Dance Source Houston Presents Barnstorm Dance Fest 2026

Dance Source Houston is excited to unveil the lineup for Barnstorm Dance Fest 2026, taking over Matchbox 2 at Midtown Arts & Theatre Center Houston (MATCH) April 14-18. This five-day celebration of movement features 15 live performance works, 6 dance films, 3 artist panels, and a workshop series. Barnstorm invites audiences to take a journey through the bold world of dance from Houston, the region, and beyond.

Performances and films are curated into three distinct programs, each presented twice in Matchbox 2 at MATCH, offering audiences multiple opportunities to experience the full spectrum of artistry. The 2026 festival showcases an exhilarating range of forms—ballet, Bharatanatyam, contemporary, house, modern, dance on film, and more—highlighting the depth and diversity of today’s dance landscape. Artist panels featuring choreographers from each program will offer behind-the-scenes insight into the creative process, deepening audiences’ connection to the work on stage and screen.

This year marks the 11th edition of Barnstorm Dance Fest and Dance Source Houston’s 21st anniversary as an arts service organization championing Greater Houston’s dance community.

“Each year, Barnstorm introduces audiences to artists they’ve never encountered before while reconnecting them with longtime favorites – from the seats of the theater, on the dancefloor in a workshop, and in conversation through a panel or postshow reception,” said DSH Executive Director Mollie Haven Miller. “The festival continues to evolve with each edition, and we can’t wait to experience this year’s remarkable collection of danceworks alongside dance lovers from across the region.”

Barnstorm Dance Fest is shaped through an open application process curated by a panel of dance community members. The 2026 curation team includes Jonesha Hawkins-Minter, Andee Scott, and Bhuvana Venkatraman. 

The festival also serves as the culminating celebration for Dance Source Houston’s Artists In Residence (AIR) cohort. The 2025–26 AIR artists—Violet Moon, Karmetra Shy, and Andrew Smith—will premiere works developed during their residencies, with one featured in each program.

Beyond the stage, the festival extends into the studio. Public workshops led by festival artists will be offered throughout the week on a pay-what-you-can scale, welcoming movers to explore a variety of dance styles and practices in an open, inspiring environment.

Program tickets, workshop registration, and more information are available at dancesourcehouston.org. 

Join us for a week of discovery, dialogue, and dynamic performance as Barnstorm Dance Fest 2026 brings Houston’s dance community center stage.

Festival Schedule: 

Programs

Program A – Tuesday, April 14 & Friday, 17* @ 7:30pm
Andrew Smith
Group Acorde
John T. Cartwright
Mansee Singhi
NMLY.dance
Ty Graynor
Travis Prokop

Program B – Wednesday, April 15* @ 7:30pm & Saturday, April 18 @ 5:00pm
Anna-Caison Roguski
Aubyn Armstrong
Jamie Williams
Jordyn Apostolache
Karmetra Shy
Kasi Ayola
Robbie Moore + Stacy Skolnik

Program C – Thursday, April 16* & Saturday, April 18 @ 7:30pm
Achi Bala
Ad Deum
Dr. Janaki Rangarajan
Paty Lorena Solórzano
Rachana Rao
Stacey Allen + Sha Davis
Violet Moon

MATCH, 3400 Main Street

*Indicates performance is followed by an artist panel discussion.

Tickets – $25 single program // $65 3-program pass

matchouston.org/events/2026/barnstorm-dance-fest-2026

Workshop Series

House Foundation w/ Kam
Thursday, April 16 // 10:30am-12:00pm

Contemporary Partnering Lab w/ Andrew Robert Smith
Friday, April 17 // 10:30am-12:00pm

Sustaining the Artist Self: Regenerative Multi-Modal Expression w/ Violet Moon
Saturday, April 18 // 10:30am-12:00pm

Physical and Vocal Viewpoints for Dancers w/ John T. Cartwright
Saturday, April 18 // 12:30-2:00pm

MATCH, 3400 Main Street

Registration – Sliding scale, pay-what-you-can pricing
dancesourcehouston.org/barnstorm-dance-fest

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