St. Louis Contemporary Dance Festival
About this Event
Returning for its third year, St. Louis Contemporary Dance Festival is an annual event hosted by RESILIENCE Dance Company that brings together contemporary dance-makers from across the country for performance, exchange, and dialogue with the St.Louis community.
Taking place July 10–11 at COCA’s Staenberg Performance Lab, this two-day festival will feature 3 master classes and 2 evening performances celebrating innovative, risk taking voices in contemporary dance.
Through a formal application and adjudication process, Co-curators Holly Seitz Marchant and Emily Haussler have selected 13 choreographers - a dynamic mix of local, regional, and national artists - to participate in this year’s curated festival. These artists bring powerful choreographic voices, diverse perspectives, and a shared commitment to pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance.
In addition to the featured festival artists, the weekend’s performances will include the return of Horse Girl, choreographed on RDC by St. Louis choreographer Will Brighton. Audiences will also experience an excerpt from the company’s most recent spring performance, Benchmarks 9.0, choreographed by Artistic Director Emily Haussler in collaboration with the company. Also featured in this program is a world premiere work performed by RDC’s Choreographic Intensive students, choreographed by Emily Duggins Ehling.
2026 Presenting Festival Artists - Friday
Dale Ratcliff and Nikki Theroux (Brooklyn, NY)
Carly Vanderheyden (St. Louis, MO)
Catherine Hayward (Calgary, CA)
Rain Stipecc (St. Louis, MO)
Abby Marchesseault (Mishawaka, IN)
Lian Long (Philadelphia, PA)
Will Brighton (St. Louis, MO)
Kayliani Sood & Allison Smith (Philadelphia, PA)
2026 Presenting Festival Artists - Saturday
Emily Duggins Ehling (Columbia, MO)
Julianna Bramstedt & Chloe Conway (Washington DC)
Jonathan Pattiwael (San Marcos, TX)
Maddy Bailey (St. Louis, MO)
Issac Knuteson (Madison, WI)
Abbi LeBaube and Zoe DeYoung (St. Louis, MO)
Emily Haussler/RESILIENCE Dance Company (St. Louis, MO)
Masterclass Weekend Lineup:
Dale Ratcliff | Friday, July 10th | 5:00pm - 6:30pm
Kayliani Sood & Allison Smith | Saturday, July 11th | 12:00pm - 1:30pm
Jonathan Pattiwael | Saturday, July 11th | 3:00pm - 4:30pm
STLCDF Performance
🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:30 PM
Lobby Opens
Info: Theater doors will open at approximately 7pm. It will be open seating so be sure to arrive early to select a seat.
🕑: 07:30 PM - 09:00 PM
St. Louis Contemporary Dance Festival Performance
Info: A dynamic evening performance showcasing work from local and out-of-state artists, RESILIENCE company members, and RDC's Choreographic Intensive students.
🕑: 09:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Informal Reception
Info: Join the festival artists and dancers after the show for an informal reception in the Sunshine Lobby at COCA, accompanied by light snacks and drinks.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 12.51 to USD 39.19
