Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC)

06/18/2026

Legacy Artist Sara Shelton Mann and collaborator, Jesse Zaritt, came to MANCC in 2024 to further develop their body of work, a series of duets and solos entitled “moving alchemy: puzzles/propositions/journeys”.

This generative residency furthered their work "Within the Heart” and provided material for Mann’s book “MOVING ALCHEMY” (published 2024) which was funded, in part, by MANCC’s writers' program. "Within the Heart” premiered at Dance Mission Theater in San Francisco in February 2024.

Step inside their creative practice in this newly released research highlights video that showcases residency footage and read more about their residency at mancc.org.

Mann’s residency and the Embedded Writer Program were supported, in part, by the Mellon Foundation.

https://dance.fsu.edu/artist/sara-shelton-mann-with-jesse-zaritt/

MANCC Residency: January 23 – February 5, 2024 Legacy Artist Sara Shelton Mann and collaborator, Jesse Zaritt, came to MANCC in 2024 to further develop their body of work, a series of duets and solos entitled moving alchemy: puzzles/propositions/journeys. Filmed and Edited by MANCC's Media Special...

06/12/2026

Living Legacy Artist Liz Lerman developed her work “Healing Wars” over two MANCC residencies in November 2013 and May 2014. Through deep research and development, the work dealt with the impact that war leaves behind, both physically and abstractly. Focusing on the connections between the American Civil War and contemporary wars of the 2000’s in Iraq and Afghanistan, “Healing Wars” centered the embodied experience of combat and recovery.

Lerman embedded her process within the FSU and veteran communities. The team - including acclaimed actor Bill Pullman - collaborated with combat medics, engineering researchers specializing in advanced prosthetics, and Vietnam War veteran nurse Dr. Deanna Epley—who joined the performers on stage to share her story. Lerman folded this research into the final work which premiered at Arena Stage in June 6-29, 2014.

Liz Lerman Projects

05/22/2026

Wally Cardona came to MANCC in 2009 to further the development of REALLY REAL—a work The New York Times dubbed his "people piece." Critic Gia Kourlas noted its theatricalization of Kierkegaard’s ideas, describing it as a grand search for human connection: "If you strip everything else away, love is all that matters."

Following its development at MANCC, REALLY REAL premiered at the International Festival of Arts and Ideas before heading to BAM’s Next Wave Festival.

Since then, Cardona has continued to push boundaries and connect people and will present TIMES FOUR - a work honoring David Gordon at the American Dance Festival at the end of May.

Please visit mancc.org to watch the full MANCC video and learn more about Cardona’s 2009 residency.

20 years of movement. 20 years of process. 20 years of artist support.



Collaborators: Julian Barnett, Kana Kimura, Omagbitse Omagbemi, Stuart Singer, Francis Stansky, and Joanna Kotze.

Research highlights of Wally Cardona in the development of "REALLY REAL" MANCC Residency: March 28 - April 11, 2009 Collaborators in Residence: Rick Murray [lighting designer], Julian Barnett, Kana Kimura, Joanna Kotze, Omagbitse Omagbemi, Stuart Singer and Francis Stansky [dancers] Filmed & Edited....

05/19/2026

Sending a MANCC congratulations to NYC tonight as Movement Research honors Okwui Okpokwasili, Peter Born, and Eleanor Savage at the 2026 Gala!

After being in residence with Ralph Lemon for two MANCC residencies in 2010 (How Can You Stay In The House All Day...) and 2014 (Scaffold Room), Okpokwasili returned to MANCC with Born to further the development of Bronx Gothic (2012) and Poor People’s TV Room (2016) over multiple residencies.

05/14/2026

Jeanine Durning came first to MANCC in 2008 as a performer with Deborah Hay and returned in 2018-2019 to develop her solo work "dark matter, selfish portrait" over multiple residencies. At MANCC she met with experts in physics, philosophy, and English literature, investigating the theory of dark matter, discussing Samuel Beckett’s influence on the search for meaning, and exploring feminist philosophy.



As part of the embedded writer's program, writer Jenn Joy accompanied Durning’s second residency. The resulting book, commissioned by MANCC, “nonstopping” featuring essays, a glossary, photos from the residency, and reflections on the process of making “dark matter, selfish portrait.”



