5 dance shows we are excited for this spring

This spring, the through line that connects several dance companies visiting Philadelphia is, well, Philadelphia.

The Paul Taylor Dance Company will return, and its artistic director, Michael Novak, spent some of his formative years training in and around Philly.

The Martha Graham Dance Company is coming with works by two choreographers who also have Philly roots: Hope Boykin, a former member of Philadanco, and Tommie-Waheed Evans, who is Philadanco’s co-artistic director and resident choreographer.

Meanwhile, Philadanco itself will return with works from two new choreographers.

Philadelphia Ballet will be presenting what looks to be one of the most exciting works of the season, a new Romeo and Juliet by resident choreographer Juliano Nunes.

And BalletX will be combining the work of four choreographers and a composer into The Four Seasons Reimagined at the Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts.

The Paul Taylor Dance Company has visited Philadelphia dozens of times over the years. Not only was Taylor intimately familiar with the city, but his successor as artistic director, Michael Novak, spent some of his formative years here. Novak attended University of the Arts and was an apprentice at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet, in Narberth. He was also a server at Marathon on the Square.

In April, the company returns with Speaking in Tongues, which had its world premiere in 1988 at the Annenberg. It will also perform Esplanade, set to music by Bach, and a classic Taylor made 50 years ago.

Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St., pennlivearts.org

For its spring residency at the Kimmel Center, Philadanco is presenting the work of two new choreographers, Nicole Clarke-Springer and Roderick George.

Clarke-Springer’s work will center connection and reflection, shaped by the dancers’ musicality and emotional presence. George’s piece will involve power, fragility, and surrender, as well as tension between tradition and urgency.

The program also includes two returning works, Blue, which Christopher Huggins made for the men of Philadanco in 2003, and Thang Dao’s Without Witness, created in 2021 as Roked.

Perelman Theater, 300 S Broad St., ensembleartsphilly.org

Philadelphia Ballet has performed a few versions of Romeo and Juliet over the years. For many years it danced the John Cranko choreography and more recently the Kenneth MacMillan one. Now the ballet’s resident choreographer, Juliano Nunes, is going to try his hand at Shakespeare’s classic story of star-crossed lovers, set to music by Sergei Prokofiev.

Nunes’ previous work for the company was also his take on a piece out of the ballet canon, although with a looser connection. Valley of Death, which the ballet premiered in October, was inspired by Giselle.

Academy of Music, 240 S Broad St., philadelphiaballet.org

The Martha Graham Dance Company is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. Its visit to Philly coincides with the 250th birthday celebration of the United States.

Its Annenberg performances will be Philly-centric. The company will perform En Masse, choreographed by former Philadanco dancer Hope Boykin and set to music by Curtis alum Leonard Bernstein. The company will also dance a world premiere by Philadanco co-artistic director and resident choreographer, Tommie-Waheed Evans, called in case of fire, speak. For that piece, the company will be joined by dancers from Philadanco.

Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St., pennlivearts.org

This spring, BalletX is going to celebrate the great outdoors in the beautiful outdoor setting of the Highmark Mann Center. The company has commissioned four choreographers as well as composer Dan Deacon to collaborate on The Four Seasons Reimagined.

Morgann Runacre-Temple will take on summer, Penny Saunders will be responsible for fall, Jamar Roberts will choreograph the winter section, and Trey McIntyre will create the spring part.

Deacon was inspired by the Vivaldi music, but has composed an original score. It will be performed live by a nine-member band.

The Four Seasons Reimagined is part of Philadelphia’s America 250 celebration, marking the country’s semiquincentennial. It is also part of ArtPhilly’s What Now: 2026 Festival and the Highmark Mann’s 50th Anniversary season.

Highmark Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 5201 Parkside Ave., balletx.org