Global Update:

Happening This Week

• Elenaluisa Alvarez, Andrea Parson (female), and Carlyn Hudson for Conduit Dance, Inc. – Program: Crossbridges
  • August 8, 2026 – August 9, 2026: Conduit Dance, Inc. will present Crossbridges, a program featuring works by Elenaluisa Alvarez (female), LeeWei Chao (male), Andrea Parson (female), and Carlyn Hudson (female).
• Jodie Gates for Laguna Dance Festival – Program: Voices Unbound
  • On August 9, 2026, Laguna Dance Festival will present Voices Unbound, a program featuring world premiere works by Jodie Gates (female), and Peter Chu (male).
• Amanda Treiber, Tiler Peck, and Pam Tanowitz for Vail Dance Festival – Program: Now: Premieres
  • On August 10, 2026, Vail Dance Festival will present Now: Premieres, a program featuring new works by Robert Battle (male), Larry Keigwin (male), Tiler Peck (female), Alexei Ratmansky (male), Pam Tanowitz (female), Chun Wai Chan (male), and Amanda Treiber (female).
• Amanda Castro, Arielle Rosales, and Brinda Guha at Battery Dance Festival
  • On August 11, 2026, Battery Dance Festival will present a program featuring a world premiere excerpt of The Kitchen by choreographers Amanda Castro (female), Arielle Rosales (female), and Brinda Guha (female) alongside works by Jessee Leigh Robinson (female), Rosalind Newman (female), Elías Aguirre (male), Amy Saunder (female), and Moscelyne ParkeHarrison (female).
• Hope Boykin for Martha Graham Dance Company at Jacob’s Pillow
  • August 12, 2026 – August 14, 2026: Martha Graham Dance Company will be in residence at Jacob’s Pillow and will present a program featuring a world premiere work by Hope Boykin (female), alongside works by Jamar Roberts (male) and Martha Graham (female).

Female Choreography Commissions, World Premieres, and Programming

• Tara Jade Samaya for Catapult Dance Company at Impact Festival
  • August 27, 2026 – August 28, 2026: Catapult Dance Company and Impact Festival will present Triple Bill 2026, a program featuring new works by Tara Jade Samaya (female), James Batchelor (male), and Jack Ziesing (male).
• Kayla Farrish, Annie Rigney and Jessi Stegall for Whim W’Him – Program: Fall ‘26
  • September 11, 2026 – September 19, 2026: Whim W’Him will present Fall ‘26, a program featuring new creations by Kayla Farrish (female), Annie Rigney (female), Jessi Stegall (female).
• Anne Jung and Melody Walsh for Cincinnati Ballet – Program: Kaplan New Works Series
  • September 18, 2026 – September 27, 2026: Cincinnati Ballet will present the Kaplan New Works Series, a program featuring new works by Robert Bondara (male), Anne Jung (female), Mthuthuzeli November (male), and Melody Walsh (female).
• Ava Campbell for Pony Cam at Fall for Dance Festival
  • October 2, 2026-October 3, 2026: Fall for Dance Festival will present Program 5, a program featuring a world premiere work by collective company members of Pony Cam, Claire Bird (gender expansive), Ava Campbell (female), William Strom (male), Dominic Weintraub (male) and Hugo Williams (gender expansive), the program will also feature works by Alexei Ratmansky, and Stephanie Lake (female).
• Judith FLEX Helle and Dreya Weber for Luminario Ballet – Program: Le Ballet Jazz Noir
  • On October 18, 2026, Luminario Ballet will present Le Ballet Jazz Noir, a program featuring new works by Judith FLEX Helle (female), Damien Diaz (male), Dreya Weber (female), and Adrian Hoffman (Gender expansive) alongside works by Jackie Sleight (female).
• Penny Saunders for Whim W’Him – Program: Winter ‘27
  • January 15, 2027 – January 23, 2027: Whim W’Him will present Winter ‘27, a program featuring new works by Peter Chu (male), Penny Saunders (male), Olivier Wevers (male).
• Jessica Lang, Kelley Rourke, and Francesca Zambello for Washington National Opera – Program: O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky
  • March 12, 2027 – March 21, 2027: the Washington National Opera will present O’Keeffe: Kiss the Sky, a world premiere Opera ballet featuring choreography by Jessica Lang (female), Libretto by Kelley Rourke (female), direction by Francesca Zambello (female), and music by Christopher Tin (male).
• Maurya Kerr for Whim W’Him – Program: Spring ’27
  • May 7, 2027 – May 9, 2027: Whim W’Him will present Spring ‘27, a program featuring new creations by Maurya Kerr (female), Ihsan Rustem (male), and Olivier Wevers (male).

Leadership Changes

• Bruce Wood Dance Dallas Announces New Leadership
  • On August 5, 2026, Bruce Wood Dance Dallas announced that Melissa M. Young (female) has been appointed as Artistic Director of the company, succeeding Joy Bollinger (female), who moves into the role of Resident Choreographer and Répétiteur.
• Grand Rapids Symphony Announces New President & CEO
  • On August 6, 2026, Grand Rapids Symphony announced that Agnieszka Rakhmatullaev (female) has been appointed President and CEO. Rakhmatullaev succeeds Mary Tuuk Kuras (female), who had been serving in the position in an interim capacity.
• Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera Announce New Music Director & Chief Conductor
  • On July 30, 2026, the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera announced that Ari Pelto (male) will take on the role of Music Director and Chief Conductor at the beginning of the 2026/2027 season. 
• Korean National Ballet Announces New Artistic Director
  • On August 6, 2026, the Korean National Ballet announced that Kim Joo-won (female) has been appointed as Artistic Director of the company. Kim Joo-won succeeds Kang Sue-jin (female), who departed the company in April 2026.
• St. Louis Ballet Announces Departure of Rehearsal Director
  • In June 2026, St. Louis Ballet announced the departure of long-time rehearsal director CiCi Houston Sudholt (female). 

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