Icons of Modern Dance

The Culture Edit, February 24th-March 9th

Author

Susan Bannon
February 23, 2025

A Jack Mitchell photograph of Twyla Tharpe, held aloft by members of her dance troupe, in 1984.

This weekend is shaping up to be a busy one for Miami dance enthusiasts, with not one but two iconic national touring companies visiting, plus a performance by one of our longest-standing local dance companies. The headliner is Twyla Tharpe, probably the best known 20th century choreographer still living and making dances, who’s bringing her Twyla Tharpe Dance Company to the Moss Center for two performances this weekend as part of its 60th anniversary tour.

Another company with serious heritage - Ailey II, which has showcased up-and-coming young Ailey dancers for 50 years - will be at the Arsht Center for a one-night-only performance on Friday. And that same night, Dance NOW! Miami will be presenting its second full length program of the season at the Miami Theater Center.

Meanwhile, Miami’s dance scene was in the news last week thanks to a surprise announcement by Miami City Ballet Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez that she will step down at the end of this season to focus on promoting collaboration between arts organizations in Miami. Lopez will certainly be missed at MCB, where she solidified the company’s reputation as a world-class company and commissioned important new works, but I’m looking forward to seeing her next steps.

Let’s get planning...

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Thursday, February 27th

Seraphic Fire’s Enlightenment Festival: The Romantic

Seraphic Fire, our stunningly-good vocal ensemble, continues its “Music History 101” season with a showcase of vocal compositions from the Romantic period. Director James K. Bass will lead the Seraphic Fire vocalists in pieces by Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Brahms - icons of the Romantic movement - as well as work by lesser-known composers, including Clara Schumann, an influential pianist and composer of the period. (She also happened to be married to the aforementioned Schumann, with whom she had eight children.)

7:30pm, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, $45-$65

Neighborhood: Coconut Grove

Nearby Eats: Krüs Kitchen, Bellini, Carbone Vino | Drinks: Sipsip at Mayfair, bartaco

Also on February 27th:

  • PAMM presents Act of Valor, a collective performance art piece lead by Curaçao-based artist Tirzo Martha, from 7-8pm.

Friday, February 28th

Ailey II: The Next Generation of Dance

For over 50 years, Ailey II has operated as a springboard for some of America’s most talented young dancers and a showcase for emerging and boundary-pushing choreographers. These young artists are bringing their “off-the-charts energy” (The New Yorker) and signature Ailey technique to Miami for a one-night-only performance you don’t want to miss.

8pm, Knight Concert Hall at Arsht Center, $30-$75

Neighborhood: Downtown Arts & Entertainment District

Also on February 28th:

  • Opening day for the Montreux Jazz Festival Miami, with performances by Jon Batiste and Willow, at 5pm.

  • Orchestra Miami’s popular Beethoven on the Beach series of free concerts returns to the Miami Beach Bandshell, with guest cellist Thir Sigurdson, at 7pm.

  • A second performance for Seraphic Fire’s Enlightenment Festival: The Romantic, this time at St. Philips Episcopal in the Gables, at 7:30pm.

  • Dance NOW! Miami presents Program II of their season, featuring Blue Pencil, a new work choreographed by artistic directors Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini, at 8pm.

  • Coral Gables Art Cinema concludes its David Lynch retrospective with a 4K Restoration screening of cult classic Blue Velvet, at 11pm.

Saturday, March 1st

Montreux Jazz Festival Miami

Since 1967, the Montreux Jazz Festival has taken place for two weeks every summer in Switzerland, on the shores of Lake Geneva, now drawing 250,000 music lovers each year. Last year, they chose Miami and the Hangar in Coconut Grove as the site of their first stateside festival, and it was a smashing success, selling out weeks in advance (which is pretty impressive given the ticket prices). Now the MJT is back for a second year, with a star-studded lineup including Jon Batiste, Chaka Khan, Cimafunk, Willow, and Janelle Monáe.

