Sashay into November

The Month in Philly Dance: November 2026

Camille Bacon-Smith
|
In
4 minute read
Six male dancers in red and blue outfits on a foggy stage, with one dancer in mid-air and three arms raised to catch him.
Compagnie Hervé Koubi is a highlight of the November dance calendar with its stunning mix of French and Mediterranean dance styles and cultures

Theaters are my safe space. When I am feeling hopeless about the world and our self-inflicted catastrophes, I turn to the arts: whether carefully cultivated in the lush gardens of the city’s major venues or bursting like dandelions out of hidden spaces, the arts persist. Thankfully, dance, the literal embodiment of art, abounds this month with companies from home and around the world, sharing their hearts and minds, and their joys. (I have so many tickets!)

A world of dance

BalletX: Fall Series
November 4-15, Times Vary
Suzanne Roberts Theatre
480 S Broad Street, Philadelphia

BalletX is back with the return of Amy Hall Garner’s Switching the Groove and Christian Denice’s In the Wake, and a new piece by Loughlan Prior. Prior’s Macaroni (BSR reviewed here) was a hit in 2024, and his world premiere, Speakeasy, promises to take us for a jazzy trip down memory lane to the days of Prohibition in Philly.

Nrityagram Dance Ensemble: KHAṄKHAṆĀ the sound of dancing feet
Friday, November 6, 2026, 7:30pm
Saturday, November 7, 2026, 3pm
Harold L. Zellerbach Theater at the Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia

Nrityagram means “dance village,” and the ensemble is part of just such a village—a collective of artists in the oldest classical Indian dance form, Odissi. They will be performing a retrospective of the works of choreographer Surupa Sen as part of Penn Live Arts’ Arts of India Festival. (November 5th, the company will also hold a master class for intermediate to advanced students. The class is free, but registration is required.)

SHARP Dance Company: The Chosen Ones
Friday, November 13, 2026, 7:30pm
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 7:30pm
Fringe Arts, 140 N Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia

The performance is subtitled “A night honoring Joseph Cotler and his choreographic contributions to SHARP Dance Company.” The evening will take a look back at Cotler’s work for the company and present new works by Cotler, choreographer Miguel Quiñones and company founder and artistic director Diane Sharp-Nachsin. Expect a varied program with a choreographic sensibility that touches the heart.

Koresh Dance Company: Never/Mind
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 7pm
Montco Cultural Center Theater
1313 Morris Road, Blue Bell, Pennsylvania

The much-loved Koresh Dance Company is on the road, bringing founder and choreographer Roni Koresh’s Never/Mind to Montgomery County. According to Koresh, the piece is about the creative state of mind that stays true to its own authentic self, and is not swayed by expectations or negative opinions. (BSR reviewed the Philadelphia premiere here.)

Compagnie Hervé Koubi: Sol Invictus
Friday, November 20, 2026, 7:30pm
Saturday, November 21, 2026, 2pm
Harold L. Zellerbach Theater at the Annenberg Center
3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia

I loved Compagnie Hervé Koubi when I first saw it in 2017 (BSR review is here) and snapped up my tickets as soon as I heard they’d be returning. Choreographer Koubi grew up in France. When he discovered that his great grandfather was Algerian, he set out to explore those roots through dance. His choreography combines contemporary dance with hip hop and capoeira in a stunning display of explosive movement that draws from his French and Algerian heritage but sometimes feels like a step into a different world.

And Also...

Philadelphia Ballet: Day of the Dead
Monday, November 2, 2026, 6pm
Philadelphia Ballet Dance Innovation Lab, 323 N Broad St. Philadelphia

Philadelphia Ballet, in conjunction with the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia is celebrating the Day of the Dead with dance and other cultural activities. (The event is currently at capacity.)

BalletX: Free Fridays
Friday, November 6, 2026, 5:30 and 6:45pm
BalletX Studio, 1923 Washington Avenue, Philadelphia

BalletX offers monthly pop-up classes on Friday! This month it’s Beginner and Intermediate ballet at 5:30pm and Lindy Hop 101 at 6:45pm. Classes are one hour, and they are free, but registration is required (see links.)

Performance Garage HubChat: A conversation with Floyd McLean Jr. & Guest
Thursday, November 12, 2026, 6pm
Performance Garage, 1515 Brandywine Street, Philadelphia

This year, Performance Garage’s Dancevisions resident artist is PHILADANCO! favorite Floyd Mclean Jr. He’ll be discussing his new work and sharing excerpts of previous work.

Philadelphia Ballet: Dance Talks, Nutcracker: The Ultimate Holiday Tradition
November 19, 2026, 6pm
Philadelphia Ballet Dance Innovation Lab, 323 N Broad St. Philadelphia

Another free event, with registration. Get to see the dancers and learn about the sugarplum of ballets.

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