With more than 615 performances, featuring artists from over 42 countries, and 180 debut events since its founding in the 1980s, TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND continues to redefine what it means to experience dance in North Texas.
“Artistic excellence is the deciding factor for who we bring to Dallas,” says executive and artistic director Charles Santos. “Every company in the coming season is so exciting and different, and there is something so uniquely powerful about sharing a live moment. It can be cathartic, inspiring, thought-provoking, or simply joyful, but what makes it truly meaningful is being present together.”
The new season kicks off with Ballets Jazz Montréal’s Dance Me (Sept. 18-19, 2026), a tribute to Leonard Cohen that blends jazz-infused ballet with deep, raw emotion. The company, known for its fusion of classical technique and sophisticated energy, brings three choreographers’ interpretations of Cohen’s music into one electrifying performance.
“I saw this work at a festival in Vancouver right after it was finished, and I hadn’t seen any company use Cohen’s music and vibe so effectively,” Santos says.
Dec. 19, 2026, brings Alonzo King LINES Ballet, a company celebrated for its fusion of classical ballet with modern storytelling. Dubbed “America’s foremost choreographer” by The New York Times, King creates works that are both visually stunning and deeply human.
“Alonzo King is in a league all his own,” says Santos. “His point of view, his choreography, is completely unique. Beautiful pointe work and ethereal dancers make his works something you simply have to experience.”
Making its Dallas debut Jan. 15-16, 2027, is Step Afrika!, the world’s first professional dance company dedicated to the art form of stepping. It’s especially meaningful because the company was founded by C. Brian Williams, a native Texan.
“Stepping really took off in the early 1900s on historically Black college campuses,” explains Santos. “African American fraternities and sororities used it to show pride, unity, and love for their organizations. It is joyful and powerful and should be shared with a broader, blended audience.”
The season continues Feb. 5-6, 2027, with Alan Lake Factori(e)’s Orpheus, presented as part of TITAS/UNFILTERED, a bold series that provides audiences the opportunity to experience great works that perhaps might have nudity or progressive subject matter.
“It borders on dance theater for me, and I love the idea of reinterpretations of works of art or myths into something new and compelling,” says Santos. “Alan’s new work is a reinterpretation of Orpheus and Eurydice—it’s bizarre and interesting and a little daring. Alan Lake pushes boundaries, and we are here for it.”
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Alan Lake Factori(e); Photo by Martin Morisette.
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Hervé Koubi’s What The Day Owes To The Night. Photo by Sharen Bradford.
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Pilobolus in Particle Zoo. Photo by Ben McKeown.
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Social Tango Project. Photo by Facundo Suarez.
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YYDC. Photo courtesy of the artists.
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Step Afrika! Photo by Jati Lindsay.
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Adji Cissoko and Shuaib Elhassan of Alonzo King LINES Ballet. Photo by Angela Sterling.
Following on March 27, 2027, is Hervé Koubi’s What The Day Owes To The Night, an all-male ensemble that fuses capoeira, martial arts, urban dance, and contemporary movement. Inspired by Orientalist paintings and Islamic architecture, this piece is both physically demanding and visually breathtaking.
“We now have a fairly long history with Hervé’s company,” Santos says, sharing that TITAS was part of the work’s first tour back in 2018. “Most of these dancers are from Algeria, a predominantly Muslim country. What I love is the fraternity and tenderness in this all-male company. It has nothing to do with sexual preference and everything to do with culture. Hervé told me back when we first brought the company that Algeria does not have dance studios. Two hundred individuals showed up to the auditions, and they were mostly hulking men who were/are amazing street dancers, with acrobatics skills, head-spinning abilities, etc. Hervé’s company symbolizes so much for me, and they are an example of people of varied backgrounds working harmoniously together.”
YYCD makes its Texas debut on April 3-4, 2027, bringing the FOCO Technique™—a fusion of Chinese classical/folk traditions with modern choreography—to Dallas for the first time. Founded by Yue Yin, a former member of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Complexions Contemporary Ballet, this company’s highly original movement vocabulary and magnetic stage presence make it an unforgettable experience. Although Yue Yin has set work on Houston Contemporary Dance Company, this will be the first time her work has been seen in Dallas.
Command Performance returns to dazzle audiences on April 24, 2027, with commissioned works created specifically for the gala performance. Some of the world’s leading choreographers are represented, such as Twyla Tharp, William Forsythe, Dwight Rhoden, Jessica Lang, and Mia Michaels, and there are always special guests—last year the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders showed just how universal and unifying movement can be.
“I’m embarrassed it has taken TITAS this long to invite PHILADANCO! to Dallas,” Santos admits. “This company was one of five companies recognized for advancing Black dance in America, along with our own Dallas Black Dance Theater. I just saw them this past year in New York and they were thrilling.”
Santos emphasizes that TITAS/DANCE UNBOUND isn’t just about presenting performances—it’s about building a community of arts lovers through education, outreach, and accessibility. Programs like Big Barre outdoor dance classes, student matinees, masterclasses with touring artists, and post-performance Q&As ensure that Dallas audiences have multiple opportunities to engage deeply with the art form.
“It is our responsibility to build audiences, to provide opportunities to see great and varied art forms and companies, and to provide opportunities for new companies to be seen in a blockbuster mentality,” says Santos. “People aren’t born arts lovers—they need exposure to great art before they can become fans.”
—LINDSEY WILSON
