Music & Concerts
FALL ARTS 2015: dance
Regional troupes explore culture, collaboration in fall offerings
Step Afrika! performs at VelocityDC’s Dance Festival in October. (Photo by Edward C. Jones; courtesy Bucklesweet Media)
The fall brings an abundance of dance performances from classical ballet and contemporary dance to cultural dances from India and Latin America.
Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater hosts a free Latin America dance party on Sept. 13 at the Catwalk Café at the Mead Center for American Theater (1101 6th St., S.W.) following the 7:30 p.m. performance of the play “Destiny of Desire.” Dance instructors will teach the Cha Cha Chá, Rueda de Casino, Afro-Cuban Rumba and more. There will also be cocktails. The dance party is free with a ticket purchase to “Dance of Desire.”
VelocityDC holds its seventh annual Dance Festival at Sidney Harman Hall (610 F St., N.W.) on Oct. 15 at 8 p.m., Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 17 at 2 and 8 p.m. Performers include Step Afrika!, the Washington Ballet’s Studio Company, Shannon Dunne Dance, Malayaworks Dance Theater, Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble and more. Tickets are $18.
Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh holds its 12th annual Fall Festival of Indian Arts at Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., N.E.) this fall. On Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m., C. V. Chandrasekhar gives a dance performance in the Paul Sprenger Theatre. On Oct. 31at 7:30 p.m., Rama Vaidyanathan gives a classical Indian dance performance. On Nov. 1 at 4 p.m., Mallika Sarabhai also performs. Tickets are $35 for general admission and $20 for students.
Dissonance Dance Theatre presents Dance Noir, dance performances accompanied with dark and dramatic classical music scores, at the Joy of Motion Dance Center (5207 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) on Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $15-18 online and are $25 at the door.
Dance Place (3225 8th St., N.E.) presents an evening of Cuban dance with dance company D.C. Casineros and Ernesto “Gato” Gatell in tribute to Cuban guitarist Ernesto Tamayo on Oct. 10 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. After the dance performance, Gatell and his band will perform Son, Mambo and Guaracha music for the whole audience to dance along with Yudisleidy Valdez Mena and member of the D.C. Casineros dance company.
On Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., Dance Place presents “2 Decades” by Bowen McCauley Dance. The performance will include excerpts from “Lucy’s Playlist” and “Bach Chaconne in D Minor.” The National Chamber Ensemble will also play music as accompaniment to the performances. General admission advanced tickets for the Dance Place performances are are $25. Advanced tickets for Dance Place Members, seniors and artists tickets are $20. Tickets for college students and children under 17 years old are $15. Tickets at the door are $30.
The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) holds many dance performances this fall.
Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company presents “Fluency in Four” on Sept. 19-20. The company will perform Burgess’s works “Picasso Dances,” “Mandala,” “Confluence” and his latest work “We Choose to Go to the Moon,” a collaboration with NASA. Tickets range from $28-45.
Sivam Inc. presents “Utsav: Celebrating India’s Maestros of Music and Dance” on Oct. 2-4. The dance performances are on Oct. 3 at 2 p.m. with Bharatanatyam Ballet performing a dance, poetry, music and theater version of the novel “Don Quixote” by Miguel Cervantes. On Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. Odissi dancer Madhavi Mudgal and her dancers perform classical Indian dance. Tickets range from $40-50.
On Oct. 28-30 Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and Jason Moran and the Bandwagon perform “Jason+” a mix of dance and jazz. Performances include “Why You Follow,” an Afro-Cuba dance, “One Shot,” a dance interpretation of Charles “Tennie” Harris’s life and more. Tickets range from $29-59.
Tony Award-Winning choreographer Twyla Tharp celebrates five decades of her work on Nov. 11-14. Dancers will perform her choreographed works that span Broadway musicals, Hollywood films, television and modern and ballet dance companies.Tickets range from $34-65.
Daniel Singh and his eponymous troupe perform at their 12th annual Fall Festival of Indian Arts later in the month. (Photo courtesy Dakshina)
Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.
The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”
Music & Concerts
Busy season for live music in D.C.
Erivo, Kylie, Sivan, and more headed our way this spring
One sure sign of spring’s arrival is the fresh wave of live music coming to Washington. With more than 10 venues and a diverse lineup of artists, the city offers no shortage of live performances for the new season.
In addition to this impressive list, don’t forget the many artists coming to town for WorldPride, May 17-June 8. In addition to headliner Cynthia Erivo performing on Saturday, June 7 at the two-day street festival and concert, many other performers will be in town. Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, and RuPaul are among the featured performers at the WorldPride Music Festival at the RFK Festival Grounds, June 6-7. Visit WorldPrideDC.org for a list of other performers.
