Celebrate the start of 2026 with the second annual DANCE OUT EAST, a weekend festival of dance brought to you by The Church, Guild Hall, and The Watermill Center, in partnership with Works & Process. Preview new works that will sequence into Works & Process events at Guggenheim New York.
Dance powerhouses Kristine Bendul & Abdiel are known for their work in Broadway and off-Broadway musical theatre productions, ballet and modern concert dance, and their gender-neutral approach to ballroom partnering, which equally exchanges roles of lead and follow, with both in heels! During a weeklong Works & Process residency at The Church in Sag Harbor, Ron De Jesús will choreograph a new piece for Kristine and Abdiel, blending Adagio partnering with contemporary movement. De Jesús, who had an extensive career with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Twyla Tharp, has been recognized for his work across concert dance and musical theatre. Set to “Black Cream” by The Harold Wheeler Consort (1975), this new duet reimagines classic Adagio patterns through a modern lens—honoring the form’s history while exploring new lifts, transitions, and expressive possibilities.
Additionally, Abdiel was formerly a Principal dancer with Martha Graham Dance Company. His residency anticipates our exhibition, Martha Graham: Collaborations, which highlights the many artistic partnerships innovated by Graham; the exhibition opens on January 17th.
Join us for a “first look” at what they’ve created together during the residency, followed by a conversation with the artists.
Additional Dance Out East Events:
Guild Hall of East Hampton with Works & Process
Naomi Funaki: Ikigai
Tino & Rajika Puri Creative Residency
Saturday, January 10, 7 pm
More info and tickets: https://www.guildhall.org/events/dance-out-east-naomi-funaki-ikagi/
Tap dance artist Naomi Funaki shares an in-process presentation of a new evening-length work, Ikigai. Reflecting on the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, Fukushima nuclear disaster, and personal experience, Funaki blends rhythm, live music, and narrative to explore resilience, memory, and connection.
The Watermill Center with Works & Process
Sekou McMiller & Friends' Palladium Nights
In Memory of Robert Wilson and Michéle Pesner
Sunday, January 11, 2 pm
More info and tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dance-out-east-palladium-nights-by-sekou-mcmiller-friends-tickets-1977397966548
Explore the cultural legacy and artistic impact of New York’s historic Palladium Ballroom (1940s–60s), a vibrant site of exchange where Afro-Latin and African American communities helped shape what we now recognize as Salsa/Mambo dance.