CARRY ON to Bring Contemporary Ballet to Waterside Plaza
The program includes works honoring Gordon's late brother, grandfather, and ballet teacher Kat Wildish.
International dancer, choreographer, and educator Taylor Gordon will present "CARRY ON: an evening of memories thru movement", on August 18, 2026 at 7pm at Waterside Plaza in New York City. Performed outdoors at sunset, this contemporary dance program of 3 original works explores what we carry forward-the people, stories, and legacies that continue to shape who we become. 2026 marks Gordon's third summer presenting choreography at Waterside Plaza, which is located at East 26th Street and the East River, with a cast of more than 25 diverse dancers.
The program includes Any Other Friday, inspired by Gordon's brother, U.S. Army soldier Nick Gordon, who served two deployments to Afghanistan before his death by suicide in August 9, 2016. This contemporary ballet honors his life while confronting the realities of military mental health..
Canzoni Per Papa is a theatrical dance suite celebrating Gordon's late Italian grandfather. It explores heritage, family, and the ways cultural identity is passed from one generation to the next, and it premiered earlier this year at the Spark Theater Festival. What Stays is set to an original score by Emmy Award-winning composer Sean Pallatroni dedicated to beloved ballet teacher Kat Wildish. This new contemporary ballet reflects on the enduring impact of mentorship, exploring how artistic wisdom, generosity, and human connection continue to live on through the people we teach, influence, and inspire. Part of the piece was developed in France in residency at Moulin Belle in May 2026.
'The morning after my Army soldier brother killed himself a decade ago, I taught a dance class at the United Nations,' says Gordon. 'I danced across the world. Dance is all I knew how to do to heal.' A former Metropolitan Opera Ballet dancer and Radio City Christmas Spectacular Ensemble member, Gordon recently presented her show 'UNPACKED: a dance adventure' at the Peru Bienal in Lima and has choreographed and danced across 51 countries and counting.
The 2026 cast includes Delaney Andersen, Minami Ando, Caitlin Bond, Lillian Brocksmith, Sydney Brough, Adrienne de la Fuente, Erin Diehl, Isabel Harding, Meghan Keeney, Ellen Mihalick, Lucy Merz, Max O'Connell, Jordana Rosenberg (Rehearsal Swing), Nikki Sember, Kimmy Sessions, Fosca Redolfi Tezzat, Katy Weske, and students of Kat Wildish.
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