Dance Bloc NYC

Curated by Sangeeta Yesley 

DP’s FIFTH year of ‘Dance Bloc NYC’ dance festival returns on Wed, October 29; Thurs, October 30 and Sat, November 1, 2025 with 4 different programs. The Festival provides outstanding opportunities for choreographers in all dance genres who are presenting work around the themes: FAIR, FIGHT, FREEDOM.

(Full schedule is below. The lengths of individual pieces are between 8 and 25 minutes long.)

Wednesday
October 29, 7:30 p.m. – Runtime approx. 65 min
Canzonieri Dance Collective
Denaisha Clarke
Melissa Stephanie Nuñez
Sri Thina Dance
The ChoreoJoey Project

Thursday
October 30, 7:30 p.m. – Runtime approx. 100 min
BEings Dance
Dani Medvedovski
Feathers Dance Company
Jessica Watkins
Katie Binder
Synergy Dance Collective NY / Nancy Brier
Taylor Gordon
The DynamitExperience

Saturday
November 1, 7 p.m. – Runtime approx. 60 min
Davinara Dance Collective
House of Chow – Yvonne Huatin Chow | 周化炜
New York Dance Project / Robert Battle
TAQ Dance

Saturday
November 1, 9 p.m. – Runtime approx. 50 min
Ballaro Dance/Marisa f. Ballaro
Metanoia Dance/Jenifer Dillow
Molly Starczewski and Bella Perlmutter
Shloka Porwal

ENJOY THE TRAILER

KNOW THE CHOREOGRAPHERS

Ballaro Dance/Marisa f. Ballaro
A proud Buffalonian, Marisa f. Ballaro is Artistic Director of NYC-based Ballaro Dance; she centers community-based, collaborative projects prioritizing sensory-rich, multidisciplinary work. Marisa received her MFA from Montclair State University while selected as Convocation Speaker for the College of the Arts. She taught on faculty at The Brearley School for 12 years. In September, Marisa was awarded an Outstanding Service Award from the Brockport Alumni Association, and her collaborative film Descent was screened in Detroit, MI at the prestigious Dance City Festival. Her multidisciplinary work The Distance was presented by Green Space at Take Root in October.

BEings Dance
“Emily Bufferd continues to impact the New York dance scene.” – Examiner.com As the Choreographer for “Made to Dance in Burning Buildings’ presented by ThePublic Theater at Joe’s Pub,OnStageBlog.com, “The show was choreographed brilliantly…”. Emily’s concert choreography (BEings) has been presented at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Joyce SoHo, Symphony Space, the 92nd St. Y, The Elan Summer Dance Festival, and Boston Contemporary Dance Festival, among others. “Technically superb and amazingly emotive.” -Examiner.com, and “a display of versatility…” -The DancEnthusiast. She has been commissioned by The Steps on Broadway Conservatory and Central Connecticut State University.

Canzonieri Dance Collective
Mia (MJ) Canzonieri is a 4th-year BFA Dance Major at Mason Gross School of the Arts. They have studied choreography from choreographers such as Melanie George, Ani Javian, John Evans, and Gerald Casel. Their works have been presented in NYC, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania at festivals such as Spark Theatre Festival NYC, APHERD Regional Dance Gala, River Dance Festival, Dance Bloc NYC 2025, and the upcoming The Human Experience Choreographer Showcase NYC.

Dani Medvedovski
Dani Medvedovski is a 23-year old choreographer, interested in exploring movement and cultivating performance to challenge artistic norms and expectations. Her choreographic voice is quirky and strange, approaching serious topics through silly lenses and often breaking the fourth wall by inviting audience interaction. She has enjoyed creating dance work for festivals, collegiate conferences, youth dance competitions, and immersive installation-style experiences. Dani seeks to generate art in dynamic creative environments – expanding, experimenting, and engaging with movement’s place within society.

Davinara Dance Collective
Our group DDC started from a project at Mason Gross School of the Arts where Davinara Marcario later received BFA in Dance and was the recipient of the Margery J. Turner Choreographer Prize. They have been honored to present their debut piece “Want It Back” at Arts on Site, New York City Center, and for Dance New Jersey. Most recently, they debuted the quartet “Cut” at Ailey Citigroup Theatre for KoDaFe. They’re thrilled to continue our artistic journey and share our vision to more communities.

Denaisha Clarke
Denaisha Clarke is a Brooklyn-based choreographer, dancer, and arts manager whose work explores themes of identity, community, and the ways human connection shapes our experiences. She began dancing at 15 and eventually earned her Dance and Arts Management degree from SUNY Potsdam. With a background in acting, she brings a strong sense of character and narrative to her choreography, creating work that lives between movement and storytelling. Having danced at Dixon Place twice before, she is excited to now share her own choreography on its stage.

