Harlem Stage’s signature dance series E-Moves tops this month’s calendar. An integral part of Harlem Stage’s ongoing Black Arts Movement program, Part VI: DANCE: E-Moves 2023 (Apr. 13–15) is curated by dancer, choreographer, and Harlem Stage alum Stefanie Batten Bland. E-Moves showcases choreographers experimenting with and responding to the legacy of the past while creating dances that lean into the future.
Featured is Jamal Abrams’s “SAB & The Gatekeeper,” honoring conflict with self and exploring the origin story of SAB, the name Abrams has given to his shadow self. Kayla Farrish’s “In Myths until you hold me” imagines and brings into resolution herself as a Black woman, becoming visceral, solid, and human. Dance and interdisciplinary artist Ogemdi Ude’s “ok, let’s try this again” is a solo in which Ude adapts remnants of past works while addressing grief and loss, creating a character that exists both internally and externally.
For more information, visit https://www.harlemstage.org/.
Also this month
Apr. 6–30: The 18th annual La MaMa Moves! Dance Festival, curated by Nicky Paraiso, will include the New York premiere of Bobbi Jene Smith’s “Broken Theater,” Kayla Farrish’s “Put Away the Fire, dear,” and Loco7’s “Lunch with Sonia.” Two shared evenings will present works by Leyya Mona Tawil, Nora Alami, and Jadd Tank, then Baye & Asa, plus Wendy Perron and Morgan Griffin, with film and photography by Babette Mangolte.
For more information, visit https://www.lamama.org/shows/la-mama-moves-2023.
Apr. 13–15: Ayodele Casel invites fellow tap dancers Brinae Ali, Gerson Lanza, Caleb Teicher, Naomi Funaki, Amanda Castro, and Michelle Dorrance to share the stage.
For more information, visit https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2022-2023/ayodele-casel-artists-at-the-center/.
Apr. 14–15: Miro Magloire’s New Chamber Ballet’s season includes world premieres set to music by Wong Foo Jeng and Elizabeth Gartman, and repertory works to Mozart and Friedrich Cerha. Performances are at the Mark Morris Dance Center.
For more information, visit https://www.newchamberballet.com/performances.
Apr. 14–25: At the Ailey Citigroup Theater with the World Music Institute, “Dancing The Gods” will feature performances and lectures by Shreelakshmy Govardhanan, Rajika Puri, and Praveen Kumar.
For more information, visit https://www.worldmusicinstitute.org/current-season-calendar/.
Apr. 14–16: At JACK, choreographer Candace Taylor will present “Effervescent Encounters,” which explores “the magic that occurs when the light in one person witnesses and intertwines with another.”
For more information, visit https://www.jackny.org/effervescent-encounters.
Apr. 15: The Danspace Project’s DraftWork series, curated by Ishmael Houston-Jones, hosts free, informal showings of new works in varying stages of development. This afternoon will feature Andros Zins-Browne/Martita Abril. Showings are followed by a reception, conversation, and Q&A between the artists and Houston-Jones. Admission: free with RSVP.
For more information, visit https://danspaceproject.org/calendar/.
Apr. 21–May 31: The Boogie Down Dance Series at the Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD) has a diverse lineup of events featuring the artistic community of the Bronx. Slated for this season are the BRIO (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) All Star Dance Concert; Bunny Dance Compilation; works by local choreographers to the music of Puerto Rico’s Bad Bunny; Dancing While Black’s three-part series: “Past, Present, and Future”; and so much more.
For more information, visit http://www.baadbronx.org/baad-ass-women-2023.html.
Apr. 19–23: Dance Theater of Harlem returns to New York City Center for its annual Vision Gala and homecoming season, celebrating 54 years. This is the company’s final season with founding member and former principal dancer Virginia Johnson. Included on the two programs are Johnson’s most-beloved Balanchine ballet, “Allegro Brillante,” plus William Forsythe’s “Blake Works IV,” Tiffany Rea-Fisher’s “Sounds of Hazel,” Christopher Wheeldon’s “This Bitter Earth,” Nacho Duato’s “Coming Together”, DTH resident choreographer and incoming artistic director Robert Garland’s “Higher Ground,” plus repertory favorites.
For more information, visit https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2022-2023/dance-theatre-of-harlem/.
Apr. 20–22: At Gibney, Ogemdi Ude will premiere “Cameo,” a duet about preserving and losing memories. The performance will feature a multimedia installation, a live soundscape, and an improvised score.
For more information, visit https://gibneydance.org/event/ogemdiude/2023-04-20/.
Apr. 21–22: Director/choreographer Iquail Shaheed’s “Dance Iquail!” comes to the Ailey Citigroup Theater with the world premiere of “Public Enemy.”
For more information, visit https://brownpapertickets.com/event/5728568.
Apr. 23: As part of the “Works & Process” series at the Guggenheim, audiences are invited to go behind the scenes for two of the New York City Ballet’s newest commissions by choreographers Keerati Jinakunwiphat and Alysa Pires.
For more information, visit https://www.guggenheim.org/event/works-process-new-york-city-ballet-keerati-jinakunwiphat-and-alysa-pires.
Apr. 27–28: For the Trisk’s “Split Bill #40,” Beatriz Castro will share the new work “time, flat circle.” Also on the program is Effy Grey in “Grey Doc.”
For more information, visit https://www.triskelionarts.org/split-bill-40-2023.
Apr. 29: The Art Bath series, which offers immersive performance salons, will showcase flamenco dancer Neilada Tirado; ballet dancer Robbie Fairchild; and Latin-jazz pianist, arranger, and director Arturo O’Farrill of the Afro Latin Jazz orchestra; and more.
For more information, visit https://artbathnyc.ticketspice.com/art-bath-nyc-spring-2023.
Apr. 29: Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre! under artistic direction of Samar Haddad King will share a work in process of “Gathering: New York City” as part of Snug Harbor’s PASS series.
For more information, visit https://snug-harbor.org/event/pass-gatherings-new-york-city-work-in-progress-by-yaa-samar-dance-theatre/?instance_id=6670.
Apr. 29: Curated by Ishmael Houston-Jones, this edition of “DraftWork” will showcase mayfield brooks/Yo-Yo Lin. Admission: Free with RSVP. For more information, visit https://danspaceproject.org/calendar/draftwork-brooks-lin/.