On April 27, friends from across the dance community gathered in Harlem at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria for the fourth annual 25 to Watch Live. The springtime energy outside felt in keeping with the performance inside: a celebratory showcase for 11 of our 2026 “25 to Watch” picks. These talented artists’ careers are beginning to flower.
The night began with tap dancer Emiko Nakagawa’s Resonance, a tour de force solo with intricate footwork that left no musical beat unanswered. Two contemporary dancers also performed works of their own creation. Kris Lee’s Who dis fah credited its score to Mellowbastard (Lee’s music-making alter ego), but the audience never heard it: Lee walked onstage, set a timer on their watch, put in their earbuds, and proceeded to have a one-person silent disco, exploring a dramatic semi-private world as we watched in silence. Kashia Kancey, in a lime-green gown with a giant neck ruff, might have been an alien queen or a glam rocker or a high priestess—all of the above, probably—in her fantastical solo, For My Amusement.
Atlanta Ballet’s Ángel Ramírez was all sunny ebullience and laser-sharp cabrioles in a variation from Coppélia. On the other end of the ballet-hero spectrum, David O’Matz, of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, was the picture of elegant grief in Albrecht’s variation from Giselle. BalletMet’s Sumi Ichikawa made luxuriant use of her gorgeous port de bras in Leiland Charles’ Decisions, Decisions, which offered a contemporary twist on its Vivaldi score. Freelance dancer Deniz Erkan Sancak brought punk-rock energy to the ballet-inflected vocabulary of Stephen Petronio’s No More Heroes. And A.I.M by Kyle Abraham standout William Okajima lent poetic refinement to Ethan Colangelo’s Passing, a winding stream of a dance.
Contemporary choreographers Anthony and Kel Matsena presented a vivid excerpt from their Kabel, danced by Kel and Harvey Burke-Hamilton, which teetered on the border between connection and conflict. Mia J. Chong, now co-artistic director of ODC/Dance, showed an excerpt from Theories of Time, performed by a trio of ODC/Dance artists whose relationships to each other seemed to morph and fragment over the course of the work. To close out the evening, Agora Artists presented Willow DuBose’s All Rise, a patchwork of styles and moods that had its four dancers grooving to Minnie Riperton and gliding to Meredith Monk.
Each performance offered a compelling answer to—as Dance Magazine editor in chief Caitlin Sims said in her opening remarks—“the always-fascinating question of, ‘Where is dance heading next?’ ” Thank you to everyone who joined us for 25 to Watch Live and made the event possible, including sponsors Ballet Academy East, Bennington College, London Contemporary Dance School, and University of Southern California Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.
Facts Only
The event took place on April 27 at The Apollo Stages at The Victoria in Harlem.
It was the fourth annual 25 to Watch Live showcase.
11 artists from Dance Magazine’s 2026 "25 to Watch" list performed.
Emiko Nakagawa performed a tap solo titled *Resonance*.
Kris Lee presented a contemporary piece, *Who dis fah*, featuring a silent disco concept.
Kashia Kancey performed *For My Amusement* in a lime-green gown.
Ángel Ramírez danced a variation from *Coppélia*.
David O’Matz performed Albrecht’s variation from *Giselle*.
Sumi Ichikawa performed in *Decisions, Decisions*, choreographed by Leiland Charles.
Deniz Erkan Sancak performed Stephen Petronio’s *No More Heroes*.
William Okajima danced in Ethan Colangelo’s *Passing*.
Anthony and Kel Matsena presented an excerpt from *Kabel*.
Mia J. Chong showcased an excerpt from *Theories of Time*.
Willow DuBose’s *All Rise* closed the event.
Sponsors included Ballet Academy East, Bennington College, London Contemporary Dance School, and the University of Southern California Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.
Executive Summary
Full Take
The 25 to Watch Live event serves as a microcosm of contemporary dance’s evolving landscape, where tradition and innovation intersect. The showcase’s diversity—from tap to punk-infused ballet—reflects a field in flux, resisting rigid categorization. Yet, the framing of these artists as "rising talent" invites scrutiny: Who defines "worth watching," and what criteria are used? The event’s sponsors, all prestigious institutions, lend credibility but also raise questions about gatekeeping in the arts. The absence of explicit discussion about accessibility, funding disparities, or the pressures of emerging artists suggests a curated optimism, potentially obscuring systemic challenges.
The performances themselves reveal a tension between individual expression and institutional validation. Kris Lee’s silent disco piece, for example, subverts audience expectations, yet its inclusion in a mainstream showcase like this one may dilute its radical potential. Similarly, the juxtaposition of classical ballet variations with contemporary works hints at an ongoing negotiation between preservation and disruption in dance. The event’s celebratory tone, while uplifting, could inadvertently reinforce the idea that artistic success is meritocratic, ignoring the role of privilege and networks in career trajectories.
Bridge questions: How might the selection process for "25 to Watch" shape perceptions of artistic value? What voices or styles might be excluded by this framework? If the goal is to predict dance’s future, how do we account for the unpredictable ways art evolves outside institutional recognition?
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