Music & Concerts

FALL ARTS 2015: dance

Regional troupes explore culture, collaboration in fall offerings

Published

10 years ago

September 10, 2015

Mariah Cooper

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)

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FALL ARTS 2015: concerts

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Music & Concerts

Washington chorale kicks off Christmas with vibrant program

‘Thine Own Sweet Light’ concerts planned

Published

4 days ago

December 5, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

(Photo by orson/Bigstock)

The full Washington Master Chorale will return for its annual holiday concert tradition with “Thine Own Sweet Light” on Friday, Dec. 19 and Sunday, Dec. 21 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church (D.C.) and Church of the Epiphany (D.C.).

The concert will feature the rich sounds of the 50-voice, a cappella chorus performing lush, seasonal choral music inspired by the theme of light. Highlights include Edvard Grieg’s “Ave Maris Stella,” Eric Whitacre’s “Lux Aurumque,” and Christopher Hoh’s “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hosts.” The program will also present a new work by Barcelona composer Josep Ollé i Sabaté, along with charming holiday folk songs and seasonal favorites.

For more details, visit the Washington Master Chorale website.

Music & Concerts

Queer mega stars (and allies) ready to take D.C. stages this fall

Watch LGBTQ icons light up stages across the DMV as they sing, dance, and drag their way through spectacular shows.

Published

3 months ago

September 9, 2025

Joe Reberkenny

Doechii performing at WorldPride 2025's closing concert in June earlier this year. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

One of the best ways to welcome fall is by catching LGBTQ performers (and their allies) lighting up some of the D.C. area’s biggest stages. From country and pop to drag and rock, the season is packed with shows you won’t want to miss.

Maren Morris – The country, rock, and pop diva—known for hits like “The Bones” and for standing up against Nashville’s anti-LGBTQ voices—takes the stage at Wolf Trap (1551 Trap Rd, Vienna, Va.) on Friday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $64.

RuPaul – The mother of modern drag and host of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” will spin a DJ set at Echostage (2135 Queens Chapel Rd NE) in Northeast D.C. on Sept. 20. Before RuPaul swaps wigs for headphones, Trade and Number 9 owner Ed Bailey will warm up the decks. For tickets and details visit echostage.com.

Conan Gray – The queer pop prince, celebrated for his Gen Z anthems like “Heather” and “Maniac,” brings his Wishbone Pajama Show to EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, VA, (4500 Patriot Cir) on Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $113. For more info visit shop.conangray.com/pages/tour.

All Things Go Music Festival – With a lineup that includes Noah Kahan, Lucy Dacus, Kesha, Clairo, Doechii, and more, the beloved LGBTQ-friendly festival takes over Merriweather Post Pavilion (10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, Md.) Sept. 26–28. For tickets and details visit allthingsgofestival.com.

BERTHA: Grateful Drag – This unique tribute brings drag artistry and the sounds of the Grateful Dead to The Atlantis (2047 9th St NW) on Sept. 27. Tickets start at $47 at theatlantis.com.

Peach PRC – Rising Australian pop star and out lesbian, whose confessional tracks like “Perfect for You” and “Forever Drunk” have made her a queer TikTok darling, performs at The Atlantis on Sept. 29 at 6:30 p.m. The show is general admission only. Additional details are on theatlantis.com.

Addison Rae – The TikTok star-turned-pop princess, who’s crossed over into music with glossy hits like “Diet Pepsi” brings her sold out show to The Anthem (901 Wharf St., S.W.) on Sept. 30. Tickets are sold out, but resale options start around $80. For more info visit theanthemdc.com.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary – Celebrate the cult classic that’s been a queer midnight-movie staple for decades, with Barry Bostwick (a.k.a. Brad Majors) at the Warner Theatre (513 13th St., N.W.) on Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $41 via Ticketmaster.

Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight & Stephanie Mills – Four legends, one stage. Between Khan’s funk, LaBelle’s soul, Knight’s R&B, and Mills’ powerhouse vocals, this concert at Capital One Arena (601 F St NW) on Oct. 3 at 8 p.m. promises pure diva magic. Tickets start at $103. For more details visit capitalonearena.com.

Lorde – Joined by The Japanese House and Chanel Beads, the Grammy-winning New Zealand singer-songwriter behind “Royals” and “Solar Power” returns to The Anthem on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. Lorde has long been embraced by queer fans for her dreamy pop and subversive lyrics. For more info visit theanthemdc.com.

Andy Bell (of Erasure) – The British queer rock icon, best known for synth-pop classics like “A Little Respect” and “Chains of Love,” brings his Ten Crowns Tour to the Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) on Friday, Oct. 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $90.45.

Doechii – The self-described queer “Swamp Princess”—and WorldPride 2025 headliner—continues her breakout year with the Live from the Swamp Tour at The Anthem on Oct. 21 at 8 p.m. Known for blending rap, R&B, and avant-garde performance art, Doechii is one to watch. Tickets start at $153.

Neon Trees – The out-and-proud Utah rockers behind “Everybody Talks” and “Animal” perform at the Lincoln Theatre on Friday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. Lead singer Tyler Glenn, who came out publicly in 2014, has become a strong queer voice in alternative rock. For tickets and info visit impconcerts.com.

Sasha Colby – The “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 15 winner strips down on the Stripped II Tour at the Warner Theatre on Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets available now on Ticketmaster.

Lola Young – The bisexual indie-pop sensation, whose raw songwriting has earned her millions of TikTok fans and multiple chart soaring hits visits The Anthem on Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. Tickets are still available.

Opera Lafayette

Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas

Featuring Mary Elizabeth Williams as Dido

+ Elijah McCormack, Chelsea Helm

Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Sixth & I

PostClassical Ensemble

The Pale Blue Do: A Musical Voyage Inspired By Nature

Featuring National Geographic’s Enric Sala, Guest Curator

Wednesday, November 19, 7:30 p.m.

Terrace Theater

Washington Concert Opera

Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride

Starring Kate Lindsey, Theo Hoffman, John Moore, and Fran Daniel Laucerica

Nov. 23, 6 p.m.

Lisner Auditorium

Washington Master Chorale

Sacred Jewel Box

An intimate a capella concert taking place in an architectural jewel, featuring cherished choral gems from Anglican and Catholic tradition and early American hymns. The concert will also present the world premiere of Christopher Hoh’s Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God of Hosts, and hymn singing featuring Robert Church, organist and choirmaster at St David’s.

Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.

October 19, 5 p.m.

St. David’s Episcopal Church

Music & Concerts

Cyndi Lauper ready to have fun in Virginia

Superstar to bring final leg of farewell tour to Jiffy Lube Live

Published

5 months ago

July 18, 2025

Tinashe Chingarande

Pop icon Cyndi Lauper brings her farewell tour to Jiffy Lube Live on July 24. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Superstar Cyndi Lauper will bring the final leg of her farewell tour “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” to Bristow, Va., on Thursday, July 24 at Jiffy Lube Live.

Lauper’s international Farewell Tour – her first major headlining run in a decade – kicked off in North America last October, and included her first time ever headlining (and selling out) Madison Square Garden. Lauper’s performances have earned raves from the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard, and many more, and surprise guests have included Chaka Khan, Sam Smith, and Hayley Williams. The tour just visited the U.K. and Europe, and will head to Australia and Japan in April.

Tickets are available on Live Nation’s website.