knowledgeable firm, typically producing site-specific work in all places from parks to parking tons, and produces the annual Body X Body Movie competition. framedance.org
Hope Stone Inc.: Jane Weiner’s Hope Mission doesn’t have a studio, nevertheless it takes its curriculum into colleges and elder-care services, impacting a whole bunch of scholars all around the metropolis. Educating artists obtain specialised coaching. Along with dance, different artwork varieties are taught in what Weiner calls “aware arts training.” 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, modern, 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 kids 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 provides dance lessons for rookies to professionals, kids to adults. It additionally has an outreach program, partnering with a handful of elementary colleges. metdance.org
Hunter Dance Heart: This energetic studio provides lessons for all ages and ranges in an array of types: ballet, trendy, 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 types, with a diversified workforce of instructors on the schedule. sorealdancestudio.com
Soundbox Studios: An awesome website for the newest types from hip hop to Okay-pop. The constructing provides 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. Apart from sustaining membership lists for firms, choreographers, and studios, it gives manufacturing alternatives (the annual Barnstorm Fest and the extra frequent Thoughts the Hole displays), well being sources, 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. Apart from grant sources, it provides disaster-preparation sources and different necessary information for the Houston artist. It’s a authorities group, overseen by the Mayor’s Workplace of Cultural Affairs. houstonartsalliance.com