5pm until late, The Hangar in Coconut Grove, tickets from $199 (single day) to $799 (all-access VIP)

Neighborhood: Coconut Grove

Nearby Eats: Carbone Vino, Krüs Kitchen, Bayshore Club | Drinks: pretty sure the festival will have you covered here, but if you want something different, head to Regatta Grove or Sipsip rooftop at the Mayfair.

Also on March 1st:

  • The State Ballet Theatre of Ukraine, currently touring the world, stops in Miami for a one-night-only performance of Swan Lake at the Fillmore Miami Beach, accompanied by the Space Coast Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, at 7pm.

  • Stéphane Denève leads the New World Symphony in a performance of Mussorgsky’s virtuosic piano masterpiece Pictures at an Exhibition, with a simultaneous free WALLCAST in adjacent Soundscape Park, at 7:30pm.

  • Groundbreaking choreographer Twyla Tharpe and her dance troupe celebrate 60 years of dancemaking with the first of two performances at The Moss Center, at 8pm.

  • As part of its annual Global Cuba Fest celebrating the music of Cuba, Miami Light Project presents Alain Pérez y La Orquesta at the Miami Beach Bandshell, at 8pm.

Sunday, March 2nd

Twyla Tharpe’s 60th Anniversary Tour

To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Twyla Tharpe Dance and the visionary choreographer who founded it, are touring the country, with two performances in Miami at the Moss Center. At 83, Tharpe continues to make new dances, including SLACKTIDE, a piece set to Philip Glass’s iconic Águas da Amazônia. The other work on the program, a revival of 1998’s Olivier Award-winning Diabelli, strips down a traditional partner waltz to illuminate Beethoven’s intricate compositions.

3pm, The Moss Center, $25-$68

Neighborhood: Cutler Bay

Nearby(ish) Eats: Platea, Golden Rule Seafood, Ghee Indian Kitchen | Drinks: Fox’s Lounge, Ivy Rooftop at the THesis Hotel

Also on March 2nd:

  • Coral Gables Art Cinema screens a 4K Restoration of the Hitchcock classic Notorious, starring a luminous Ingrid Bergman and typically cool Cary Grant, at 12pm.

  • Stéphane Denève leads the New World Symphony in a second performance of Mussorgsky’s virtuosic piano masterpiece Pictures at an Exhibition, at 2pm.

  • The London Symphony Orchestra makes its Knight Concert Hall debut in this one-night-only performance, featuring renowned violinist Janine Jansen, at 7pm.

Happening NEXT Week:

Because maybe your friends are busy this week. Or you're busy this week. Or this week just seems too soon to pull your act together and make a plan.

Thursday, March 6th

Los Frikis

Inspired by true events, Los Frikis is a touching coming-of-age story set amid Cuba’s 1990’s punk subculture. The story follows Gustavo, who idolizes his older brother and his punk bandmates. As oppression and poverty tighten their grip on the island, the teens make a radical choice - they intentionally inject themselves with HIV to gain access to a government-run sanatorium, where they attempt to carve out their own anarchic utopia. This film had a successful run of 2024 national and international film festivals, winning two awards at our own Miami Film Festival last spring. In Spanish with English subtitles.

8pm, Coral Gables Art Cinema, $11-$13

Neighborhood: Coral Gables

Also on March 6th:

Friday, March 7th

K-Pop Band KARD at the Bandshell

The mission of the Miami Beach Bandshell is to bring the music of the world to the citizens of Miami, and if world music is your thing, you really should just check out their entire lineup. On this evening, the Bandshell presents co-ed K-Pop sensation KARD, a band replete with the stunning vocals and dance swagger that K-Pop is famous for. You don’t even need to worry about being trampled by tweens, because this concert is strictly 18+.

7pm, Miami Beach Bandshell, $57

Neighborhood: North Beach

Also on March 7th:

  • IlluminArts and the Miami Beach Botanical Garden present Echoes of Mother Nature, a musical exploration of the nature of climate change, with soprano Natalia Santaliz and guitarist Héctor Molina, in the garden at 7pm.

  • Nu Deco Ensemble opens its Underground Symphony weekend at the Citadel, featuring a collaboration with Miami’s own DJ Dude Skywalker, at 8pm.

