The end of the year is a time of reflection for New Dance Alliance.
PM 38 Artist Jordan Deal. Photo by Elyse Mertz.
As we look ahead to our 39th Performance Mix Festival (June 5-8, 2025), we’re pausing to think deeply about where we’ve come from, where we’re going and what makes our work possible.
Where have we come from?
From the NDA Archives: PM Artists Yvonne Meier & Ishmael Houston-Jones perform a duet.
For 39 years, our jam-packed Performance Mix Festival has featured local, national, and international emerging and mid-career choreographers and dance artists. It has offered new perspectives on how we experience dance, ranging from traditional venues to site-specific installations, open-rehearsals to video screenings.
Photo from Breakfast Mix/PM 38. Artist: Koros (Agora de la danse) facilitates a VR experience with Mix guests.
Described by Eye On Dance as “…a performance festival whose work feels necessary, not only for an audience but also for the development of the presenting artists,” the first Performance Mix Festival (1986) was groundbreaking as the only festival at that time dedicated to performance art in lower Manhattan. Its continuing success is testimony to its vital necessity in New York’s cultural community.
Where are we going?
The year ahead promises to be an exciting one for New Dance Alliance. In response to the changing dance landscape and the evolving needs of today’s dance artists, we’re making a few key changes for our Performance Mix Festival:
Expanding the amount of time selected artists can perform in the festival by combining short works programs with longer works.
Extending New Dance Alliance’s reach by curating and inviting international artists to Performance Mix.
Hiring a consultant to better understand and meet the needs of disabled audiences and artists.
We’re also thrilled to share that, after a long hiatus, Executive Director Karen Bernard will be performing in the festival she started, on a shared program with long-time collaborator Lisa Parra.
Karen Bernard and Lisa Parra in Lakeside (2020) at L’Annexe-A. Photo by Audree Juteau.
What makes our work possible?
Teaching moment from Breakfast Mix/PM 38.
In short, you! With your support, New Dance Alliance will continue to be a catalyst for new dance works and a home base for artists to explore new content and forge creative collaborations. Make a donation today to make our 39th Performance Mix Festival a success!
“It was a pleasure and an honor to be part of Performance Mix Festivals #31 (Infinite Corridor) and #36 (Meeting the Moai: Head Over Heels.) In both instances, the artists were made to feel welcomed and truly celebrated for their work, as reflected by attention to publicity, technical needs, and convivial gatherings.This festival truly practices diversity, equity, and inclusion, as manifested in their roster of performing artists each year. Big thanks to New Dance Alliance, Karen Bernard, and the entire Performance Mix Festival team who make it such a fulfilling and joyful experience for artists and audiences alike.”
– Hortense Gerardo
New Dance Alliance
182 Duane Street
New York, NY 10013
All venues are wheelchair accessible.
