Highlights from Dances to American Music at The Joyce
Mark Morris: Music I Want You To Hear: Friends of Mark Morris
At the Mark Morris Dance Center: Fall Registration & School Open House
Happy 70th Birthday, Mark Morris!
This month marks a milestone birthday for our pioneering Artistic Director, Mark Morris. Join us in celebrating his 70th birthday on August 29!
We continue to be inspired by his endless creativity, stylish vigor, and his remarkable ingenuity which motivates us all. We are so grateful for his artistic vision, without which, our work would not be possible. Mark’s creative excellence and vision for dance is what has brought us to 45 years of the Mark Morris Dance Group and our upcoming 25th year of the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn.
Follow us on our social channels for exclusive photos and videos of Mark throughout the decades. See below for a sneak peek.
1950s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Highlights from Dances to American Music at The Joyce
We’re still beaming from our performances at The Joyce––thank you to everyone who joined us! What an incredible way to close out our 45th Anniversary Season. It was a joy to perform repertory gems like Dancing Honeymoon, Songs That Tell A Story, Pacific, Deck of Cards, and Grand Duo alongside the New York premiere of Pizzica.
We look forward to continuing to share these works with you around the country as we continue to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of America and its music!
“Morris stops us in our tracks. He redirects our attention to the music and the story…”
– BroadwayWorld on Deck of Cards
“Morris’s dance is serious: seriously affecting, seriously beautiful.”
– The New York Times on Deck of Cards
“Morris’s seven dancers and three chairs romped through the songs with energetic precision, showing off his astounding
use of geometry as the dancers (and chairs) formed constantly shifting shapes.”
– Dance Review Times on Dancing Honeymoon
“Jazz sophistication inextricably joins every step with infectious rhythm. Footwork is crisp, torso movement subtle, strut jaunty.”
– Theater Pizzazz on Three Preludes
“…a bouncy, cheerful fleet-footed romp…”
– Dance Review Times on Pizzica
“The dancers are both grounded and weightless, skimming the air before collapsing to the floor, echoing the songs’ blend of hopefulness and despair.”
– BroadwayWorld on Songs That Tell A Story
All photos by Julieta Cervantes
Mark Morris: Music I Want You To Hear
As we celebrate Mark Morris’ birthday, we’re sharing a past Mark Morris playlist which features the music of his friends. Not only are they extraordinarily talented musicians, but many have been and continue to be close collaborators.
All past and current playlists are always available when you follow us on Spotify!
At the Dance Center: Fall Registration & School Open House
We are busy preparing for the fall at the Dance Center!
Registration for The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center is well underway, as classes start September 14th!
We’re offering a FREE sampling of 2026-2027 School classes for our youngest students who may be new to the Mark Morris Dance Center during our Open House on August 29th from 10am -1pm. School staff will be available throughout the morning to answer questions and assist with registration. When not in class we encourage new families to take a self-guided tour to get familiar with our spaces. Plus, we’ve partnered with Bloch to offer a pop-up dancewear store for back-to-dance-class essentials.
From Dance for PD: We’re in Harpers Bazaar! Plus, David Leventhal on the Aging with Grace and Purpose podcast
Did you catch Dance for PD in Harpers Bazaar?
We’re included in an incredible article about dance and cognitive health–
Dancing to Stave Off Dementia
Last Month, Dance for PD Program Director, David Leventhal, was invited on the New York City based podcast Aging with Grace and Purpose. Aging with Grace and Purpose spotlights inspiring conversations centered around curiosity, creativity, and the belief that living with purpose has no age limit.
In his conversation with podcaster Yuko Yamamoto, titled “How Dance Helps People with Parkinson’s,” David explains how movement, music, and imagination help people with Parkinson’s rediscover confidence and joy. The conversation also dives into topics such as neuroplasticity, narrative medicine, creativity, and how the arts play an essential role in healthy aging.
Listen to the podcast or watch the video of the conversation below!
Brooklyn Backs Brooklyn: We’ve been selected for a matching challenge!
We have some exciting funding news! Brooklyn Org – our longtime community partner, and a true champion of the Brooklyn arts ecosystem at large – has selected the Mark Morris Dance Group to be a part of their special Brooklyn Backs Brooklyn Campaign. Their challenge to us: if we raise $10,000 by September 30th, they will match every gift, dollar-for-dollar.
Thanks to many generous individuals, we are officially halfway to our goal! We are so grateful that both Brooklyn Org and our individual donors understand the importance of making art in Brooklyn, and we are confident we can reach $10,000 with the help of our community.
Want to help us unlock this matching grant? Donate today via the campaign link below and double your impact.