The Ultimate Guide to Modern Dance Events in 2025-2026: Inspire Your Inner Dancer

Modern dance is a universe of expression, a language spoken with strength, grace, and raw emotion. For anyone captivated by this art form, from those looking for "modern dance classes near me" to seasoned professionals, there's no substitute for a live event. It's where you can learn new modern dance moves, witness breathtaking performances, and connect with a community that shares your passion.

This guide covers a vast landscape of festivals, competitions, workshops, and performances. Find your city, mark your calendar, and get ready to be moved.

Festivals: Immersive Celebrations of Dance

Festivals are the perfect way to dive deep into the world of modern dancing, offering a mix of performances, workshops, and community events.

• The 2025–2026 Season of Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at The Music Center (Los Angeles, CA | Sept 12–14, 2025): A major festival featuring world-class companies like The New York City Ballet, where ballet and modern sensibilities often intersect.

• Complexions Contemporary Ballet (Los Angeles, CA | Oct 24–26, 2025): Experience the groundbreaking work of Dwight Rhoden and his company, known for blending classical and contemporary techniques.

• CRSSD Festival Fall 2025 (San Diego, CA | Sept 27–28, 2025): A vibrant festival where modern electronic music meets movement in a beautiful waterfront park.

• Chicago Trans Movement Festival and Queer Pride Cabaret (Chicago, IL | Aug 1–2, 2025): A free festival celebrating trans and queer artists, blending Latin and modern dance styles in a powerful showcase of pride and expression.

• San Francisco International Hip Hop DanceFest (San Francisco, CA | Nov 8–9, 2025): Explore the fusion of hip hop and modern dance at this dynamic festival celebrating street dance culture.

• Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival 2025 (San Francisco, CA | Aug 8–10, 2025): This unique festival showcases the incredible artistry of deaf and hard-of-hearing dancers, featuring the Urban Jazz Dance Company in a powerful celebration of movement.

• 2025 Bay Area “Get Free” Hip Hop Dance Festival (San Francisco, CA | July 11–13, 2025): A festival dedicated to the liberating power of hip hop and its connections to modern dance forms.

• The Nutcracker by Sacramento Ballet (Sacramento, CA | Dec 13–22, 2025): A holiday classic often infused with fresh, modern choreography alongside traditional ballet.

• Austin Dance Festival (Austin, TX | Apr 9–12, 2026): A cornerstone event for the Texas dance community, this festival is a must-see for anyone interested in contemporary and modern dance.

• Soul 2 Sole Festival (Austin, TX | June 18–22, 2025): Primarily a tap festival, this event explores the rhythms and movements that influence all forms of American dance, including modern.

• Pegasus Contemporary Ballet – Synergy 2025 (Dallas, TX | June 13–14, 2025): A festival that brings together different artistic forces to create something new, blending ballet with modern sensibilities.

• PECO Multicultural Series-ACANA African Festival (Philadelphia, PA | Aug 3, 2025): A free event celebrating the rich traditions of African dance, a foundational influence on modern dance.

• Houston Ballet – Sparrow (Houston, TX | June 12–22, 2025): A large-scale festival performance by one of the nation's top ballet companies, often featuring contemporary and modern works.

• Houston Ballet The Nutcracker (Houston, TX | Nov 29–Dec 29, 2025): A grand holiday tradition that incorporates beautiful choreography with modern theatrical elements.

• Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (Houston, TX | June 26–27, 2025): A world-famous, all-male comedic ballet company that lovingly parodies the conventions of classical and modern dance.

• Nevada Ballet Theatre The Nutcracker (Las Vegas, NV | Dec 13–28, 2025): A dazzling production in the heart of Las Vegas, blending classic ballet with spectacular modern stagecraft.

• Nevada Ballet Theatre Hansel & Gretel (Las Vegas, NV | May 15–24, 2026): A narrative ballet that often features expressive, modern-influenced choreography to tell its timeless story.

• Joffrey Las Vegas Ballet Summer Intensive (Las Vegas, NV | July 7–11, 2025): More than just a workshop, this intensive is a festival of learning, with a focus on ballet and modern techniques for aspiring dancers.

• Ottawa Fringe Festival (Ottawa, ON | June 12–22, 2025): A celebration of uncensored theatre and performance art, this festival is a fantastic place to see experimental and emerging modern dance artists.

• Ottawa Jazz Festival (Ottawa, ON | June 20–30, 2025): Experience the deep connection between jazz music and dance, including modern and improvisational styles.

• Risk/Reward’s 2025 Festival of New Performance (Portland, OR | June 20–22, 2025): A festival dedicated to showcasing new works in performance art, often featuring avant-garde modern dancers and choreographers.

• Pac‑West Cheer & Dance Nationals 2026 (Portland, OR | Feb 27–Mar 1, 2026): A high-energy festival and competition where you can see how modern and jazz styles influence competitive cheer and dance.

• Fertile Ground Festival (Portland, OR | Apr 10–26, 2026): A city-wide festival of new works, providing a platform for local artists to present new and in-progress pieces, including modern dance.

• SHARE Festival ’25 (Berlin, Germany | Aug 14–17, 2025): An incredible opportunity for professional and pre-professional dancers to study Gaga and other modern techniques in a 14-day immersive experience.

Competitions: Showcase Your Modern Dance Skills

For the competitive modern dancer, these events offer a stage to perform, receive expert feedback, and grow as an artist.

• Tremaine Dance Conventions & Competitions (New York, NY | July 19–21, 2025): A top-tier event offering both high-level classes and a competitive stage for solos, duos, and groups in jazz, modern, and more.

