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 measurement. Its dance scene displays that measurement and variety, with a spread of corporations, faculties, and choreographers.
Most Houstonians divide town into “contained in the Loop” and “exterior 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 a lot of studios exterior 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 courses. 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 packages. 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 creative director Stanton Welch and visitor choreographers. By far the most important dance firm within the metropolis, Houston Ballet is a crown jewel of Texas dance. houstonballet.org
Houston Modern Dance Firm: Founding creative 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 Modern Dance, which holds courses for movers of all ages. houstoncontemporary.org
Indian Performing Arts, Samskriti: Houston has a thriving classical Indian dance group, in no small half because of the 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 recent 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 at all times an occasion. karenstokesdance.org
Michele Brangwen Dance and Music Ensemble: This well-established firm emphasizes unique music and collaboration. Dwell music is prioritized, with the musicians an integral a part of the present. Along with stay performances, the corporate additionally makes dance movies. brangwendance.org
Nia’s Daughters Motion Collective: Founder Stacey Allen’s focus is on Black girls and women, telling intergenerational tales of their lives. Allen lately began work on a venture to restage missed work by Black girls choreographers. Nia (Swahili for “goal”) engages African and trendy methods of their unique works. staceyallencde.com
NobleMotion Dance: Andy and Dionne Noble, creative 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 time and winter coaching intensives and pre-professional firm, NMD2. noblemotiondance.com
Open Dance Undertaking: Annie Arnoult’s inspirations from historical past and literature result in narrative, immersive work, during 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 Undertaking: One of many extra prolific producers of up to date dance in Houston, creative 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 means of efficiency and outreach to protect the traditions for the following 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 Modern Dance Theater: Elijah Alhadji Gibson, creative director, pushes SMCDT to discover the sides of social divisions by means of dance, believing within the energy of shared tales to deliver individuals collectively. Audiences will expertise work that makes use of up to date, jazz, and hip-hop types to those ends. socialmovementdance.com
City Souls: Inventive director Harrison Man makes use of up to date dance to advance fairness amongst all individuals by means of the lens of the Black expertise on this self-described “social arts group”. Their performances, courses, and group constructing efforts have earned the corporate an enthusiastic and constant viewers. urbansouls.org
Vitacca Ballet: Beneath the route 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 educating studio, nurturing new dancers and constructing group. vitaccaballet.org
ACADEMIC SCHOOLS
Houston Group School: The Affiliate in Arts diploma presents research in ballet, trendy, and jazz types. 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 Impartial Faculty District, PVA (because it’s typically known as) presents pre-professional coaching in a number of types of dance, with courses 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 supplied. shsu.edu
San Jacinto School: A group faculty on the southeast finish of higher Houston, San Jac presents 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 educating certification in secondary training, UH additionally presents manufacturing alternatives inside the higher group. uh.edu
College of St. Thomas: This BA in dance in a Roman Catholic atmosphere is the latest tutorial 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 up to date avant-garde is its focus, and dance artists from far and close to could also be introduced. Artist residencies (not solely for dancers) are supplied. diverseworks.org
Midtown Arts & Theater Heart Houston (MATCH): A posh of 4 theaters of various sizes (MATCH bins) hosts music, theater, and dance from various 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 out of doors venue seats 1,700 in lined seating, with room for greater than 4,000 on the hillside. Occasions are at all times free (lined seating is ticketed). Miller presents each native and touring teams. milleroutdoortheatre.com
Moody Heart for the Arts at Rice College: This fastidiously curated house might current evening-length packages of their theater or visitor artists performing inside an set up within the gallery. moody.rice.edu
Performing Arts Houston: This nonprofit makes a speciality of bringing in nationwide touring corporations (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is a daily) but in addition presents native artists, notably (although not solely) by means of its New/Now Commissioning Undertaking. 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 also be the location for seeing native and touring corporations. visithoustontexas.com/theater/venues/wortham-center
Zilkha Corridor at The Pastime Heart for the Performing Arts: This venue is standard amongst midsize to bigger native corporations. It seats 500 on two ranges, giving each viewers member an ideal 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 targeted 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 marvel 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 kinds, 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 courses and dance-on-film elements fill out a busy week. The main target 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 means of pre-professional college students, with some outreach into native faculties. Courses in trendy and jazz types are additionally out there. balletcenterofhouston.com
Bayou Metropolis Ballet Faculty: One of many newer ballet academies, Bayou presents courses for toddlers to adults. There are pre-professional {and professional} courses, 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 courses and particular person consideration. Ballet courses observe the American Ballet Theatre Nationwide Coaching Curriculum. College students frequently advance to bigger faculties. Fashionable, faucet, and different kinds are additionally taught. Impartial choreographers typically hire studio house 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 a wide range of choices. Body Dance additionally has an expert firm, typically producing site-specific work in every single place from parks to parking tons, and produces the annual Body X Body Movie competition. framedance.org
Hope Stone Inc.: Jane Weiner’s Hope Undertaking doesn’t have a studio, nevertheless it takes its curriculum into faculties and elder-care amenities, impacting lots of of scholars all around the metropolis. Educating artists obtain specialised coaching. Along with dance, different artwork kinds 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 courses in faucet, jazz, up to date, and hip hop are additionally out there. 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 courses, from newbie to skilled. houstonballet.org/academy/
Houston Met Dance: Positioned within the Museum District, this well-established studio presents dance courses for newbies to professionals, youngsters to adults. It additionally has an outreach program, partnering with a handful of elementary faculties. metdance.org
Hunter Dance Heart: This lively studio presents courses 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 diverse group of instructors on the schedule. sorealdancestudio.com
Soundbox Studios: A fantastic website for the newest types from hip hop to Okay-pop. The constructing presents 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 out there 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. Moreover sustaining membership lists for corporations, choreographers, and studios, it offers 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 isn’t a dance-specific group, however dance is likely one of the artwork kinds it funds. Moreover grant sources, it presents disaster-preparation sources and different necessary data for the Houston artist. It’s a authorities group, overseen by the Mayor’s Workplace of Cultural Affairs. houstonartsalliance.com