We build relationships with urban dance innovators at varying stages of development, to challenge, sustain, and move their artistic careers forward. Our signature 'short take' programming has long been the pillar of the organization. This 'less is more' approach to performance is the foundation of our mission to connect audiences to new and innovative New York City dance makers and to support the artistic dreams and endeavors of these urban artists, as well as supporting ourGreenNOWcampaign to sustain the environment.

Embracing the nontraditional and unconventional, DanceNOW offers the avid fan, as well as the uninitiated and often intimidated highly accessible and inclusive performance events that portray a bustling and vast landscape of dance innovation. DanceNOW offers New York City-based choreographers year-round performance opportunities and promotion of their work to new audiences to increase their audience visibility and advance their career opportunities, along with a residency program to encourage the exploration of the creative process and the development of new work and artistic direction. Each year, DanceNOW challenges and supports the creative process of hundreds of innovative dance makers, encouraging artists to explore the challenge of creating work that is marked by brevity but still far-reaching in its clarity, influence and effect.
 

DanceNOW [NYC] strives to renew and reclaim dance as an integral part of our lives. 

DanceNOW [NYC] experiments with traditional, emerging, and alternative means to bring dance and community together, by partnering with other arts organizations, sharing resources, and creating distinctive events to offer audiences a more tangible experience with contemporary dance.

DanceNOW partners with several arts organizations, sharing resources to enhance the mission and services of each partner. DanceNOW’s strategic partnerships with Dance Theater Workshop [since 2005] and Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater [since 2003] make it possible for DanceNOW to offer two unique performance series each year, The Festival at Dance Theater Workshop [September] and Dancemopolitan at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater [December, March, June]. Partnerships with New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and Fourth Arts Block/FAB! make it possible for DanceNOW to identify new and young artists in the city’s colleges and universities as well as its outer boroughs through our Raw Festival performance series.

In partnership with the Dance Department of DeSales University in Upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania, DanceNOW provides paid teaching and residency opportunities for twelve choreographers and educators each year.  The Festival at Dance Theater Workshop, The Raw Festival, Dancemopolitan at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater and Silo at Kirkland Farm work hand-in-hand to provide NYC artists with support to develop and create new work that includes paid performance opportunities in New York City on an annual basis as well as paid teaching opportunities and free rehearsal space in Pennsylvania, while offering New York City audiences and the communities of Lehigh Valley new and exciting artistic experiences.