4/10/26 O&A NYC O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Appalachian Spring- Martha Graham Dance Company

Shall We Dance Graham Letter to World 1

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Martha Graham Dance Company, April 8 through April 12 at the New York City Center, O&A NYC Magazine reposts Martha Graham’s Appalachian Spring.

Appalachian Spring premiered on October 30th, 1944, at the Library of Congress, Coolidge Auditorium in Washington DC, with Martha Graham dancing the lead role. Created during the darkest days of War World II Graham wanted to create inspiring art that came out of the American experience.  Graham spoke of the work, “To be great art… it must belong to the country in which it flourishes, not be a pale copy of some art form perfected by another culture and another people”. Continue reading

3/6/26 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Maya Plisetskaya Dances Bolero, The Dying Swan And More

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Maya Plisetskaya, Prima Ballerina Assoluta of the Bolshoi Ballet, danced Maurice Bejart’s Bolero set to the famous Maurice Ravel score in 1975. Plisetskaya created a stunning theatrical experience. What makes the piece so compelling is that although Plisetskaya may be accompanied by dozens of other dancers mirroring her movement, the first and only focus is on the prima ballerina herself. Continue reading

2/20/26 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Sammy Davis Jr.- The Original Triple Threat

Shall We Dance

Sammy Davis Junior

Samuel George “Sammy” Davis, Jr. was born on December 8, 1925. He was an African- American entertainer who broke many barriers and paved the way for entertainers in all  disciplines. Davis was primarily a dancer and singer, but he also received acclaim as an actor of stage and screen, musician, and impressionist. Davis died at age 64 in 1990, after spending 61 years in the profession he loved.  Continue reading

1/23/26 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Giselle: Lynn Seymour, Rudolf Nureyev, Monica Mason – 1979

Shall We Dance Friday

Lynn Seymour, Rudolf Nureyev, and Monica Mason starred together in a seminal 1979 filmed production of the ballet Giselle. Continue reading

1/9/26 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: The A- Z of Dance

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Shot on the streets and rooftops of sunny LA, our A-Z of Dance shows you how to set hearts alight and clubs on fire. Float like an Arabesque, spin like a B-Boy, wobble like a Chicken Noodle Soup… it’s time to step up! In a very special project for i-D and Diesel, director Jacob Sutton has captured the world’s hottest dancers walking in the air in their Jogg Jeans and cut-offs.

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Lil Buck shows us the way of Memphis Jookin. Super-thighs Nicole the Pole – star of Rihanna’s “Pour It Up” video – takes us to a whole other level. And fresh from the Rick Owens catwalk, the Soul Step team show us how to dance to Le1f. Continue reading

12/19/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Judith Jamison and Donald Mckayle Cut A Rug on The Cosby Show

Shall We Dance Friday

You never know what what plot twist will lead to a history lesson on The Cosby Show. When Denise throws a little get-together, things take a wild turn as the older crowd (Judith Jamison Donald McKayle, Bill Cosby, and Phylicia Rashad) show the youngsters how to really party. A nice dance scene with cast members Lisa Bonet, Malcolm Jamal-Warner, Tempestt Bledsoe, Keshia Knight Pulliam,  Blair Underwood, and Gerard Cooper.

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12/5/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: New York City Ballet (NYCB) Balanchine Nutcracker (2011)


The 2011 New York City Ballet (NYCB) Balanchine Nutcracker performance was filmed for a PBS Live From Lincoln Center broadcast.  The televised production featured principal dancers Megan Fairchild as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Joaquin De Luz as her Cavalier, with Adam Hendrickson as Herr Drosselmeier with students from the School of American Ballet, the official school of the NYCB. Continue reading

11/21/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Esplanade – Paul Taylor


An esplanade is an outdoor place to walk; in 1975 Paul Taylor, inspired by the sight of a girl running to catch a bus, created a masterwork based on pedestrian movement. Continue reading

11/14/25 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY PT.2: Les Twins One Shot In Tokyo, Japan

Throwback To Tokyo 2013 — when Les Twins and YAK Films joined forces for the Blu-ray project One Shot Les Twins. A rare look at their evolution through raw, cinematic dance moments captured in one continuous flow. Continue reading

11/14/25 O&A Shall We Dance Friday: Promethean Fire- Paul Taylor Dance Company

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Promethean Fire (2002) is danced to the music of three of Leopold Stokowski’s famous Bach transcriptions (Opus 116). The ensemble work is one of Paul Taylor’s six ballets set to the music of the baroque master. This excerpt is the first movement choreographed to the celebrated Toccata and Fugue in D minor.   Continue reading