Stay in the Loop
BSR publishes on a weekly schedule, with an email newsletter every Wednesday and Thursday morning. There’s no paywall, and subscribing is always free.
Saying goodbye and looking forward
The Month in Philly Dance for July 2026
Camille Bacon-Smith
It’s been a summer of dance and baseball, and the World Cup on the TV here in danceland. I defend the dance credentials of a soaring jeté of a well-hit baseball or a jooking run down the pitch for a goal in soccer, but we still have some performances on stage to keep us going. And it’s that time of year again that finds me pouring over the subscription booklets for the new season. So much dance to look forward to!
Sankofa SG presents: The Sankofa Journey
Saturday, July 11, 7pm
Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine Street
This will be the farewell performance for Jazlyn Tan’s company, Sankofa SG. According to Tan, Sankofa means to go back and fetch what was left behind, such as remembrances. She specializes in Umfundalai, a contemporary dance technique rooted in the African diaspora, as well as contemporary and street dancing. The evening promises a look back on the past three years of the company’s Philadelphia run.
BalletX: The Little Prince
July 15-18, times vary
Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street
The Little Prince has been one of my favorite books since I discovered it in high school. It’s the story of a man contemplating death when he is stranded after a plane crash, but posed as a children’s fairy tale about the magical child he meets in the desert. In 2019, I talked with choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa here about our mutual love of the book and the way she layered the story, retaining the whimsy for children in the audience while the deeper themes appeal to the adults. I wouldn’t miss interpretation for the world.
And also
Looking forward to the new season, I’ve already picked out some favorites I’m putting on my calendar. In recent years the Philadelphia Ballet has been presenting an increasing number of story ballets and commissioned works. But this upcoming season, the company goes back to its roots, opening with a celebration of the American spirit with Balanchine’s Stars and Stripes and Who Cares? Alongside Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free from October 8-11, 2026. The company follows up with another contemporary ballet triple bill October 15-18, 2026, with Christopher Wheeldon’s DGV: Danse à Grande Vitesse, a personal favorite set to Michael Nyman’s Musique Grande Vitesse along with Wayne Macgregor’s Chroma and Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room.
The Nutcracker, a holiday tradition for generations of ballet fans, returns December 4-31, 2026. (Here, three ballerinas talk about dancing snowflakes and flowers.) It marks a return to the story ballets, with Ben Stevenson’s Cinderella March 4-14, 2027. (I talked with Charles Askegard about dancing comedy in the ballet here.) Artistic director Angel Corella’s version of Don Quixote is another rousing and fun classical story ballet, rounds out the season April 29-May 9, 2027.
With a little math, you can see that the story ballets command much longer runs than the contemporary ballets. I do love the old stories (and the new ones) rich in glittering sets and costumes and stories that, mostly, we already know. But I think that fans who steer clear of contemporary ballets are really missing out. It’s got something for everybody: new ideas and new ways of moving, with music that can range from Bach to the White Stripes. It’s where the adventure is.
Sign up for our newsletter
All of the week's new articles, all in one place. Sign up for the free weekly BSR newsletters, and don't miss a conversation.
