Whose careers will skyrocket in 2026? Our editors and contributors from across the dance world have a few predictions—namely, the artists on our annual “25 to Watch” list.

This week we’re sharing tributes to all of the 2025 Dance Magazine Award honorees. For tickets to the awards ceremony on December 8, visit store.dancemedia.com. It started in 1971, in Ohio—at Oberlin College, which had hired Brenda Way as temporary faculty in dance. Soon the mother, sometime political organizer, and former School of American Ballet student was working with […]

Last year’s Netflix hit “America’s Sweethearts,” a docuseries about the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, displayed some maddeningly contradictory attitudes toward dancer health. One moment, performers were body shamed for failing to meet the team’s punishingly narrow standards; the next, they were scolded for not properly “fueling” themselves during practice. For many dancers, those scenes were all […]

Brenda Way founded ODC/Dance in 1971 on the basis of one guiding question: “How can we help create a culture of art and art appreciation?” More than 50 years later, the depth of her organization’s programming speaks to Way’s community-based mission. ODC is a company, a school, a performance space and a dancer health clinic, but it’s the sum of […]

Here are the latest promotions, appointments and transfers, plus notable awards and accomplishments from the last month. Comings & Goings At The Royal Ballet, Anna Rose O’Sullivan and Luca Acri have been promoted to first soloist, Romany Pajdak, Isabella Gasparini, Tomas Mock and David Yudes to soloist. Gary Avis and Samantha Raine have been appointed […]

A Broadway luminary and a postmodern darling bring their talents to ballet, a music video maven turns to the concert stage, and a contemporary choreographer gets soulful with Aretha Franklin. Our editors’ must-sees this May are all about the unexpected. A Late Commission Tanowitz in rehearsal at NYCB Erin Baiano, Courtesy NYCB NEW YORK CITY […]

You might feel like the second choice when you look at the casting sheet, but understudies are necessary, valued team members who are regularly called off the bench to perform—even with very little prep time. “It is like the ultimate trust exercise with your director,” says Mia J. Chong, who understudied many roles in ODC/Dance’s […]

One choreographer wants to explore ideas through improvisation; another demands quick pickup of specific steps. One might demonstrate ideas physically; another may rely on language and gestures imbued with feeling. Puzzling out how to thrive in ever-changing creative environments is an ongoing practice, but a little preparation and the right mindset can go a long […]