Dorrance Dance, a New York-based company, has been passionate about sharing the powerful legacy and complex history of the Black American art form of tap dancing as well as expanding its boundaries by pushing the dance form into today’s contemporary dance world. The company returned to Palm Beach County recently as part of the Duncan Theatre’s Modern Dance Series. Last … [Read more...]
Gallim’s energetic Duncan show gave audience much to admire
What is it that makes a dance performance uniquely memorable? It can be many things and different for different people, but there is a certain something that one can sense but not readily describe. I would go so far as to say it is something that is not valued as much as it should be in these days of extremes and excesses. It is that aura of integrity and authenticity — not … [Read more...]
High-energy BalletX starts Duncan dance season with a bang
BalletX, the dynamite ensemble of versatile dancers from Philadelphia, ushered in the beginning of the Palm Beach dance season by launching the popular Friday Modern Dance Series at the Duncan Theatre at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth on January 16. Impressive in many ways, the small contemporary ballet company of 15 dancers blew in into South Florida and blew the … [Read more...]
The season in dance, 2025-26: MCB remains infrequent visitor, but Palm Beach County’s dance season remains robust
The Palm Beach County performance season is just around the corner even though the oppressive heat and humidity of summer is still with us. When the weather is cool, Palm Beach comes alive with things to do and places to go and the season recommences with the joy of the performing arts, which are such an important part of the culture here. However, things have changed. … [Read more...]
The season in classical music, 2025-26: New and familiar faces on tap for robust concert offerings
Although the upcoming season in classical music does not resemble in breadth of offerings the South Florida seasons of 30 or even 20 years ago, its core, centered around a few key venues, has remained solid and reliably compelling. The same is true of the 2025-26 season, which sees the return of major orchestras and soloists on tour, and absorbing offerings from homegrown … [Read more...]
South Korean dance troupe makes powerful debut at Duncan
When a dance company is well-known, there is a constant pressure of needing to satisfy the expectations of its audiences, but when an audience comes to the theater to see a dance company for the first time, there are no set expectations. And that is especially true when the company comes from the other side of the world. Curiosity is more the mood in that case, and so it … [Read more...]
Pilobolus 50th anniversary show at Duncan underwhelms
Even for an arts organization as renowned as Pilobolus, dealing with audience expectations must be a hurdle. People who have seen the company perform numerous times naturally arrive at the theater with a certain set of expectations. Meeting those expectations time after time must be a difficult task. New works give vitality to a company but often it is the tried-and-true … [Read more...]
Parsons Dance exhilarating at opening of Duncan dance series
While I was watching Parsons Dance perform, the workings of a finely-tuned sports car came to mind. I further thought that after almost 40 years of cruising around, that perhaps Parsons Dance might now, like a sports car, be considered vintage despite its impressive speed and continued precision in performance. Without a doubt, Artistic Director David Parsons’ constant … [Read more...]
Season Preview 2024-25: A reduced, but still-vibrant season of dance
Is this the fallout year for the performing arts? It is alarming to see the sparse offerings for the 2024-25 dance season, especially after the enormous struggle it was for the arts to survive the hardships imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope that this decline in performances is not a trend that will persist. A supreme effort must be made by all to get up off that … [Read more...]
At Duncan, Paul Taylor troupe demonstrates its bright future
Once again, the Paul Taylor Dance Company graced the stage of the Duncan Theatre as they closed out the season for the 2024 Modern Dance Series. This world-famous modern dance company (which last performed at the Duncan pre-COVID) has been a regular participant in the Modern Dance Series for the last decade and the March 15 show marked its seventh visit. One can view a dance … [Read more...]