Dance Theatre of Harlem Announces 2027 New York Season Featuring a World Premiere by Matthew Rushing and Samantha Figgins

Program also features works by George Balanchine, Nacho Duato and Robert Garland

April 1–4
New York City Center

NEW YORK, Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Dance Theatre of Harlem returns to New York City Center April 1–4, 2027, for a four-night season featuring a world premiere co-choreographed by Matthew Rushing, Associate Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and Samantha Figgins, a dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The program also includes works by George Balanchine, Nacho Duato and DTH Artistic Director Robert Garland.

Spanning contemporary and classical ballet, the season explores history, resistance, joy and renewal. Tickets are on sale now at www.dancetheatreofharlem.org.

World Premiere
Inspired by the phrase "beauty for ashes" from Isaiah 61, Rushing and Figgins' new work traces the human journey from grief, loss and adversity toward healing, resilience and renewal, culminating in an image of transformation.

Brahms Variations
Garland's Brahms Variations imagines the ceremonial splendor of Louis XIV's court meeting the spirit of Harlem. Garland notes, "In my own life, Arthur Mitchell stood just as luminous as Louis XIV, a Harlem monarch with a crown of vision and defiance, ruling not from Versailles but from Lenox Avenue." He dedicates the work to the late DTH ballerina Lorraine Graves and the late Fabian Barnes.

Coming Together
Duato's Coming Together draws on Frederic Rzewski's score and a repeated, eight-sentence text written by Sam Melville while incarcerated at Attica Prison, months before he was killed in the September 1971 uprising. The ballet mirrors the score's repetition and intricate structure in a work of tension, beauty and human resilience.

Tarantella
Balanchine's exuberant showcase for two dancers brings a whirlwind of speed, wit and technical brilliance. ©The George Balanchine Trust.

Read the full press release here.

About Dance Theatre of Harlem
Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem encompasses a world-class company, a professional studio school, the Dancing Through Barriers® arts education program and community engagement activities. Inspired by the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mitchell sought to offer children, especially those in Harlem, opportunities to explore dance and the allied arts. Now in its sixth decade, DTH continues its commitment to creative expression, artistic excellence and enriching lives through the arts.

Press Contacts
The Chamber Group
Cassandre Souvenir: 646-460-3831, [email protected]
Melissa Charles: [email protected]
Robin Burkhardt: [email protected] 

SOURCE Dance Theatre of Harlem