Northrop’s 2025-26 season salutes Martha Graham, Joffrey Ballet and Declaration of Independence

A sense of history permeates Northrop’s 2025-26 performing arts season, even as the venue sets its eyes on the future.

The new roster marks important milestones — 100 years of the Martha Graham Dance Company, 70th anniversary of Joffrey Ballet and the 250th of the Declaration of Independence. But that’s not all. The season also ushers in a U.S. premiere and a world premiere of dance works, both of which were part of the Northrop Centennial Commission initiative, and world premieres of two compositions by B.E. Boykin, in a partnership with VocalEssence.

Kristen Brogdon, Northrop’s director of programing, said she doesn’t generally begin with a theme as she puts together a season, but it emerged for the upcoming one as her team began working with the artists. One is looking at the past.

“This is our history,” she said.

With the numerous companies and artists in the program celebrating big anniversaries, it made Brogdon think about Northrop’s own long dance history. She also was struck by Northrop’s commitment to new works. “I think we’re helping to create that future with commissions,” she said.

Northrop kicks things off Sept. 18 and 19 with the U.S. premiere of “A a | a B : B E N D,” choreographed by Aszure Barton with original music by trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire. The Northrop Centennial commission had its world premiere in Hamburg in 2023, and now it comes to Northrop in a partnership with the Walker Art Center. The piece is “very dark and moody,” Brogdon said.

On Oct. 4, guitarist Alvaro Bermudez teams up with Northrop’s resident organist Greg Zelek for an evening of Parisian jazz.

St. Paul’s TU Dance shares a bill with choreographer Ronald K. Brown’s company Evidence on Oct. 30. Dancers from both companies will perform “Where the Light Shines Through,” a Brown work that TU commissioned in 2017, plus two additional works performed by Evidence, including “Percussion Bitter Sweet: Tender Warriors” with music by Max Roach.

Trisha Brown Dance Company and the Merce Cunningham Trust hit Northrop on Nov. 11 in another co-presentation with the Walker. It’s a tribute to American painter and graphic artist Robert Rauschenberg, with two works that feature his designs — Brown’s “Set and Reset” with music by Laurie Anderson and Cunningham’s “Travelogue” set to music by John Cage.

For its holiday offering on Dec. 20, organist Greg Zelek performs a “relaxed” matinee featuring selections from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and other holiday fare.

In the new year, drag ballet troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo performs Jan. 29, its first appearance at Northrop since 2000.

On Feb. 7, 2026, Martha Graham Dance Company not only celebrates its own 100-year anniversary but also the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The program is “really examining all of the different ways to be an American,” Brogdon said. The company will perform one of Graham’s signature works, “Appalachian Spring,” with music by Aaron Copland, and will show a new piece by Jamar Roberts, a former resident choreographer for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Roberts set “We the People” to music by banjo player and singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens. A new work by choreographer Hope Boykin also is on the program.

Later on Feb. 22, VocalEssence presents its annual “Witness” program, celebrating contributions by African Americans to the cultural landscape, with two world premieres of songs by composer Boykin, as well as “Hear the Justice Symphony” by Damien Geter, with a live orchestra.

That’s followed by the 70th anniversary of Joffrey Ballet on March 5, doing a program that honors legends like Joffrey founders Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, Martha Graham and ballet and modern dancer Glen Tetley, whose centennial is in 2026.

For its third co-presentation with the Walker next season, Northrop presents the world premiere of “Marks of Red” by Shamel Pitts and his collective, Tribe, on March 20-21. The performance culminates a three-year engagement that the two organizations embarked on with the group.

“I think one of the surprises has been just seeing how we’ve been able to form a little Twin Cities community around Shamel,” Brogdon said. “We’ve had welcome gatherings for the dance community and Shamel both of the times that he’s been here, and Shamel has stayed in contact with some of the artists that he’s met.” In particular, Pitts has been working with TU Dance’s Cultivate program.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater takes the stage April 18 and 19 with its iconic piece “Revelations,” plus additional contemporary and classic ones.

Northrop concludes the season April 29 with the University Singers performing a mix of choral and organ works with organist Zelek.

In all, Brogdon said, the season is more beefed up from the current one, which had to make cuts for budgetary reasons. Brogdon attributes the expanded season in part to its partnership with the Walker. “Because of those collaborations and those shared resources, we were able to expand our season by a couple of companies compared to what we did this year,” she said.

In addition, Northrop will present two dance-related and two music-related student matinees.

“One of the most important things we can do right now is bring students into Northrop to help inspire that next generation of dance and music lovers,” Brogdon said.