Showcasing her unique style of Irish dance with one of the world’s biggest pop stars is a fitting career high for Kaitlyn Sardin. In recent years, the technically accomplished Irish dancer, who was part of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” cohort in 2024, has carved out her own lane through social media, blending hard shoe Irish dance with hip hop, Afrobeat, vogue, and other styles. Performing with Beyoncé on the Cowboy Carter Tour—a genre-pushing project that blended country, Americana, and folk music—was the perfect fit for a dancer who thrives exploring the in-between.

The second annual 25 to Watch Live, on July 29, was both a compelling, one-time-only performance and a marvelous meeting of artists who might not otherwise have crossed paths. A sense of warm camaraderie suffused the Ailey Citigroup Theater in New York City during an evening of stellar performances and panel discussions that featured the […]

Mark your calendars: 25 to Watch Live is back. Artists from our 2024 list of rising stars are coming together from across the dance world for this one-of-a-kind event—and you’re invited!

Electric performances, thought-provoking choreography, buzzy bodies of work—the artists on our annual list of dancers, choreographers, directors, and companies poised for a breakout share an uncanny knack for arresting attention. They’ve been turning heads while turning what’s expected—in a performance, from a career trajectory—on its head. We’re betting we’ll be seeing a lot more of them this year, and for many years to come.