Paradigm Shift Dance Company Returns To The 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival

Paradigm Shift Dance Company returns to the 2026 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival with And Now...with Extra Bits. Performances take place Thursday, September 17 at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 26 at 2:00 p.m. in the Allen Main Stage Theatre at the School of the Arts.

Tickets start at $15 and are available through the Rochester Fringe Festival online, by phone at (585) 957-9837 (additional fees apply), or in person (at the venue or at the One Fringe Place Box Office at the corner of Main & Gibbs).

And Now...with Extra Bits is a fast-paced dance comedy where artistic excellence can and indeed does morph into comedic catastrophe at any moment. Drawing on the rich traditions of dance while adding a playful twist, it delights audiences with visual humor, clever choreography, and theatrical surprises while celebrating the joy, absurdity, and unpredictability of live performance.

PSDC's 2025 dance comedy, 'And Now for Something Completely Different,' earned enthusiastic praise from audiences, with one attendee declaring, "That was the most fun I've ever had at a dance performance." This year, And Now...with Extra Bits builds on that success with returning favorites and brand-new works of equal ridiculosity. Roar with laughter as elegant performances teeter gloriously on the edge of chaos. Get ready for insect invasions, last-minute understudies, fainting chickens, misplaced seashells, and props of unfortunate sizes. You'll be on the edge of your seat asking yourself one question: will they nail it or fail it?

Paradigm Shift Dance Company is a Rochester-based professional dance company with the mission to perform, train, and choreograph the serious artistry of 'square pegs in round holes' artists of diverse bodies, backgrounds, abilities, and disabilities, challenging conventional thinking about who can be a dancer. They create bold, joyful performances that make professional dance accessible, welcoming, and genuinely fun for audiences of all ages.

The 12-day ESL Rochester Fringe Festival is one of the nation's largest fringe festivals and has been recognized by the New York Times as 'one of the country's more prominent multidisciplinary events.' It is also New York State's largest performing arts festival and the current winner, three years running, of CITY Magazine's Best of Rochester Award for Best Arts Event. Nearly a million people have attended more than 6,500 performances and events at the Fringe since its inception in 2012. The non-profit organization's mission is to offer platforms for artists, new audiences for venues, and unparalleled public access to incredible art. It strives to be diverse and inclusive, as well as to stimulate downtown Rochester culturally and economically. The Fringe showcases the work of regional, national, and International Artists from emerging to superstar. Audiences at Fringe also have the rare opportunity to attend a performance at the Spiegeltent, which is one of the most unique performing arts venues in the world.

Photo Credit: Demian Spindler