Stars and Stripes Forever! celebrates America’s Semiquincentennial in dance and Philadelphia Ballet’s first season in its new Center for Dance at Broad and Wood Street. Melissa Strong pr…
Florida native Ashley Simpson danced in Chicago, New York, and Memphis before joining BalletX. She sits down with Melissa Strong to talk about her path and her unique experience in Philly.
A sumptuous Little Prince, adapted from the classic story by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry into a full-length ballet by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, returns better than ever in BalletX’s 2026 Summer…
Philly modern dance troupe Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers celebrated its 40th anniversary with Sea of Memories, a program showcasing its innovative partnerships and thoughtful, whimsical sty…
Martha Graham Dance Company and PHILADANCO! put Graham’s work in conversation with Philadelphia choreographer Tommie-Waheed Evans. Melissa Strong previews.
GIRL DOLLS: The American Musical, a world premiere show from The Bearded Ladies Cabaret, Jackie Soro, and Pax Ressler, takes on gender, toys, and American childhood with music and humor. Mel…
Putty Dance Project’s Dance Like It’s 1829 celebrates the historic power of Philadelphia music and dance through world-premiere choreography set to the work of pioneering instrumentalist…
BalletX's 2026 Spring Series is a creative master class, featuring three works by cofounder Matthew Neenan that show the company's impressive arc. Melissa Strong reviews.
Plantation Black, a new play at Interact with an unusual structure, examines the complex, uncomfortable history of an American family with roots in slavery. Melissa Strong reviews.
Philadelphia artist Armstead Dickerson explores new modes of expression in his immersive language album When I Saw the Sun, which combines a visual and audio experience. Melissa Strong revie…
Curio Theatre Company's Hansel & Gretel is a truly interactive arts experience for all ages, letting kids join in and even create a performance for everyone. Melissa Strong reviews.
BalletX in Bryn Mawr features premieres by choreographic fellow Christian Denice and company dancers, along with an audience favorite. Melissa Strong previews.
The Wilma's production of The Snow Queen is a modern fairy tale for our times, and its first offering for families. Melissa Strong reviews.
Street dance met Afro-Latin jazz in Ephrat Asherie Dance's Shadow Cities, featuring legendary jazz musician Arturo O'Farrill in its world premiere at Penn Live Arts. Melissa Strong reviews.
Philly's own BalletX celebrates two great decades with a 20th Anniversary Retrospective featuring 20 dances in two programs. Melissa Strong reviews Program A: The First Decade.
Philadelphia Ballet dances to the dark side in An Evening of Horror, featuring a resonant ballet about Lizzy Borden and the world premiere of Juliano Nunes's Valley of Death. Melissa Strong …
Toni Nagy and Sarah Buckner's interdisciplinary duo performance Grape Culture held space in this year's Fringe for experiences of domination without consent. Melissa Strong reviews.
Rhonda Moore and Ben Grinberg's Helpful Hints for Strength and Health for Busy People, part of the Cannonball Festival, is a unique and remarkable physical duet exploring how and why we inha…
nora chipaumire's "anti-genre" performance installation Dambudzo, part of the curated Fringe Festival, is a postcolonial fever dream. Melissa Strong reviews.
New York-based Wolfsmouth Players Company brings Queerano, a mashup of Cyrano de Bergerac, Twelfth Night, Wildean farce, and queer history to the Philly Fringe. Melissa Strong reviews.
Dance critic Melissa Strong observes performances with an expert eye, but she enjoys the challenge of taking dance classes herself along hobbyists and professionals alike at the annual Phila…
The dedication of new work from Mural Arts will bring the legacies of William Still, his family, and Philadelphia's historic 7th Ward into the public eye. Melissa Strong previews.
A June 22 performance of West Chester Dance Works' Rachel Harris: One Woman Over the Line at the Performance Garage celebrated Juneteenth with a vibrant, relevant imagining of one real-life …
Both locally and nationally, dance is benefitting from increased visibility and representation of openly trans and/or nonbinary artists, but dance still clings to stereotypes of gender more …
Tapestry of Time, a recital and celebration of courage, celebrates dancers of all ages. Melissa Strong previews.