MARCH
Grammy and Emmy Award-winning Mary J. Blige will take the stage at Capital One Arena on March 26 for her For My Fans tour. Two days later, on March 28, J Balvin will also perform at Capital One Arena for his Back to the Rayo tour.
The Lincoln Theatre will host the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington for three performances—one on March 15 and two on March 16.
If dance parties are more your vibe, you’re in luck. DC9 is hosting a series of themed dance parties this month, starting with Poker Face: 2000s + Dance Party on March 14, the ever-popular Peach Pit ’90s dance party on March 15, H.O.T.S.: A Sapphic Dance Party on March 22, and RageRiot!—a burlesque and drag revue featuring a lineup of local drag kings, queens, and everything in between on March 29.
APRIL
Australian queen of pop Kylie Minogue will bring her Tension tour to Capital One Arena on April 8, with British dance artist Romy as her special guest.
Indie singer-songwriter mxmtoon will stop in D.C. for their Liminal Space tour on April 4 at the 9:30 club, followed by indie rock band Gossip on April 5. The 9:30 club will also host two dance parties in April: Gimme Gimme Disco – a dance party inspired by ABBA on April 11 and Broadway Rave on April 18.
The Atlantis will feature Brooklyn-based indie rock band Pom Pom Squad on April 2.
Comedy duo Two Dykes and a Mic will bring their Going Hog Wild tour to the Howard Theatre on April 19.
DC9 has two dance parties lined up this month: Bimbo Night on April 4, hosted by Baltimore’s “premier red-tattooed Filipina diva” Beth Amphetamine, and Aqua Girls: A QTBIPOC Dance Party on April 5, celebrating “queer transcendence through music, movement, and community.”
The Anthem will welcome a lineup of big names in April, starting with Alessia Cara on April 8. Lucy Dacus will take the stage on April 18 and 19 for her Forever Is a Feeling tour, while funky pop artist Remi Wolf will headline on April 27, joined by special guests Dana and Alden.
MAY
Indie-pop artist Miya Folick will bring her Erotica Veronica tour to The Atlantis on May 1, followed by multi-genre musician SASAMI on May 2. Pop artist Snow Wife will close out the month at The Atlantis on May 31 as part of an official WorldPride 2025 event.
Queer rock band Lambrini Girls will perform at the Howard Theatre on May 4, while rock trio L.A. Witch will take the stage at DC9 on May 12.
Union Stage will feature Rachel Platten on May 3 for her Set Me Free tour, followed by Femme Fatale: A Queer Dance Party later that night.
The popular DJ festival Project Glow will return to RFK Stadium grounds on May 31 and June 1.
JUNE
Pride month kicks off with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Trixie Mattel, who will perform at Echostage on June 3 as part of a series of official WorldPride 2025 events.
Queer icons Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe will take over The Anthem on June 5 for a WorldPride 2025 event performance.
Perfume Genius will bring his signature sound to the 9:30 club on June 7 as part of WorldPride 2025 festivities. Later in the month, Blondshell will hit the 9:30 club for her If You Asked for a Tour on June 24.
Music & Concerts
Pride concert to take place at Strathmore after Kennedy Center rescinds invitation
International Pride Orchestra ‘heartbroken’ event ‘would no longer be welcome’ at DC venue
The International Pride Orchestra has announced its Pride concert will take place at the Strathmore Music Center on June 5 after the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts disinvited the group.
Since President Donald Trump took over the Kennedy Center during his first month in office, LGBTQ events and performances have been banned with community allies withdrawing in solidarity.
The Kennedy Center has cancelled “A Peacock Among Pigeons: Celebrating 50 Years of Pride,” a May 21 concert that was to feature the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, D.C. The International Pride Orchestra on Monday said its concert will now take place at the Strathmore.
“We were heartbroken when we learned that our concert would no longer be welcome at the Kennedy Center,” said International Pride Orchestra Founding Artistic Director Michael Roest in a statement released by the orchestra’s media page. “The Kennedy Center has long been a symbol of artistic excellence, inclusivity, and freedom of expression. However, we are profoundly grateful to the Strathmore Music Center for opening their doors to us. Their willingness to host our Pride Celebration Concert ensures that our message of love, pride, and resilience will be heard on the doorstep of the nation’s capital.”
The Pride concert is among the events that have faced uncertainty since the Trump-Vance administration took office on Jan. 20. Many, however, are fighting back and looking for ways to push back against the bans and cancellations.
“We aim to create a powerful and positive representation of the queer community through music,” said Roest. “We want to show the world who we are, celebrate our queer identities, and amplify the work of organizations that support the LGBTQ+ community.”
WorldPride is scheduled to take place in D.C. from May 17-June 8.
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