Laguna Dance unveils bold season of innovation, intimacy and celebration featuring Thriller, The Nature of Dance, Love Letters and Heart 2 Heart
Laguna Dance, Southern California’s celebrated presenter of world-class dance and education, announced their 2025/2026 season. This year’s program brings together immersive performances, community connections and intimate experiences designed to celebrate the power of movement in all its forms.
On the heels of their 20th anniversary season, which marked two decades of presenting dance in Southern California, Laguna Dance is building on their legacy with a forward-looking program. The 2025-26 season continues the non-profit’s tradition of curating innovative performances while honoring the community connections that have defined the festival since their founding in 2005.
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Courtesy of Laguna Dance
Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s Devin Baker takes to the air. He will be part of Laguna Dance Festival’s February performances.
The season kicks off October 2 with First Thursdays Art Walk – Laguna Beach’s beloved monthly community gathering where art galleries, museums and local venues open their doors to the public. Laguna Dance adds an extraordinary dimension by presenting live performances in these creative spaces, offering audiences the rare chance to see professional dancers up close and free of charge.
From there, the season moves into a series of carefully curated events and performances, beginning with Thriller: A Cinematic Soirée on October 17, a spine-tingling evening at the Rivian South Coast Theater featuring dance, film, food and community in celebration of Michael Jackson’s legendary music video. Audiences will experience live performances, learn legendary Thriller choreography and enjoy a cinematic tribute in Laguna’s historic theater.
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Photo by Ben Jackson
Sadale Warner and Qarrianne Blayr of Dayton Contemporary Dance Company strike a duet pose
On November 7, Laguna Dance will join forces with the Laguna Art Museum for their 13th Annual Art + Nature festival, an event that explores the synergy between artistic expression and environmental awareness. Featuring the evocative work of Ana Teresa Fernández, the collaboration will include a site-specific performance choreographed by Artistic Director Jodie Gates on Main Beach. With dancers from across Orange County and Los Angeles, the piece will transform the oceanfront into a living canvas where movement and nature converge.
In early 2026, Laguna Dance will partner with the Laguna Art Museum for The Nature of Dance on January 24. The one-night program offers audiences a rare opportunity to witness the creation of new choreography in real time as dancers, musicians and artists collaborate in an intimate setting.
The cornerstone event, the Laguna Dance Festival: Love Letters, runs February 13-15, 2026 at the Laguna Playhouse. Each evening features a different program: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company on February 13; Heart 2 Heart: An Evening of Duets on February 14 and Sunday Funday: The Best of SoCal Dance on February 15.
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For the first time in Laguna Beach, Laguna Dance is honored to present Dayton Contemporary Dance Company (DCDC) – an internationally acclaimed ensemble with more than 50 years of history. Founded to preserve and celebrate the African American experience in dance, DCDC is renowned for telling powerful stories through movement. Their Laguna Beach debut will feature a richly diverse repertory, ranging from the groundbreaking hip-hop choreography of Rennie Harris to the timeless modern dance of Paul Taylor.
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Photo by Scott Robbins
Alexandria Flewellen, a dancer with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, will be part of the energetic repertory at the Laguna Dance Festival in February
As part of the festival weekend, Laguna Dance will host a free backstage event on February 12, 2026 featuring DCDC. This unique opportunity invites audiences to witness the behind-the-scenes process of a professional dance company, offering an authentic glimpse into the artistry and discipline that bring a production to life.
On Valentine’s Day, Laguna Dance will also host Heart 2 Heart, billed as their most romantic event of the year. The evening pairs duets with wine, Champagne and an exclusive onstage after-party for VIP ticket holders.
The season closes May 31, 2026 with the Annual Gala and Fundraiser at the Surf & Sand Resort. An evening of dining, live performances and celebration will benefit Laguna Dance’s scholarship and education programs.
“Laguna Dance is entering such an exciting phase, and I feel so proud of the role we play as a pillar of the arts in our community,” said Jodie Gates, artistic director and founder of Laguna Dance. “Dance, to me, is magic – and this season is full of it. We’ll kick things off with Art Walk and a collaboration with LAM that blends dance with Art + Nature. I can’t wait to see families light up at our ‘Thriller’ workshop and performance at Rivian. Then in February, ‘Love Letters’ with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company takes the stage at Laguna Playhouse – just in time for Valentine’s Day, alongside our romantic ‘Heart 2 Heart’ celebration. Each of these moments is different, but all are tied together by the joy and connection that dance brings. I’m overjoyed to share this journey and much more with our community.”
Education continues to be a core part of Laguna Dance’s mission. In their most ambitious initiative to date, Laguna Dance is partnering with the Laguna Beach Unified School District for the first time in their history to bring the joy of dance directly into the classroom. Beginning in the second half of the 2025-2026 school year, Founder & Artistic Director Jodie Gates and Artistic Associate Krystal Matsuyama-Tsai will lead movement classes for second graders, nurturing creativity, self-expression and body awareness. The program will culminate in a backstage experience at the 21st Annual Laguna Dance Main Stage Festival, where students will connect with world-class guest artists and see the magic of live performance up close.
Laguna Dance will also continue to award scholarships, host master classes and offer pre-show talks throughout the season, further strengthening their role as a leader in community-centered arts education.
2025-26 Season at a Glance
–First Thursdays Art Walk: October 2; February 5, 2026; March 5, 2026; May 7, 2026, | Various Laguna Beach venues
–Thriller: A Cinematic Soirée: October 17 | Rivian South Coast Theater
–The Nature of Dance: January 24, 2026 | Laguna Art Museum
–Love Letters: Laguna Dance Festival: Feb. 13-15, 2026 | Laguna Playhouse
–Heart 2 Heart: February 14, 2026 | Laguna Playhouse
–Annual Gala and Fundraiser: May 31, 2026 | Surf & Sand Resort
Tickets are on sale at www.lagunadance.org.
