Save the Date! DanceAfrica DC/Coyaba Village Celebration will be returning to Dance Place. Stay tuned for more information.

Flight! is an evening-length dance opera and pilgrimage that investigates marronage as a method of placemaking. The work explores the life and legacy of Queen Nanny, a great warrior and healer who led the Windward Jamaican maroons in fighting off the British army. Original, live music and text combine to hold inventive movement that melds West African, ballet, Afro-Caribbean, and modern dance, reflective of the mixed-race maroon communities so integral to our freedom now. Through performance, dream dinners, freedom walks, and mirror talks, Flight! invites witnesses into collective world-building, offering them both the space for being and the tools for doing.

This presentation is supported by The Carla Perlo Fund for Choreography and Performance, established by the Howard and Geraldine Polinger Family Foundation

The Energizers Creative Arts Summer Camp is a 6-week all day summer program on the Dance Place campus for ages 5-19. The program consists of a creative arts curriculum utilizing dance as a central theme for artistic expression and social-emotional learning. The Energizers Creative Arts Camp Show is a culmination and celebration of what the campers learn throughout the summer!

Join us for a night of celebration, connection, and creativity at the Energizers Winter Sneaker Ball — an unforgettable tribute to the youth, mentors, and community that have shaped the legacy of Dance Place’s Energizers Creative Arts Programs.

What began in 1986 as Carla’s Kids, founded by visionary arts educator Carla Perlo, evolved into the Energizers in 1994. Over nearly four decades, this vibrant program has supported youth through dance and the arts — growing to include Teen Leaders, After School students, summer campers, internships, and more. From classrooms to the stage and beyond, Energizers have transformed from passionate kids into thriving adults, educators, and artists.

This red carpet affair celebrates the generations of young people who found their voice, power, and community through the arts. Expect a powerful evening of dance, storytelling, live performances, delicious food, fresh kicks, and a tribute to the legacy we continue to build together.

Come dressed to impress — in your finest semi-formal attire and your flyest sneakers — and help us honor the past, uplift the present, and energize the future.