  • Seraphic Fire continues its Enlightenment Festival with masterworks of the Classical period at Church of the Little Flower, at 8pm.

Saturday, March 8th

Davóne Tines at New World

Visionary opera star Davóne Tines returns to New World Symphony, following up his sold out debut with them in 2022. Known for his inspired and illuminating song selections for his concerts, Tines will join the New World Fellows to perform Recital No. 1: MASS, his lauded song cycle that puts J. S. Bach and Handel in conversation with contemporary composers Caroline Shaw and Julius Eastman.

7:30pm, New World Center, $25-$175

Neighborhood: Lincoln Road

Nearby Eats: Tropezón, Mimi Chinese, Blue Ribbon Sushi | Drinks: Water Lion at the Sagamore, Brother’s Keeper

Also on March 8th:

  • Emilio Estefan and the Miami Symphony Orchestra present Soundtrack of My Life, a celebration of Estefan’s music at Knight Concert Hall, at 6pm.

  • Bandleader Oscar Hernandez and his Grammy-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra light up the Moss Center with their New York-style salsa and latin jazz, at 8pm.

  • Nu Deco Ensemble presents the second performance of its Underground Symphony weekend at the Citadel, featuring a collaboration with Miami’s own DJ Dude Skywalker, at 8pm.

  • Bistoury Physical Theatre and O Cinema present Watermuse, a collaborative film and performance exploring the vulnerability of women amidst the challenges of climate change, at 8pm at INKUB8.

Sunday, March 9th

Seraphic Fire’s Enlightenment Festival: The Classical

Continuing our music education, Seraphic Fire brings us a second installment of its Enlightenment Festival, this one spotlighting Classical masterworks from Haydn and Mozart, alongside lesser known works by Marianna Martines. A pupil of Haydn’s and duet-partner of Mozart’s, Martines’ compositions are getting a fresh look today, with Seraphic Fire presenting the modern world premiere of her O, Virgo, cui salutem.

4pm, Miami Beach Community Church, $45-$65

Neighborhood: Miami Beach

Nearby Eats: Sweet Liberty, Mimi Chinese, The Drexel | Drinks: Water Lion at the Sagamore, Abbey Brewing Co.

Also on March 9th:

Planning Ahead:

Miami's most anticipated events sell out and those new restaurants you want to try book up. Here are a couple of upcoming events to get on your calendar now…

March 14th-16th

Dimensions Dance: Salon Series

Founded by former MCB principals Jennifer Kronenberg and Carlos Guerra in 2016, Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami has been shaking up classical dance in South Florida ever since with their contemporary ballet repertoire. Their Spring Salon Series performance will give the audience a first look at a new ballet in progress by award-winning Canadian choreographer Alysa Pires, alongside new work by other up-and-coming choreographers.

7:30pm Friday & Saturday, 3:30pm Sunday, The Moss Center, $40

Neighborhood: Cutler Bay

Nearby Eats: Not much! Grab dinner at Platea or Golden Rule Seafood on your way down there and have some rooftop cocktails at Ivy Rooftop or martinis at Fox’s on your way back.

March 29th-30th

Michael Tilson Thomas Conducts Beethoven’s Fifth

Widely considered to be one of the greatest living conductors, Michael Tilson Thomas is technically retired - from being Founding Artistic Director of the New World Symphony as well as Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony. But he continues to make time for exciting performances with the New World Fellows when he can, and one of those is coming up at the end of March, when he will lead the NWS in a performance of Beethoven’s sublime Fifth Symphony, and welcome international superstar pianist Yefim Bronfman for Schumann’s beloved Piano Concerto. Tickets are very limited for the Saturday performance, but fortunately you can catch the free WALLCAST in adjacent Soundscape Park.

8pm Saturday, 2pm Sunday, New World Center, $155-$235 or Free WALLCAST Saturday night

Neighborhood: Lincoln Road

Nearby Eats: Tropezón, Mimi Chinese, Paya | Drinks: Water Lion at the Sagamore, Greystone Bar

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