The Month in Philly Dance: August 2025

Equilibrium Dance Company: Imbalance Dance Showcase
Saturday, August 2, 2025, 7:30pm
Equilibrium Dance Academy, 1802 South Broad Street

Short performances by contemporary company Equilibrium Dance, hip hop Checkmate Experience, and others. (Not an accessible venue; entry is via a staircase.)

Arts on Center Stage: the Lady Hoofers
August 7, 6:00pm
Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street, Philadelphia

For tap dance fans, the Lady Hoofers all-women tap ensemble is bringing some reimagined standards as well as some of their newer favorites, to the park. And if you always wanted to try it yourself, you can learn a few steps or judge our efforts from the sidelines. I love an audience participation show, and this should be a fun one.

Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers presents Inhale
August 9, 7:30pm
CHI Movement Arts Center, 1316 South 9th Street

Kun-Yang Lin/Dance invites companies across the dance spectrum to participate in a curated series of short works. Anne-Marie Mulgrew & Dancers Company, Yu.S.Artistry, Abby Donnenfeld, Caitlin Quinn, and others will be presenting in the intimate setting of the CHI Movement Arts studio.

Arts on Center Stage: Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers
August 21, 6:00pm
Dilworth Park, 1 South 15th Street

On stage, Kun-Yang Lin/Dance specializes in contemporary dance with a Chinese sensibility. In the community, the company promotes Chinese cultural dance, and the performance in the park promises a bit of both: excerpts from past favorites as well as Chinese classical and folk dance. It’s one of my favorite companies in town and definitely on my dance card.

Looking at the new season at Penn Live Arts
Zellerbach Theater, 3680 Walnut Street

In August I’ll take a deep dive into the 2025-2026 season for local companies Philadelphia Ballet and BalletX. But this month it’s Penn Live Arts in the spotlight, presenting nine companies in a season chock full of long-time favorites and a couple of newcomers to Philadelphia. I am looking forward to Kathak dancer Akash Odedra’s first appearance in Philadelphia with Songs of the Bulbul (October 18), a full-length solo performance based on the Sufi myth of the nightingale.

To celebrate the country’s 250th birthday, Live Arts is curating America Unfinished, which features five dance companies that will explore what America means in the 21st century. Favorites Mark Morris Dance Group (September 26-27), Ephrat Asherie Dance. (November 14-15), Dance Theatre of Harlem (January 16-18), and Rennie Harris Puremovement (March 20-21) will be bringing works that explore the rich, and often painful cultural tapestry, that is America.

The fifth of the curated programs, Martha Graham Dance Company (May 29-30), celebrates the company’s 100th anniversary. The program will include a Philadelphia premiere, Graham’s Frontier that honors pioneer women, and a world premiere of local star choreographer Tommie-Waheed Evans’ in case of fire, speak. PHILADANCO! will be joining the Graham dancers on the stage for the piece. Should be a memorable night.

The season rounds out with new-to-Philly Quebec’s Compagnie Virginie Brunelle (February 20-21), and long-time favorites, Momix (December 12-14) and Paul Taylor Dance Company (April 17-18).