Feathers Dance Company
Tsubasa Nishioka is a Japanese-born dancer and choreographer. He moved to the U.S. in 2017 from Tokyo to attend The Ailey School and performed in Alvin Ailey’s Spirit Gala at Lincoln Center. He has worked with choreographers such as Marcus Jarrell Willis and Omar Roman de Jesús. Nishioka is a member of Valerie Green Dance Entropy, i KADA Contemporary Dance, H.T. Chen & Dancers, and others. In 2023, he founded Feathers Dance Company, premiering “Kibi Dango” in Tokyo. In 2025, he performed at Jacob’s Pillow and toured in Scotland at the Fringe Festival.

House of Chow – Yvonne Huatin Chow | 周化炜
Yvonne Huatin Chow | 周化炜 (they/she) is a first-generation Chinese American, queer, neurodivergent woman raised on Ohlone Land (Bay Area, CA) and based in Lenape Territory (NYC). A graduate of NYU Gallatin, she holds a degree in The Politics of Hip-Hop Dance. Yvonne trained at The Hip-Hop Dance Conservatory and with pioneers like Mr. Wiggles, Ken Swift, and B-Boy Neo. Her lineage includes The Strutters Room (Pop Tart), Mastermind Rockers (Ringo), and the Chinese Kung-Fu Wu-Su Association (Alan Lee). As Founding Artistic Director of House of Chow, she cultivates a space where Asian ancestral wisdom meets deep respect for Hip-Hop Dance.

Jessica Watkins
Jessica Watkins is a New York–based dancer and choreographer with a BFA in Dance from Marymount Manhattan College, where she concentrated in choreography and minored in business management. At Marymount, she performed in works by Adesola Osakalumi, Nathan Trice, and Caleb Teicher, and appeared in Jacolby Satterwhite’s An Eclectic Dance to Music in Time at the opening of Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall. Jessica has earned scholarships to programs with BODYTRAFFIC, MoveNYC, Bates Dance Festival, and Hubbard Street’s EXPLORE intensive, training with artists including Tanisha Guy, Martha Nichols, and Maleek Washington. Her choreography has been presented at Marymount and the NYU Tisch/Hofstra Seminar. She currently performs with Joyce King Dance Company, Gotham Dance Theater, Threads of Truth, and the Missile Team roller dance crew, while also contributing to arts administration.

Katie Binder
Katie Binder is a choreographer in New York State. She has been the artistic director of WellBeing Dance a professional dance company which has performed dance works in New York City and they most recently did a choreographic residency at SUNY Potsdam. Katie has her Masters of Fine Arts degree in Choreography from Jacksonville University. Her thesis was on collaborative processes within choreographic processes. She is an alumni of SUNY Potsdam and graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Dance.

Melissa Stephanie Nuñez
Melissa Stephanie Nuñez is an emerging contemporary dance choreographer born, raised, and based in New York City. She began studying dance at Marymount Manhattan College in the fall of 2022, studying classical and trains in various styles of dance such as Ballet, Modern, Jazz, and Street Styles. Melissa has performed in works and showcases such as Choreographer’s Carnival Ball, Sybarite, Fertile Ground, and performances with Marymount Manhattan College. Melissa has presented her own works in recreational, competitive, collegiate, and professional settings throughout New York City, such as Antology33, Sybarite Productions and the Dixon Place with Creative Performances curated under Sangeeta Yesley, and is excited to expand her choreographic creativity to other audiences.

Metanoia Dance/Jenifer Dillow
Jenifer Dillow is a New York City-based choreographer, performer, and multi-hyphenate artist. Originally from St. Mary’s County, Maryland, she holds a BFA in Musical Theatre with a Minor in Commercial Dance from Pace University and trained at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for Shakespeare.  Jen is on faculty at Broadway Dance Center, directs her company Metanoia Dance, and has choreographed for national commercials, NYC companies, and festivals. She is passionate about living a life “daring greatly”—and most proudly a dog mom to Honey Dillow.

Molly Starczewski and Bella Perlmutter
Molly Starczewski is a dancer and choreographer from Massachusetts pursuing a degree in Dance and Global Studies from Hofstra University. She has worked with choreographers such as Larry Keigwin, Heather Waldon, and Amanda Selwyn. Previous choreography credits include Dance Bloc NYC 2024, ACDA Northeast Conference, and Hofstra’s Student Rep Festival.
Bella Perlmutter is a New York born dancer/choreographer studying Dance and Music Business at Hofstra University. Previous Credits include Hofstra’s Faculty Concert, Student Rep, Miscellaneous works, NYU Choreography Seminar, Dance Bloc NYC, and Early Mosley Dancing Beyond. Including work by Rachel List, Maiya Redding, Larry Keigwin, and Heather Waldon.

New York Dance Project / Robert Battle
Robert Battle trained at New World School of the Arts and Julliard later he danced for David Parsons company before founding his own company BattleWorks. In 2009, Battle’s work with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater culminated in the announcement by Judith Jamison, artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, that Battle would succeed her as the company’s artistic director in July of 2011. Battle was named as one of the Masters of African American Choreography by the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in 2005, and has received numerous other awards for professional excellence. He has performed or choreographed for venues such as the Joyce Theater, the American Dance Festival, the Dance Theater Workshop, and the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival. Robert is currently the resident choreographer for Paul Taylor Company.

