Published on November 12, 2025
New York Dance Project; Photo: Steven Pisano
TAQ Dance in Cue
Choreographed by Sasha Marlan-Librett
Performance by Megan Siepka, Joey Weaver, Madison McGain, and Truth Colón
House of Chow- Yvonne Huatin Chow -in Hello to Nightmares, Alternate Words, & Fictitious Days
Performance and Choreography by Yvonne Huatin Chow
Davinara Dance Collective in Cut
Choreographed by Davinara Marcario
Performance by Davinara Marcario, Ava Rakiwski
New York Dance Project in Battlefield Choreographed by Robert Battle
Performance by Dimitri Hector, Roberta Messi, Christian Ayrton Riga, Elena Carr, Kali Smith, Reese Desaulniers, Aaron Davies, Sheridan Howard, Cassidy Jane Prince, Vivian Boyce, Rae Perry, Adrian Balvuena
November 1, 2025
Dixon Place celebrated five years of the Dance Bloc NYC Festival, presenting a dynamic roster of choreographers across each program. Curated by Sangeeta Yesley, the festival continues Dixon Place’s longstanding mission—established in 1986—to uplift emerging artists and cultivate bold creative voices.
The evening opened with Cue, choreographed by Sasha Marlan-Librett, a dance-theater comedy that instantly charmed the audience. The first dancer’s anxious breath and fragmented lines quickly dissolved into a monologue as she broke the fourth wall, inviting us into her inner world. As additional performers entered, we observed dancers navigating both the chaos and humor of rehearsal: questioning their sense of self, negotiating interpersonal dynamics, and holding space for vulnerability. Zumba-like unison bursts, marching phrases, and energetic contractions added momentum and hilarity.
Cue, choreographed by Sasha Marlan-Librett; Photo: Steven Pisano
In a standout moment, Megan Siepka sustained a long relevé, not as a feat of balance but as a playful exploration of commitment and uncertainty. “Falling reminds you you’re alive,” the dancer shares. This work invites audiences to connect with the dancers’ journey to find equilibrium, learn from falls, and embrace the unknown.
Yvonne Huatin Chow in Hello to Nightmares, Alternate Words & Fictitious Days; Photo Steven Pisano
A shift in tone arrived with Hello to Nightmares, Alternate Words & Fictitious Days, choreographed and performed by Yvonne Huatin Chow. Moving between spiritual grace and visceral intensity, Chow’s precise isolations, locks, and undulations seemed to channel unseen forces. Her gaze lifted upward, searching, yet when she fell and struggled to rise, a darker emotional undercurrent emerged—raw, fierce, and haunting. With wide stances, carved arms, and smooth articulate hands, Chow commanded the space, holding the audience spellbound in her dream-like world.
Cut, choreographed by Davinara Marcario; Photo: Steven Pisano
The third work, Cut, a duet choreographed by Davinara Marcario and performed by Marcario and Ava Rakowski, offers grounded, expansive movements showing lines and extension, as well as crawls that undulated across the floor. The dancers never broke focus from one another as they glided through space, emphasizing connection and mutual trust. Caps on their heads were tossed to each other and used to cover faces, hinting at identity shifts or concealed truths. The piece ends with the palm of the duo’s hands beating on their chests, followed by a tender embrace and a final bow — all gestures of loyalty, intimacy, and deep mutual respect.
Battlefield (2001), performed by New York Dance Project; Photo: Steven Pisano
Robert Battle’s iconic Battlefield (2001), performed by New York Dance Project, concluded the program. Fusing modern dance with martial arts vocabulary, the piece erupted with power and precision. Explosive jumps, slicing runs, and sudden collapses evoked themes of preparation, confrontation, and endurance. Even as fatigue set in during the final section, the dancers pressed forward. Battlefield remains a testament to resilience, collective strength, and the adrenaline of artistic combat.
The Dance Enthusiast Shares IMPRESSIONS/our brand of review, and creates conversation.
For more IMPRESSIONS, click here.
Share your #AudienceReview of performances. Write one today!
The Dance Enthusiast – News, Reviews, Interviews and an Open Invitation for YOU to join the Dance Conversation.