• Starbound Competition (Sacramento, CA | June 13–15, 2025): A competition for all ages and levels, from beginner to advanced, covering a wide range of styles including modern.

• Adrenaline Dance – Regional Tour (Austin, TX | Jan 16–18, 2026) & Dallas, TX (Nov 14–16, 2025): A popular touring competition and convention with classes and competitive divisions for all ages in tap, jazz, and modern dance.

• Turn It Up Dance Challenge (Dallas, TX | Apr 10–12, 2026): A competition for dancers of all levels, with divisions for novice, intermediate, and competitive performers.

• DanceMakers Convention & Competition (Dallas, TX | Mar 27–29, 2026): A well-regarded event focusing on education and competition in ballet, jazz, modern, and other styles.

• LA Dance Magic Convention (Dallas, TX | Jan 30–Feb 1, 2026): This convention brings the magic of LA's dance scene to Dallas, with workshops and a competition.

• Press Play Dance Convention (Dallas, TX | Jan 30–Feb 1, 2026): Featuring a lineup of notable performers like Rick Ubeda and Jabu Graybeal, this convention is a must for those wanting to learn from the best.

• Stage 8 Dance Houston – “Dance 1st” competition (Houston, TX | Feb 20–22, 2026): A youth-focused competition with categories for solos, duets, and trios.

• Las Vegas, NV National Finals (Las Vegas, NV | June 24–30, 2026): The culmination of a national competition tour, bringing top dancers to Las Vegas to compete.

• Rainbow Dance Competition – National Finals (Las Vegas, NV | June 29–July 3, 2025): A major national finals event held at Planet Hollywood, drawing talented dancers from across the country.

• NUVO Dance Convention (Las Vegas, NV | June 29–July 6, 2025): A leading dance event known for its elite faculty and competitive energy, held at The Venetian.

• Sheer Elite International – Las Vegas Nationals (Las Vegas, NV | June 30–July 3, 2025): A national competition with divisions for all ages, from "Small Wonders" to Seniors.

• National Dance Honors – Las Vegas Convention (Las Vegas, NV | June 27–July 3, 2025): A prestigious convention and competition held at the luxurious Resorts World Las Vegas.

• Thunderstruck Dance Competition - International Finals (Las Vegas, NV | June 28–July 2, 2025): An international finals event for competitors in all styles.

• Candance National Finals (Ottawa, ON | June 28–July 3, 2025): A massive competition with an estimated 55,000 attendees, making it one of the largest dance events in Canada.

• 2026 Phoenix Dance Competition (Ottawa, ON | Feb 20–22, 2026): A competition with multiple levels, from novice to elite, for dancers of all ages.

• KAR Regional Dance Competition (Portland, OR | Mar 13–15, 2026): A popular regional competition tour that makes a stop in Portland.

• 2026 Showstopper Dance Competition (Portland, OR | Feb 20–22, 2026): One of the most recognized names in dance competitions, offering a professional and exciting event.

Workshops & Conventions: Learn and Grow

If you're searching for adult modern dance classes or intensive training for younger dancers, these workshops and conventions are for you.

• Masterclass: Modern (Horton-based) with William Gill (Chicago, IL | June 21, 2025): A one-day masterclass perfect for dancers of all levels—from beginners to pros—to study the influential Horton technique.

• Youth Musical Theater Camp-PMDance (Chicago, IL | Aug 4–8, 2025): A five-day camp for young dancers to explore musical theatre, which incorporates ballet, jazz, and modern styles.

• Ruth Page Center for the Arts-RPSD Summer Dance Bootcamp (Chicago, IL | July 21–Aug 1, 2025): A two-week bootcamp for young dancers to train in a variety of styles including ballet, modern, and hip hop.

• Chicago Ballet Arts: Adult Summer Intensive 2025 (Chicago, IL | July 14–20, 2025): A fantastic six-day intensive specifically designed for adult dancers looking to improve their ballet and modern technique.

• Texas West Coast Swing Social (Austin, TX | July 19, 2025): A one-day workshop focusing on a modern style of swing dancing.

• Philadelphia Dance Day 2025 (Philadelphia, PA | July 26, 2025): A full day of workshops in a huge variety of styles, including ballet, jazz, modern, and salsa, for an incredibly low price. It's a perfect way to try a new modern dance class.

• Jump Dance Convention 2026 (Portland, OR | Mar 6–8, 2026): A large-scale convention known for its top-tier faculty and energetic classes in jazz, modern, and more.

• Celebrity Dance Convention (Portland, OR | Oct 3–5, 2025): A touring convention that brings celebrity instructors and a positive atmosphere to dancers across the country.

Performances & Parties: Witness the Artistry

Sit back and be inspired by these incredible performances and unique dance parties.

• Jazz Age Lawn Party - 20th Anniversary (New York, NY | Aug 9–10, 2025): A unique party on Governor's Island celebrating the dance and music of the 1920s, the era that gave birth to modern dance.

• San Francisco Ballet- Nutcracker (San Francisco, CA | Dec 6–29, 2025): A beloved holiday tradition showcasing the incredible talent of the San Francisco Ballet, with choreography that blends classicism and modern flair.

• Grimm Tales (Austin, TX | Sept 26–28, 2025): Ballet Austin presents a performance of dark fairy tales, brought to life through expressive and modern-influenced ballet.

• Martha Graham Dance Company in case of fire, speak (Philadelphia, PA | May 29–30, 2026): A must-see performance from the iconic company that defined American modern dance. A true lesson in the history and future of the art form.