New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Will Feature Dance Theater Workshop Exhibition

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center will soon present a new exhibition exploring the history of the Dance Theater Workshop, founded 60 years ago this year, and the movement of downtown dance in New York. The exhibition, Room to Move: Dance Theater Workshop and Alternative Histories of Downtown Dance, opens April 16 and runs through September 13, 2025, and features archival items, rare footage, and choreographic notes. 

Some of these items include: 

- Footage of solos by Donald Byrd and Bill T. Jones when they were featured on the same program in the Choreographers Showcase (now called Fresh Tracks)

- Rare photographs of Rudy Perez, Jeff Duncan, Kei Takei, and Jack Moore

- Choreographic notes by Gus Solomons, jr, Judith Dunn, and Remy Charlip

- Footage from all five decades when the collective was active 

- Early footage of Mark Morris 

- Bebe Miller’s solo from her Choreographers Showcase 

In the 1960s, much like today, artists in New York struggled with limited access to resources and space—key elements to make new work. Dancers and choreographers, who need space to move and experiment, felt these limitations perhaps the most. Thinking about how to support artists in a new way, Jeff Duncan, who had worked with Anna Sokolow and Doris Humphrey during his early career, opened his living space to other artists to create, rehearse, and present their work. The collective became known as Dance Theater Workshop, and it went on to foster a number of key artists, as well as the movement of downtown dance.

Dance Theater Workshop provided not only space to create, but also offered classes and professional development for artists, subsidized video recordings of performances, and gave artists administrative support. For many individual artists, it was the first time that they did not have to manage every aspect of a production by themselves, and this freed up time for creativity and experimentation. 

Over time, Dance Theater Workshop became a crucial venue for artists in the downtown scene. A number of choreographers now well known all over the world, including Mark Morris, Donald Byrd, Bebe Miller, and Bill T. Jones, all got their start at the Dance Theater Workshop. Dance Theater Workshop also provided funds and initiatives that helped these artists travel and exhibit their work outside of New York, and brought regional artists to the city. We also have them to thank for the Bessie Awards, which recognize outstanding and groundbreaking creative work by independent dance artists in New York City. 

In 2010, the Dance Theater Workshop merged with the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company to become New York Live Arts, but their legacy has long made its mark on the state of art and dance, especially in New York City. Dance Theater Workshop led the way to think expansively about how to support the individual artist. As artists continue to face challenges of funding, space, and professional support, the history of Dance Theater Workshop deserves a closer examination to help provide insights into the past, and a way forward to a more equitable artistic ecosystem. 

About The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 

The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts is dedicated to enhancing access to its rich archives of dance, theater, music, and recorded sound—to amplify all voices and support the creative process. As one of The New York Public Library’s renowned research centers—and one of the world’s largest collections solely focused on the performing arts—the Library’s materials are available free of charge, along with a wide range of special programs, including exhibitions, seminars, film screenings and performances. The collection at the Library for the Performing Arts includes upwards of eight million items, notable for their extraordinary range and diversity—from 11th-century music, to 20th-century manuscripts, to contemporary hip-hop dance.

Photo Credit: Image from Dance Theater Workshop, photo by Vladimir Sladon, from the Jeff Duncan Archive. Jerome Robbins Dance Division, the Library for the Performing Arts.