8/14/26 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Lift Every Voice – excerpt from Alonzo King’s Deep River

Babatunji performs the powerful solo Lift Every Voice. An excerpt from Alonzo King LINES Ballet’s acclaimed work, Deep River. Featured on PBS’s Next at the Kennedy Center series, the piece merges powerful movement with the historic Black National Anthem. Continue reading

8/3/26 O&A NYC DANCE BY WALTER RUTLEDGE: Danni Gee Talks Ballet Festival

By Walter Rutledge

The Joyce Ballet Festival returns to the Joyce’s Tino & Rajika Puri Auditorium August 3 though August 16. Former American Ballet Principal Dancer Misty Copeland has curated a stellar festival featuring outstanding choreography performed by an impressive roster of world class artists. Each night will feel like a gala performance. Choreographers Kyle Abraham, Bob Fosse, Alonzo King, José Limón, Dwight Rhoden, Rudolf Nureyev, John Taras, Ingrid Silva, Houston Thomas and a new work by Aleisha Walker commissioned by the Joyce complete the roster – and that’s just the roster for the first week! Continue reading

8/16/24 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Unite- The Future Faces of Ballet

By Walter Rutledge

Unite, the Joyce Ballet Festival’s opening night performance was an eye-opening reveal of the face (or faces) of the future of ballet. The six-day, festival offers eight performances from Tuesday August 13 through Sunday August 18. Unite is an enlightening example of the growing and long overdue multicultural diversity and inclusiveness the artform so rightfully deserves. Continue reading