Emily Berger

American Ballet Theatre, the country’s great ballet company of theatrical stars and story ballets, returned to DC this week to present Christopher Wheeldon’s retelling of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. A star vehicle with six leading roles, the ballet succeeds in delivering sumptuous dancing and lots of drama. It falls short, however, in maintaining its focus over two intermissions and nearly two and half hours of dancing. 

What did our critic think of ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER'S 2026 DC PERFORMANCES at Warner Theatre?

What did our critic think of ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER at Warner Theatre?

DC native Samantha Figgins returns to the district for 11 performances with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Warner Theatre, the first stop on a 20 city US tour. 

DC’s own Step Afrika! returned to Arena Stage on Friday for its annual Magical Musical Holiday Step Show. What did our critic think of STEP AFRIKA! MAGICAL MUSICAL HOLIDAY STEP SHOW at Arena Stage?

What did our critic think of BODYTRAFFIC'S THIS REMINDS ME OF YOU at Eisenhower Theater?

Ballet is back at the Kennedy Center for the 2025-2026 season with multiple outstanding companies on the roster this year. This season opened with the Stuttgart Ballet, arguably Germany’s (and one of Europe’s) best ballet company. For the first time in over 30 years Stuttgart returned to the US this weekend’s performances of John Cranko’s Onegin.

DC, and frankly the Kennedy Center, could use some sunny days, and, judging by the giggles, squeals and enthusiastic applause, Sesame Street The Musical succeeded in bringing joy to its intended audience.

Wolf Trap Opera continues to breathe new life into the art form, and this weekend’s performance of Francis Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites was a special treat.

This is BRB’s Kennedy Center premiere and a testament to both BRB’s Director Carlos Acosta CBE and the Center for supporting risky endeavors like this that seek to stretch the boundaries of what ballet is and should be. 

Beeja - Earth Seed by Malavika Sarukkai is the latest dance offering as part of the Kennedy Center’s Earth to Space festival. Check here for more of the review!

The Mark Morris Dance Group returned to the Kennedy Center this week for two nights of performances of Moon, a new work created for the Center’s Earth to Space festival which runs through April 20. 

What did our critic think of TWYLA THARP DANCE DIAMOND JUBILEE at The Kennedy Center?

What did our critic think of NEW YORK CITY BALLET'S COPPÉLIA at Kennedy Center Opera House?

Saturday evening’s performance of Mulan: A Legend Reimagined at Capital One Hall was a ninety-minute retelling of the classic Chinese folk story of the young woman who impersonates a soldier and ends up successfully defending her country. This dance-based version presented by Greater Washington Chinese Dance featured young dancers from Xuejuan Dance Ensemble and Rong’s Kungfu Academy. 

What did our critic think of THE WASHINGTON BALLET'S TRANSCENDANCE at Kennedy Center?

American Ballet Theatre (ABT) regularly brings new story ballets to DC for their Kennedy Center performances and this year was no different. Crime and Punishment, based on the novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky, premiered in New York in the fall and is the first full-length ballet by a female choreographer in ABT’s repertory. It’s also a highly complex - and long - story to tell through dance, so I was curious to see if it would be a success. 

What did our critic think of ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER PROGRAM C at Kennedy Center?

What did our critic think of ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER PROGRAM B at Kennedy Center?