Music & Concerts
FALL ARTS 2019: DANCE — Dance is central component in Kennedy Center’s new Reach programming
Mark Morris Dance Group takes inspiration from classic Beatles album
Patrons are invited to celebrate the 10th annual National Dance Day at the Kennedy Center’s (2700 F St., N.W.) new campus, the Reach, on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
Emmy-winning choreographer and actress Debbie Allen will host the day’s festivities which will include interactive dance routines and lessons, outdoor performances, panel discussions, film screenings, live music and more. Participants can learn the official, nation-wide 2019 National Dance Day routine, created by the American Dance Movement and choreographed by Matt Steffanina, on the Reach’s main stage.
The Kennedy Center has also crated it’s own line dance routine to tell the history of the Kennedy Center. There will be a panel discussion and performance by dancer Tiler Peck from New York City Ballet. Other events include 16 dance classes taught from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. including Chinese Ribbon dance, tap, salsa, Classical Indian dance, dancehall fusion and more.
Attendees can also view film screenings from documentaries such as “Ballet Now,” “No Maps on My Taps” and “NY Export: Opus Jazz. This event is part of the Reach’s Opening Festival. Admission is free. For a complete list of events, visit kennedy-center.org.
The Reach at the Kennedy Center presents a screening of “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé,” on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. The film follows the pop star’s journey of curating and choreographing her 2018 Coachella performance. Admission is free but timed-entry passed are required. The screening is part of the Reach’s opening festival. For more information, visit kennedy-center.org.
D.C. Style Salsa Academy (7014 Westmoreland Ave., Takoma Park, Md.) presents Cuban Styling for Salseros taught by instructor Jonathan Burke on Tuesday, Sept. 24 from 8:30-10 p.m. The class will teach how to incorporate Afro-Cuban and rumba dance styles. Drop-in class pass is $25. Other class packages are available. For more details, visit dcstylesalsa.com.
The Silver Spring Civic Center (1 Veterans Pl., Silver Spring, Md.) hosts a Salsa and Bachata Block Party on Sunday, Sept. 29 from 1-9 p.m. There will be dance lessons, a block party and more. Dance lessons will include Zumba, kids Latin dance, hip-hop dance fitness, Caribbean dance fitness, salsa lessons and bachata lessons. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/eventsdowntownsilverspring.
The Kennedy Center presents “Merce Cunningham at 100” from Oct. 3-5. The performance will honor the iconic dance choreographer’s works “Beach Birds,” which translates the movement of birds into dance and “BIPED,” which merges technology and dance by incorporating animated images. Robert Swinston, who danced for Cunningham and worked side-by-side with him for over 17 years, now leads Compagnie Centre National de Danse Contemporaine-Angers, keeping Cunningham’s brilliant flame alive with dancers of today. CNDC-Angers performs the two Cunningham masterworks in its Kennedy Center debut. There will be a pre-performance talk on Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $25-79. For more details, visit kennedy-center.org.
The AfroCuban D.C. Dance Festival is at the Dance Institute of Washington (3400 14th St., N.W.) from Oct. 11-13. The festival will include dance and music workshops. On Friday, Oct. 11, there will be lessons on percussion in Rumba and Batá followed by an after party at Songbyrd (2475 18th St., N.W.) at 11 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 12, there will be workshops on AfroModern, Female Orisha Dance, Rumba Percussion, Orisha Song and Orisha Dance. Sunday, Oct. 13 will feature lessons on Batá Musicality for Orisha Dancer, Rumba Dance and Orisha Dance. There is a fee for each workshop. Tickets range from $20-125. Visit danceinstituteofwashington.org for more details.
The Washington Ballet presents NEXTsteps, a collection of never-before-seen ballets from choreographers Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, John Heginbotham and Jessica Lang, at Sidney Harmon Hall (610 F St., N.W.) from Oct. 23-27. Tickets range from $25-100. For more information, visit washingtonballet.org.
The Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company presents “Origins of Modern Dance Salon” at the Woodrow Wilson House (2340 S St., N.W.) on Friday, Nov. 8 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. The performance, which explores how modern dance evolved during the post-WWI era, will include dances and stories about dancers Isadora Duncan and Michio Ito who pioneered this new form of dance. The opening night performance will be followed by a reception. The Sunday performance will include a post-performance talk with Dana Tai Soon Burgess, the openly gay troupe leader. Tickets range from $25-35. For more details, visit dtsbc.org.
Mark Morris Dance Group presents “Pepperland,” a dance tribute to the iconic Beatles album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” in the Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center Nov. 13-16. Along with music composed by Ethan Iverson, the group will dance to Beatles hits such as “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “With a Little Help from My Friends,” “A Day in the Life,” “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Within You Without You” and “Penny Lane.” There will also be six additional pieces of music inspired by the album. On Nov. 13, there will be a post-performance talk with the dancers, choreographers, composers and other members of the creative team. Tickets range from $35-99. For more details, visit kennedy-center.org.
Bowen McCauley Dance Company returns to its debut venue Dance Place (3225 8th St., N.E.) on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m and Sunday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. Resident choreographer Ilana Goldman will debut her world premiere piece “Crossing.” It will feature music composed for the Kronos Quartet by Stephan Thelen. Other works in the performance will include “Gershwin Preludes” and a surprise work by by Lucy Bowen McCauley. General admission tickets are $25. Senior and student tickets are $15. There will be an opening night after party on Nov. 16 at 9 p.m. with the cast and crew. After party tickets are $25. For more information, visit bmdc.org.
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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