American audiences have, on the cumulative effect of presenting decisions over the past several seasons, access to more international dance programming than at any point in the past two decades. The most interesting work in the form is increasingly happening on stages in Europe, Asia, and Latin America that American audiences can now access through specific presenting institutions.

Where to look

The presenting institutions that have built reputations for international programming — principally in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and a handful of festival environments — have been doing the curatorial work that American audiences benefit from. The work is uneven across cities; the cities that have invested in the programming produce the access.

What the international work brings

What the international work brings to American audiences is exposure to choreographic traditions that the American institutional dance ecosystem does not consistently produce. The exposure is valuable in itself; it also shapes what American audiences expect from American work.

The economics

The economics of international dance programming are difficult. Touring is expensive; the audience for international work is smaller than for the more familiar repertory; the presenting institutions absorb risk that the underlying business model does not always support.

What sustains the programming

What sustains the programming is the commitment of the presenting institutions and the patron base that supports them. The patrons who make the international programming possible are doing the kind of cultural-infrastructure work that the broader cultural-funding landscape has not been organised to do.