Selah Dance Collective at APAP 2026

Selah Dance Collective is honored to participate in the 2026 APAP Conference with a special showing of new and signature works at the world-renowned Ailey Studios. This showcase offers presenters, curators, and dance professionals an intimate look at the company’s bold, interdisciplinary, and feminist choreographic voice.

Showcase Schedule:

Saturday, January 10, 2025 | 6:00 PM
Sunday, January 11 | 3:00 PM

The Ailey Studios - Studio 2B
405 W 55th St, New York, NY 10019

About the Showcase

Our APAP presentation features excerpts from three works premiering as part of Selah’s 2025–2026 season:

Sound and Smoke

Sound and Smoke is an interdisciplinary exploration of early modern dance and its intersections with the mythical decadence of Weimar-era cabaret. As an ensemble, evening-length work, Sound and Smoke has developed into a more extensive investigation of “dancing death.” The work considers the staging of women’s deaths in theatrical representation in conversation with the history of modern dance.

Palermo!

Palermo! (Sure Shot Comedy! Bang Up Fun!) continues Ventura’s choreographic exploration of early 20th-century performance, building on her acclaimed research project Sound and Smoke and takes inspiration from the Futurist cabarets of Italy in the 1920s and 1930s, offering a profound investigation into the performance of power and the complex relationship between art, politics, and identity during the interwar period. The performance draws parallels between the experimental acts crafted in these cabaret spaces and the turbulent socio-political landscapes in which they existed.

Malena

East Coast meets West Coast as tango legend Fernanda Ghi joins rising star choreographer Meredith Ventura to create Malena — an adventure in dance storytelling about rebellion, freedom, and connection. Told in three acts, Malena moves from the intimate embrace of traditional tango, to the raw rebellion of dancing alone in freestyle, and finally to a return — transformed — to a new kind of tango. A bold, genre-defying original production, born in Santa Barbara, blending the passion of Argentine tango with contemporary dance.

REPERTORY

What to Expect

This 25–30 minute showing highlights Selah’s commitment to narrative clarity, expressive virtuosity, and collaborative creation. Audiences will experience a range of movement vocabularies—from the atmospheric and theatrical to the rhythm-driven and intimate—performed by a dynamic ensemble of Selah company artists.

About Selah Dance Collective

Selah Dance Collective is a contemporary dance company based in Santa Barbara, California, dedicated to creating work that uplifts emerging artists and engages audiences through emotionally honest performance, feminist inquiry, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Now entering its twelfth season, Selah continues to expand its national presence while remaining rooted in community-centered artistic practice.

Our Story

Selah Dance Collective began with a simple belief: dance – like all art forms – is a right, not a privilege. What started as a small group of artists in Santa Barbara has grown into a collaborative company committed to making work that speaks to the present moment. We uplift emerging creators, champion feminist and community-driven stories, and foster connection through accessible performances, education, and outreach. Selah is a home for dancers, thinkers, and audiences seeking art with heart. Along with our sister company, Novus Contemporary Ballet, we create bold performances that build new communities through movement and create dances that are accessible and relatable to all.