HIGH VOLTAGE DANCE,
NO SAFETY NET

A company built on athleticism, musicality,
and sheer momentum returns to BroadStage

Few choreographers have maintained the kind of sustained, high-energy appeal that David Parsons has cultivated since breaking out as a star dancer with the Paul Taylor Dance Company in the late 1970s. After founding Parsons Dance in 1985 with lighting designer Howell Binkley, Parsons built a company defined not only by its athletic dancers but by a signature visual style—clean, prop-free staging enhanced by striking lighting and relentless forward motion.

That aesthetic remains firmly in place as Parsons Dance returns to BroadStage with a program that blends his own work with pieces by a range of contemporary voices. Parsons’ choreography—polished, muscular, and often presented frontally with high-octane intensity—shares the bill with works that expand the company’s reach. The program includes Parsons’ Nascimento, set to the music of Milton Nascimento, and Balance of Power, driven by Giancarlo De Trizio, alongside The Road, a more reflective piece set to Yusuf/Cat Stevens.

Zoey Anderson and Emerson Earnshaw in Juke, choreographed by Jamar Roberts. Photo by Cherylynn Tsushima.

Also featured is Juke by Jamar Roberts, set to the music of Miles Davis, where the musicality often takes center stage, and Takademe by Robert Battle, a rhythmic tour de force set to the vocal virtuosity of Sheila Chandra. Rounding out the program is Fearless by Courtney “Balenciaga” Washington, set to a contemporary score by Champion, Four Tet & Skrillex (featuring Naisha), bringing a distinctly modern pulse to the evening.

Parsons’ programs are typically structured for variety, offering shorter works that move quickly from one kinetic idea to the next. The effect is an evening of near-constant motion, where dancers—equal parts artists and athletes—deliver performances of precision, stamina, and unapologetic theatricality. Whether in unison-driven ensemble passages or virtuosic solos, the emphasis is on impact: bold movement, clear lines, and an energy level that rarely dips.

If there’s a throughline, it’s Parsons’ commitment to giving audiences a good time. Even when the choreography leans toward spectacle over introspection, the sheer physicality and polish of the company make for an undeniably engaging experience. At BroadStage, that combination of craft, charisma, and momentum should once again deliver exactly what Parsons has long promised: dance that moves—fast, boldly, and with purpose.

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Parsons Dance
The Eli and Edythe BroadStage
1310 11th Street, Santa Monica
Saturday, April 18 at 7:30
Sunday, April 19 at 2
for tickets ($42-$73), visit BroadStage

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