Philadelphia

A group of five dancers, three women and two men, form a circle around a female soloist. The soloist, wearing a vibrant pink vest over a black top paired with light blue, wide-legged pants, moves exuberantly with her arms out akimbo while standing on her left toes with her right leg out to the side. A live five piece jazz band, including a piano, drums, a bass trumpet, and trombone, is visible behind the dancers upstage. A projection on the brick wall in the back displays a collage of sheet music and colonial artwork of a scene from a pub.
Photo: Jano Cohen
  • Reviews

Scats off the Score

Nadia Ureña

Lauren and Brent White breathe new life into Francis Johnson’s suites from the Antebellum.

Two people draped in brown fabric rest their heads on one another’s shoulders in front of a white background. The image is edited with faint red and blue outlines.
Photo: Kosoko Performance Studio
  • Reviews

This Is Not Surveillance. You Gon Have To Participate.

Caitlin Green

//shrouded\\ evokes a necessary discomfort within the container of performance.

Two human-shaped puppets seated side by side on a platform, their legs hanging over the edge and their arms extended forward as if gesturing outward. Both puppets feature detailed facial expressions with open mouths. The puppet on the left has curly hair and wears a cheetah-print robe layered over a red bra with black lace, while the puppet on the right appears bald with facial hair and is dressed in shorts and shoes. Puppeteers dressed in dark clothing are partially visible behind and around the figures, with their hands engaged in supporting and controlling the puppets. A dark background and focused lighting emphasize the puppets’ faces, clothing, and posture, creating strong contrast and directing attention to the figures.
Photo: Charlie Lyne
  • Reviews

Sex, Satire, and Puppets on Stage

Emily “Lady Em” Culbreath

A boldly funny and surprisingly tender puppet show uses candid confessions and surreal imagery to explore sex, aging, and human intimacy.

Joan Myers Brown and eight fellow choreographers, dancers, and company leaders seated on a panel discussion on a blue-lit stage at the Perelman Theater, following the performance.
Photo: Lauren Berlin
  • Reviews

Philadanco: Then and Now

Lauren Berlin

Aunt Joan, Philadanco, and a Philadelphia Legacy: 65 Years and Counting

  • News

Fifteen Years of Dance Writing at thINKingDANCE

Emilee Lord

Dive into the archive and move through the years with us!

A crowd of predominantly white people wear white dresses, t-shirts, and gauze veils draped over their heads, faces visible. Most have painted their faces white with pink around their eyes and are wearing KN95 masks. They are walking forward toward the camera, a tall shadowed building, tree foliage, stop lights, and a square of blue sky behind them. Two people in the front open their mouths mid-song and scrunch their eyebrows together, maybe from the sun and maybe with concern. Deeper into the crowd, people hold a white banner with bold black letters, “WE ARE HAUNTED BY WHAT WE SEE IN GAZA.”
Photo: Rachael Warriner
  • Reviews, thINKpieces

There is a Shoah in Gaza

Xander Cobb

Philadelphian Jews dance and sing in protest of Mural Arts Holocaust Memorial Mural that excludes Arabic and Palestine.

Male dance artist Kun-Yang Lin balances on one leg in flowing red silk, hands flexed gracefully, looking downward while holding a poised dance pose.
Photo: Bill H
  • Interviews

To Move in the In-Between: The Legacy of Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers

Lauren Berlin

Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers, among the country’s top Asian American dance companies, marks its final season with a lasting legacy.

Choreographer Charles Askegard guides a poignant moment as Oksana Maslova collapses into Sterling Baca’s arms. Her knees are drawn to her chest, toes pointed, arms extended overhead, lifted off the floor, expressing grief while supported by her partner.
Photo: Adrenaline Film
  • Interviews

The Art of Rising: Ballet Responds to the War in Ukraine

Lauren Berlin

Dance, War, and the Work That Became the Most Important of Maslova’s Career.

An unseen person holds a colorful event flyer over a wooden surface alongside a DJ turntable an a pair of black sneakers. Vibrant and dynamic, the flyer depicts a sunset city skyline in the background and a breaker, wearing a teal patterned shirt and cargo pants, frozen in mid-air performing an impressive freeze. The title “End of Summer Jam” is boldly displayed in graffiti-style red lettering with the subtitle “1 vs 1 Breaking Battles” below it in black on yellow. The left side of the flyer is red and contains event details, including the date (08•17•25), time (Doors 3PM), and entry fee ($10). It also lists the venue — Philly Movements Dance Company in Philadelphia, PA — and mentions a $200 grand prize. Additional info includes the DJ (Jey Prime), the judges (Fierce One, B-Girl Gloh, and Mikey), and the host (Wrath of Khan). The overall design is energetic and urban, capturing the spirit of a Philadelphia breakin' competition.
Image: Jey Prime
  • Reviews

End of Summer Jam: Honoring Tradition Through Breakin’ in Philadelphia

Emily “Lady Em” Culbreath

End of Summer Jam preserves long-standing Hip Hop tradition with local flair.

Tables and chairs form a “U” shape to the left of the photos frame. One person with brown skin and glasses is visible through the negative space of two onlookers facing away from the camera. Bystanders stand or sit in the distance.
Photo: Miryam Coppersmith
  • Reviews, Write Back Atchas

Realness For the Patrons – Rennie Harris Beautiful Humans Lies: Chapter 4

Noel Price-Bracey

Waiting for the Rhythm and the Funk