Accent Dance NYC Reveals 2026 Spring Season
Experience a blend of contemporary ballet, street, and folkloric dances at Accent Dance NYC's upcoming performance
By: Stephi Wild Jan. 26, 2026
Accent Dance NYC takes center stage, presenting an evening that embodies its mission and artistic journey. On March 13 and 14, 2026, at Ailey Citigroup Theater, Accent Dance NYC will showcase 22 exceptional artists in a richly diverse program spanning contemporary ballet, modern, Chinese folkloric traditions, street dance, African dance, and more. The evening will feature Cuban choreographer Pedro Ruiz's contemporary ballet work Mar y Tierra, Danielle Diniz's A Place for Us, Will Ervin's Narcissus, and Chinese choreographer Miaotian Sun's Echoes Between Us, alongside a powerful African dance performance with live drumming.
Echoes Between Us by Chinese choreographer Miaotian Sun reimagines the reawakening of the ancient lost Chinese civilization of Sanxingdui by a modern-day archeologist, fusing traditional Chinese dance with Western contemporary dance. Mar Y Tierra by Cuban choreographer Pedro Ruiz, originally choreographed for Ballet Contemporaneo of Camaguey Cuba, draws upon the musical traditions of his grandparents from the Mediterranean, blending contemporary and ballet traditions that are the hallmark of Ruiz's work. Diniz's A Place for Us is a 13-minute multidisciplinary work that blends ballet, Latin, contemporary, and theater dance to tell the deeply personal yet universal story of immigration. Inspired by her own family's history-her grandmother emigrating from Mexico and her grandfather from Portugal-Diniz explores the challenges, hopes, and dreams of those seeking a new home. The work reflects on the diverse cultural contributions that shape America and offers a compassionate meditation on finding belonging in a new land. Ervin's Narcissus is a striking fusion of modern, contemporary, and street dance, inspired by the Greek myth and the lifelong journey towards self-actualization and self-acceptance. Drawing further inspiration from the narcissus flower-symbolizing rebirth, inner reflection, and hope-Ervin's choreography invites audiences to consider the ways we see ourselves and how those perceptions shape identity.
Three of the works on the program, Echoes Between Us, A Place for Us and Narcissus were commissioned as part of Accent Dance NYC's NEXT: The Emerging Choreographer Commissioning Program, an initiative launched in 2023 to support choreographers bringing fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the dance world-including dancer and choreographer compensation, rehearsal space, mentorship, and performance opportunities.
"This year we celebrate the centrality of culture in our lives. Culture is not a single story - it's a symphony of varied lived experiences. We are thrilled to share a full evening that embodies our ethos-who we are, where we're from, and how we celebrate our stories, differences and connections."
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