The DC Guide to Dance
9 Performances to See This Spring
I. Works by Balanchine, Martins & Peck / Robbins Centennial Program
Company: New York City Ballet
Tuesday, March 27 – Thursday, March 29, 7:30 pm
Friday, March 30 – Sunday, April 1, 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Location: The Kennedy Center
Price: $29 – 99
Link
If you only see one performance this season, let it be New York City Ballet’s (NYCB) annual appearance at the Kennedy Center, which consists of two separate programs: Works by Balanchine, Martins & Peck and Robbins Centennial Program.
The shows on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday include several classical ballet favorites — Divertimento №15, Tschaikovsky Pas de Deux, and Symphony in Three Movements, all by Balanchine, founder of the NYCB. If you’ve never seen a ballet before, Balanchine is a good place to start, because in his works you will see both the precise classical steps of French history and the characteristic athleticism of modern America. The shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday feature works by Jerome Robbins, another influential choreographer at the NYCB.
II. Mixed Masters
Company: Washington Ballet
Wednesday, April 11 – Sunday, April 15
8:00 pm each night; 2:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday
Location: The Kennedy Center
Price: $25 – 140
Link
In Mixed Masters, our own Washington Ballet presents works by the aforementioned Balanchine, Frederick Ashton, and Jerome Robbins. Balanchine’s Serenade will leave you with the sure sense that all is not — but one day will be — fine. Ashton’s Symphonic Variations will remind you of the marble statue hall in Pride & Prejudice, only brought to life; and Robbins’ The Concert (or, The Perils of Everybody) will make you laugh.
III. Border
Company: Jane Franklin Dance
April 13, 14, 21, & 28, 7:30 pm
Location: Theatre on the Run
Price: $20 – 30
Link
Border visualizes real-world experiences of prejudice — career, racial, gender, or ethnic. It’s a part spoken, part dance performance. As individuals tell their stories in words, dancers portray them through movement. Their experiences may sound familiar: a Latino male held up by police, a black woman navigating a world of assumptions, a woman in a male-centric workplace. And they may be healing to hear.
Note: This performance contains sensitive content.
IV. Layla and Manjun
An ancient Persian love story
Company: Mark Morris Dance Group and Silk Road Ensemble
Thursday, March 22, 7:30 pm
Friday, March 23, 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 24, 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm
Location: The Kennedy Center
Price: $29 – 99
Link
V. The Sakura Taiko Takeover at the Tidal Basin
A celebration of the beloved cherry blossoms
Presented by: National Cherry Blossom Festival
Sunday, March 25, 12:00 pm
Location: ANA Performance Stage at the Tidal Basin
Price: FREE
Link
VI. VIVA CUBA!
Modern dance set to traditional Cuban music
Company: DanzAbierta
March 30, 7:00 –11:00pm
Location: Dance Place
Price: $75
Link
VII. Boys in Trouble
Johannesburg + real stories of hard work, struggle, & longing + urban street dance
Choreographed by: Sean Dorsey
Wednesday, May 16, 8:00 pm
Location: Reston Community Center
Price: $15–20
Link
VIII. Another F*cking Warhol Production Or Who’s Afraid of Andy Warhol
“A post-ballet musical”
Company: The Feath3r Theory
Friday, April 21, 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: Dance Place
Price: $15 – 30
Link
Note: This show contains adult content, including profanity and nudity.
IX. Nederlands Dans Theater
Performances from the non-conforming, avant-garde Dutch dance company
Wednesday, April 4 – Friday, April 6, 7:30 pm
Location: The Kennedy Center
Price: $19–69
Link
