Dance Performances Take Center Stage in Westchester

By Mary Alice Franklin

It is said that dance can soothe the soul. There will be many opportunities to do just that through the end of the year as dance takes center stage in Westchester. From showcases that feature emerging choreographers and dancers to world-renowned companies making a one-time stop the county, audiences can be immersed in the physicality and emotionality of this artform. Upcoming dance performances in Westchester include ballet in an outdoor garden, street dance with global influences and more.

Upcoming Dance Performances in Westchester:

September 11-13
Sculpture Dances: Kykuit
presented by Pocantico Center
This hour-long site-specific dance performance is founded in movement and music meant to liven the monumental modernist sculptures in the gardens at Kykuit, a Rockefeller estate. Performance company Site-Specific Dances directly interacts with the site’s sculptures and invites the audience to explore the history of Pocantico’s architectural heritage.

September 20
Tom Gold Dance
presented by Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
Ballet meets the lush landscape of Untermyer Gardens as Tom Gold Dance performs outdoors. The company, founded by former New York City Ballet soloist Tom Gold, is known for dynamic works that balance classical tradition with contemporary flair. This event features live music from vocalist Olivia Chindamo, pianist Matthew Sheens, and more. This dance performance unfolds against the backdrop of Untermyer’s historic gardens, offering audiences a blend of dance, architecture, and nature.

September 20
Limón Dance Company
presented by RiverArts and Tarrytown Music Hall
The legendary Limón Dance Company brings dramatic expression to Tarrytown Music Hall through a co-presentation with RiverArts. Founded by Mexican American choreographer José Limón, the company continues to influence generations with works that explore humanity through modern dance. This performance highlights both iconic productions and new creations, reaffirming Limón’s lasting impact on the art form.

September 20 & 21
The Other Side of Hate
presented by Studio Theater is Exile
This production, inspired by V.L. Cox’s Conscience of a Nation exhibition at Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art (HVMOCA), shares choreography by Sharon Simmons Wright as performed by Just the Place Adult Company. Simmons Wright says of the work: “We’ve felt the weight of hate, but on the other side there is hope, there is healing, there is movement…and in that movement, there is a message – a message of healing and unity.”

September 26
September Open Rehearsal
presented by MorDance
Contemporary ballet company MorDance offers a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of the creative process. During its September Open Rehearsal, visitors are invited to witness how a dance performance is produced and rehearsed. In full view of the audience, dancers refine choreography and explore new works in progress. The event underscores MorDance’s commitment to transparency in artmaking and to creating a dialogue between performers and the community.

October 12
Ailey II
presented by Emelin Theatre
Alvin Ailey’s name is synonymous with world-class dance. His second company, Ailey II, is aimed at giving “the next generation” the spotlight. This company acts as a bridge for early-career dancers who are transitioning to professional dancing. Despite the famous name attached to the company, it has earned a respected reputation for itself among today’s largest dance companies. Now it takes the stage in Mamaroneck as part of the Emelin Theatre’s ongoing season.

October 13
Compagnie Hervé Koubi
presented by Performing Arts Center at Purchase College
French-Algerian choreographer Hervé Koubi leads his internationally acclaimed company in a performance that fuses street dance, martial arts and contemporary movement. Known for its athleticism and striking visual imagery, Compagnie Hervé Koubi presents its evening-length work, Sol Invictus, the “invincible sun,” offers a program inspired by Mediterranean heritage and global influences. The show is an ode to the unifying power of dance during turbulent times.

October 17
Shen Wei Dance Arts
presented by Pocantico Center
In anticipation of choreographer, director and painter Shen Wei’s joint exhibition at the Katonah Museum of Art and Pocantico Center, Shen Wei Dance Arts will perform at the David Rockefeller Creative Arts Center at Pocantico. The performance will be followed by a Q&A with Wei and a reception that allows a sneak peek of the exhibition. Blending dance, painting and design, Shen Wei’s choreography unfolds like a living canvas, exploring how artistic disciplines influence and shape each other.

October 18-19
ArtsFest Dance Festival
presented by New Rochelle Council on the Arts
The ArtsFest Dance Festival, part of the annual ArtsFest (10/16-19), is a two-day celebration of dance (10/18-19) that showcases free performances by both professional and student companies – this year, 15 – exposing audiences to a variety of styles and groups. Some of the participating companies include Westchester Ballet Company, MorDance, Ballet des Ameriques / Carole Alexis Ballet Theatre, Steffi Nossen Dance Company and more. At Albert Leonard Middle School auditorium.

November 1
Complexions Contemporary Ballet
presented by Performing Arts Center at Purchase College
Founded by Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson, Complexions Contemporary Ballet returns with its celebrated fusion of classical technique and boundary-pushing choreography. Known for high-energy performances and a diverse company of dancers, Complexions begins with repertory that challenges convention while remaining accessible. Following an intermission, visitors will experience For Crying Out Loud, a self-described “interconnected wandering narrative” set to music from U2’s acoustic album Songs of Surrender.

November 9
Steffi Nossen Choreography Showcase
presented by Steffi Nossen School of Dance
Steffi Nossen School of Dance (SNSD) will present a selection of dances that feature the works of emerging choreographers, including a dance from Julia Lawton that was commissioned after her work in the company’s Showcase Audition in 2024. SNSD alumnae, choreographer Annie Doss and now-Artistic Director Jessica DiMauro Marx, reunite on les infants qui ne dorment pas—Doss’s 1998 work set to music by Philip Glass, which is being restaged for the company by Marx. The showcase takes place at the Emelin Theatre.

December 12-14
The Nutcracker
presented by Westchester Ballet Company
Westchester Ballet Company, celebrating its 75th anniversary, presents a full-length staging of the holiday classic The Nutcracker at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in the Bronx. A new production of the tale directed andchoreographed bySabrina Gail Lobner features decorative set design, elaborate costumes and experienced dancers with the backdrop of Tchaikovsky’s timeless score.

December 13-22
Nutcracker Dream
presented by Ballet des Amériques
A recent annual tradition, choreographer Carole Alexis’s 90-minute adaptation of the beloved The Nutcracker will return to the Emelin Theatre stage this holiday season. The dance, inspired by the work of choreographers Rudolf Nureyev and Marius Petipa, will be performed by members of Ballet des Amériques and a group of young dancers selected by audition.

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Photos (top to bottom): Limón Dance Company (photo credit: Allison Armfield); Tom Gold Dance (photo source: Untermyer Gardens Conservatory); Ailey II (photo credit: Nir Arieli); Ballet des Ameriques / Carole Alexis Ballet Theatre will perform in the ArtsFest Dance Festival (photo credit: Nick Carter); Julia Lawton Dance Collective will perform in Steffi Nossen School of Dance’s choreography showcase (photo credit: Mark Liflander)

This article was written for and first appeared on ArtsNews, an arts and culture news site published by ArtsWestchester. For more articles about the arts in Westchester County, visit: https://artswestchester.org/ar...