Multi-residency and embedded writer support was provided by the Mellon Foundation.



20 years of movement. 20 years of process. 20 years of artist support.

05/08/2026

Alice Sheppard came to MANCC in 2017 to further the development of "DESCENT", a work that explores the experience known to all users of wheels: the raw pleasure of flying free down a slope. As part of the residency, Sheppard worked with collaborators to refine the lighting and the construction of the ramp, an architectural set piece integral to the work. "DESCENT" premiered in 2018 at New York Live Arts. Photos and video available on mancc.org

20 years of movement. 20 years of process. 20 years of artist support.

Kinetic Light

MANCC Residency: August 25 - September 8, 2017 Collaborators in Residence: Laurel Lawson [Dancer], Michael Maag [Lighting and Video Designer], Joseph Futral [Technical Director], Lisa Niedermeyer [Performance Coach], Carrie Sandahl and Jerron Herman [Writers]. Filmed by Tiffanie Pough and Chris Came...

05/07/2026

Congratulations to Mariana Valencia on the premiere of "Jacklean (Jacklean)" at ODC Theater in San Fransico this past weekend. We are honored to have supported Valencia and musician Jazzy Romero during their March 2024 residency, where they explored improvisatory choreographic scores, music, and text. Photos and video from the making of the work are available on mancc.org

MANCC Residency: March 18-31, 2024 Collaborator in Residence: Jazzy Romero [Musician] Filmed by Chris Cameron, Emmett Higgins, and Gemma Leary Edited by Chris Cameron This residency was supported, in part, by the Mellon Foundation "Jacklean (in rehearsal)" will premiere at MOMA from March 12 - 23, 2...

05/04/2026

DaEun Jung engaged in a post-premiere residency in 2024 to further develop her evening-length dance project, "NORRI". Video footage from her residency is now available on mancc.org. Hear about Jung's creative process and her "NORRI" residency —an exploration of Korean folk dance, mathematical synchronization, and communal play.

Jung's residency was funded, in part, by the Mellon Foundation and the Sustainable Arts Foundation.

https://vimeo.com/1080970271

MANCC Residency: January 9 – 20, 2024 Collaborators in Residence: Arletta Anderson, Tulsi Shah, Chantal Cherry, Jack Ironstone [Performers], Melody H. Shim, Daniel Corral [Musicians], Amanda Eno (Stage Manager], Ajani Brannum [Embedded Writer] Filmed by Chris Cameron, Gemma Leary, Emmett Higgins E...

04/24/2026

20 years of movement. 20 years of process. 20 years of artist support.

Bay Area native Antoine Hunter, Purple Fire Crow, and his San Francisco-based Urban Jazz Dance Company—California’s only Black Deaf-led professional dance company gathered at MANCC to forward their work in 2023.
During their residency, Hunter and his collaborators pushed the boundaries of ASL Dance, a powerful genre that, for Hunter, merges American Sign Language with Jazz and unique Deaf rhythms. Visit Antoine Hunter's page on mancc.org to learn more about the project.

The work developed at MANCC went on to be featured in the 11th Annual Bay Area International Deaf Dance Festival!
Many thanks to the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mellon Foundation for supporting this residency.

Antoine Hunter

https://vimeo.com/1164372200

MANCC hosted Bay Area native Antoine Hunter, Purple Fire Crow, and his San Francisco-based Urban Jazz Dance Company (UJDC), California’s only Black Deaf-led professional dance company, for his first residency in April 2023. Mr. Hunter’s residency incorporated jazz music with his own Deaf rhythms...

04/17/2026

20 years of movement. 20 years of process. 20 years of artist support.

Celebrating over two decades of supporting the national dance field, we are turning our focus inward—to our archive.

For the past several months, we’ve been deep-diving into our history to preserve and celebrate the creative work that has unfolded within our studios. As one of only two national residency centers of our kind, our archive is more than just a record; it is a living history of choreographic creative process.

Stay tuned as we bridge the gap between our foundational past and our generative future.

Find details on featured artists at mancc.org