Boston’s performing arts scene can feel a little sleepy during the summer. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t productions to catch — you just may have to do some traveling to find them. If you’re looking for a creative escape, venture out to the Berkshires to take in the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, a tradition almost a century old. Trips to Maine will land you at the Bates Dance Festival in Lewiston or The Dance Hall in Kittery, where Boston Dance Theater will present contemporary choreography.
Of course, if you’d prefer to stay put, there are a few stagings you’ll be able to experience, from the Asian American Ballet Project’s lyrical work at Arrow Street Arts to the Institute of Contemporary Art’s dance residency sneak peeks. Whether you choose to take an adventure abroad or stay in the city, there’s much artistry to be enjoyed, and we hope you’ll consult this guide for suggestions.
Asian American Ballet Project: ‘Receding and Reemerging’
Cambridge | June 21-22
During a time in our country where Asian Americans “are being told or made to disappear,” the Asian American Ballet Project will put AAPI identity front and center through a dynamic show, founder and artistic director Elizabeth Mochizuki said in a press release. At Arrow Street Arts in Cambridge, the company will perform works that eloquently illustrate Asian American stories, including “Spectre de la Rose,” a reinterpretation of a 1911 ballet that has been restaged within a World War II Japanese American “assembly center.” The dancers will also perform “The Legend,” a modernized Kazakh folktale about the conflict between man and beast, as well as “Entwined Destinies,” a duet about the East Asian Red Thread of Fate myth. Mochizuki was honored as one of WBUR’s 2024 Makers.
Modern American dancer and choreographer Isadora Duncan was a feminist leader of her time, seeking to liberate the body from physical and social limitations. This production at The Dance Complex in Cambridge strives to address the autonomy of the female form, featuring original choreography and reimagined pieces by Duncan. “My Body, My Dance” also marks the premiere of the New Duncan Dance Project, a collaboration between dance artists Kelli Edwards and Sandra Zarotney Keldsen that ushers Duncan’s work into the 21st century.
No summer dance experience would be complete without a trip to Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, an escape in the Berkshires where artists have erected a unique village. This year represents the 93rd annual dance festival, and this July, Jacob’s Pillow will officially open its new Doris Duke Theatre, a “living lab” that merges dance with cutting-edge technology. The theater will showcase works by Andrew Schneider, Eun-Me Ahn, Shamelle Pitts | TRIBE, and others. The celebrated retreat will also host Pillow Pride Weekend from July 11-13, returning to Jacob’s Pillow after a five-year hiatus. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will appear, coming back to Jacob’s Pillow as a full company for the first time in 62 years, and the festival will honor the 40th anniversary and final performance of the Stephen Petronio Company. Of course, don’t miss choreography on the outdoor Henry J. Leir Stage, brought to audiences by KanKouran West African Dance Company, Calpulli Mexican Dance Company, New York Theatre Ballet, and Lowell’s Angkor Dance Troupe, to name a few groups.
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This season, Boston Dance Theater will present a variety of eclectic shows, held throughout New England. Viewers will be treated to the environmentally conscious “PLANTS + SURGE” at The Crane Estate in Ipswich on June 26. Should you take a visit to The Dance Hall in Kittery, Maine this summer, you’ll be able to see “Pinnacle Works” on June 28. Boston Dance Theater offers an outdoor glimpse of “SURGE” and a workshop at New Hampshire’s Alnoba, a space for leaders and communities to come together, on July 18. Catch the Alessandro Sousa Pereira Residency Showing at The Dance Complex in Cambridge on July 25, and a “SURGE” performance, along with a community workshop, will take place at the annual Woods Hole Science Stroll on Aug. 9. To conclude a summer of awareness, Boston Dance Theater will perform at Camp Kent in Amesbury on Aug. 14, bringing spectacle and a public activity/workshop.
The Yard
Martha’s Vineyard | June 28-Aug. 24
The Yard has announced a vibrant summer season that will provoke thought about equity, empowerment, activism and more. Danza Orgánica and a group of Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal members will captivate with “Âs Nupumukômun (We Still Dance),” a work about what it means to be Native on June 28. Jody Sperling and her Time Lapse Dance ensemble navigate ecosystems through presentations and a workshop focused on climate-engaged narratives on July 9. Chicago’s Red Clay Dance, celebrating Afro-contemporary dance, will offer pieces that redefine “Black and Indigenous traditions of land cultivation as a practice of healing,” according to a press release, in performance July 24-25 and a work-in-progress showing on Aug. 1.
Every summer, Boston’s acclaimed Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston grants choreographers residencies for the creation of new work. This July, you’ll have the opportunity to see a sneak peek of the fruits of their labor. Artists Eiko Otake and DonChristian Jones, who have been collaborating since 2017, are developing a currently untitled project inspired by the “ever-changing nature of water and the body as a river of memories,” according to a press release. You’ll also see choreographer Netta Yerushalmy’s piece in progress, influenced by the ideas of female aging and the effect it has on art production.
There’s so much to do on the island of Nantucket, but if you’re seeking out a dose of creative inspiration, visit the Nantucket Dance Festival, a fundraiser for Nantucket Dance Theater. A spotlight will shine on dancer Peter De Carlo, part of the festival’s new “Rising Artist” program. Highlights also include the experience of “Nantucket Dreamland,” a local movie theater venue that will fascinate with a “wonderland” of dance styles. At Nantucket High School, the festival will offer free classes in tap, ballet, theater, ballroom and more, welcoming artists of all ages. A free, social dance night will take place at the Nantucket Island School of Design and Art, and programming will culminate in a benefit performance.
For three weeks, dance enthusiasts will have a chance to observe the Bates Dance Festival, a program of contemporary dance education and performance at Bates College. This year will feature a “landmark” showing from the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, which will put forward the works “Continuous Replay” and “D-Man in the Waters.” Audiences can also catch Ragamala Dance Company “Invisible Cities,” a reimagining of the Italo Calvino novel, OzuzuDances’ “Space Carcasses,” a concert by violinist Rob Flax’s Boom Chick Trio, and a gallery display and performance activation from artist Gesel Mason.
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Take in an outdoor dance concert on the lawn of the Great Friends Meeting House in Newport, Rhode Island this summer. The Newport Dance Festival, hosted by Newport Contemporary Ballet, will feature four visiting companies: New English Ballet Theatre from London, Tom Gold Performance Society from New York City, NSquared Dance from New Hampshire, and East Coast Contemporary Ballet based in Connecticut. In addition to reserved seating, lawn tickets are available for this “world class” event.