Shloka Porwal
Shloka Porwal, 20,is a choreographer from Jaipur, India and is currently based in New York City. Her work has been performed at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Chain Theatre, Alvin Ailey Citigroup Theatre, Perry Mansfield, and Brooklyn Ballet, among other places across the world. Her main focus is to create pieces that communicate important personal, social and cultural shifts in today’s society. Her work focuses on creating narratives that inform social change.

Sri Thina Dance
Sri Thina Subramaniam is an internationally acclaimed Bharatanatyam and Odissi dancer, educator, and artistic leader whose work bridges classical traditions with contemporary social themes. As Artistic Director of the Temple of Fine Arts and founder of Kala Collective, she champions cultural education and expands access to Indian classical arts, particularly among underserved communities. Since moving to the U.S., she has curated major cultural events including the San Francisco West Wave Dance Festival and The Varnam Salon in New York, while also presenting original works and cross-disciplinary collaborations. Her performances span prestigious venues such as Lincoln Center, the Royal Opera House, and Buckingham Palace, and her artistic voice continues to resonate on both traditional and contemporary stages. Recognized for her innovation and community leadership, she is the recipient of several honors, including the DNJ Mini-Grant (2023), MAP Fund grant (2024), and the New Jersey Individual Artist Fellowship (2025).

Synergy Dance Collective NY / Nancy Brier
Nancy Brier, MA (NYU), BFA (Arizona State), CMA (Laban/Bartenieff Institute), Professeur Agrégé (honorary-Paris, France), is an Arizona-born, NY-based choreographer, adjunct professor and founder/artistic director of Synergy Dance Collective NY who is driven to collaborate on works exploring social and environmental themes. Works performed in NYC (Duke on 42nd, Dixon Place, DUMBO Dance Festival, St. Marks Church-in-the-Bowery, Ailey Citigroup Theater, Queens Theater and more), France, Czech Republic, Italy and on MetroArts13/MetroStories TV networks. Films screened in Amsterdam, Berlin, LA, London, NYC, Paris, Vienna festivals. Recent grants received: 2024 Statewide Community Regrant; 2022 NYS Choreographers’ Initiative; 2022 Individual Artist Restart NY Regrant.

TAQ Dance
Sasha Marlan-Librett is a NYC-based dancer and choreographer with a BA in Dance and Philosophy from Scripps College (‘22). In LA, she collaborated with Rosanna Tavarez, Kevin Williamson, and Rebecca Lemme, and performed in Monica Bill Barnes + Co’s The Running Show at ADF. In New York, she trained with GibneyPRO (’24) and currently creates existential dance-theater works, presented as TAQ Dance. Sasha’s work has been presented at venues such as Gibney, Dixon Place, The Tank, Manhattan Movement & Arts Center, and Mark Morris. She’s received two residencies from Certain Bird and one from Mark Morris Dance Center, and premiered an evening-length work at Privy Gallery in 2025.

Taylor Gordon
Taylor Gordon is an international dancer, creator, and educator based in NYC since 2005. Performed: Metropolitan Opera Ballet (Lincoln Center), Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Angelina Ballerina (off-Broadway/US tour), Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, NY City Center Encores! pre pro, Exit12 Dance Company, Black Iris Project, Dublin Worldwide Productions (Resident Director). Choreography: Princeton University, STEPS Beyond Foundation, Dixon Place, RWS Global (Show Supervisor), “Juliette’s Miracle” film, Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Uptown Rising, Asian-American Film Awards, Women in Motion, Queens Outdoor Dance Festival, DanceAction, Nacre Dance Group, T2 Dance Company, LILA Dance Festival. Teaching: NY Film Academy, United Nations Ballet Club, BDC, India, Japan, China, Indonesia. Press: NYTimes, CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX5, Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit, Dance Teacher Magazine.

The ChoreoJoey Project
Founded in 2014, the ChoreoJoey Project is an arts collective from New York City committed to the preservation and use of jazz and West African dance in harmony with poetry and storytelling. Their ballets have been presented at dance festivals in Detroit, Miami and across the U.S.
Stephen Hill is the founding artistic director from Harlem. He’s earned a Dance B.A. from Lehman College and trained at Peridance, Cumbe, & Ailey. He’s previously danced for ModArts Dance Collective, Forces Of Nature Dance Theater, Sesame Carnival Flyers, and Earl Mosley Diversity of Dance.

The DynamitExperience
The DynamitExperience (TDE) founded in 2019 by Winston Dynamite Brown & Latra Wilson is a Contemporary Dance Company serving as a platform for creative investigations and community engagement. Winston Dynamite Brown is the Associate Choreographer for the Metropolitan Opera’s El Niño.  The company has been presented by/at: The SHED, Manhattan Movement Arts Center, The Dairy Arts Center, Earl Mosley Institute for the Arts, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Dixon Place, Bryant Park Performances, Jamaica Dance Festival/CitiPark, ThPAC at the Mark O’Donnell Theater, FlightPath Dance Project, JACK Arts, Dance Institute of Washington (DC), and Voices and Visions of Ailey, among others.

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