Florida State University’s Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography (MANCC) will welcome nationally recognized choreographers to campus this fall as the center resumes its artist residency program after a one-year hiatus. 

The fall lineup includes Fana Fraser, Kimberly Bartosik, and Joseph “MN Joe” Tran and Lisa “MonaLisa” Berman of BRKFST Dance Company. 

“We are excited to have artists back in the studio,” said MANCC Director Ansje Burdick. “Joining us from across the country, our fall artists are all in early developmental stages of creation as they explore human emotion and interior experiences, collaborate with dramaturgs, refine movement vocabularies and construct soundscapes.” 

MANCC is one of only two national choreographic centers housed at a university. Its location at FSU allows visiting artists to collaborate with scholars and researchers across disciplines and draw on the university’s specialized facilities as they develop new works in contemporary dance. 

MANCC tailors each residency to an artist’s creative process and stage of the work. Artists may experiment with movement alongside FSU School of Dance students, explore lighting design, construct set pieces or consult with academic experts across disciplines. 

The residencies give FSU School of Dance students access to nationally recognized choreographers and a look at how new works are developed.  

This fall, students can attend work-in-progress showings and open studio sessions, participate in movement experiments and engage directly with the artists. Read more about the visiting artists below:

Fana Fraser 

Artist, director and producer Fana Fraser returns to MANCC this month to begin developing a new project, “After the Fallow.” Fraser participated in MANCC’s Forward Dialogues laboratory program in 2017, and their dance films and live performances have since been featured at events and festivals around the world. During the residency, Fraser plans to work with dancers and dramaturgs to bring elements of their outdoor movement practice into the studio and share work in progress during an open studio.     

Kimberly Bartosik   

Guggenheim Fellowship-winning choreographer, performer and educator Kimberly Bartosik comes to MANCC for the first time in October to developher new work, “blood anchor,” which explores the complex power of blood relations and the epidemic of modern loneliness. During this early-stage residency, Bartosik will collaborate with three performers, a dramaturg and a lighting designer to explore the work’s emotional landscape and shape its visual design. 

BRKFST Dance Company  

Joseph “MN Joe” Tran and Lisa “MonaLisa” Berman, co-founders of the Minnesota-based BRKFST Dance Company, come to MANCC for the first time to develop an evening-length duet blending breaking, improvisation and partnering. The work explores how connections to oneself, the body andrelationships evolve during trauma. It draws from Berman’s experience as a two-time cancer survivor and Tran’s experience supporting her through her treatment. Tran and Berman are recipients of the 2026 McKnight Choreography Fellowship, and their MANCC residency was supported by funds from the McKnight Choreography Fellowship program, administered by Springboard for the Arts and funded by the McKnight Foundation. 

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The Florida State University School of Dance will bring new choreography, creative research and artistic collaboration to the stage during its 2026-27 production season, “Unbound.”  

The season features performances and special events that showcase the range of creative work and inquiry taking place across the School of Dance.  

The season opens Oct. 6 with the Tallahassee premiere of “Adele Myers and Dancers: a world gone FABULOUS” at the Nancy Smith Fichter Dance Theatre, presented in partnership with Opening Nights. 

“We are especially pleased to have our students featured as part of this Opening Nights performance,” said James Frazier, dean of the College of Fine Arts. “The evening will open with a newly commissioned work performed by our senior dance majors. It gives our students the chance to bring their work to a broader audience and gain valuable experience performing alongside professionals.” 

“Unbound” combines longtime-favorite productions, including Days of Dance in the fall and Evenings of Dance in the spring, with new opportunities for creative exploration. Among this year’s additions is the inaugural Meridian Dance Film Festival, a juried event that promises to feature work from filmmakers from around the world.  

“This season reveals the depth and range of creative work within our community,” said Helanius J. Wilkins, chair of the School of Dance. “At its core, ‘Unbound’ honors our rich legacy while creating space for reinvention. It invites curiosity, rigorous artistic inquiry and new perspectives while expanding opportunities for collaboration among our students, faculty and distinguished guest artists.” 

Visit the FSU Dance website to purchase tickets. For more information about the FSU School of Dance, visit dance.fsu.edu.   

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2026-27 School of Dance performance schedule 

Oct. 6 — Adele Myers and Dancers: a world gone FABULOUS: Presented in partnership with Opening Nights, the Tallahassee premiere features Adele Myers and Dancers, with senior dance majors opening the evening with a newly commissioned work. 

Nov. 6. 7, 13, 14 — Days of Dance: This annual mainstage production brings together works by faculty with a juried selection of pieces by students and staff, performed by School of Dance students.  

Dec. 3 — Sketches: This new, scaled-down dance production emphasizes experimentation and student-driven perspectives, featuring a range of dance styles and creative approaches.  

Jan. 22 — Emerging Voices: A Graduate Showcase: This new showcase presents original works by graduate students in the School of Dance, inviting audiences to explore the questions, processes and possibilities shaping their creative work. 

Feb. 5 — Festival of the Creative Arts: Part of FSU’s annual celebration of interdisciplinary creativity, “Into the Deep” brings together oceanography, dance, music, poetry and other disciplines, with an emphasis on student-created work. 

Feb. 6-7 — Young Dancers Workshop: The annual Young Dancers’ Workshop gives about 200 dancers, ages 10 to 18 the opportunity to participatein a weekend of master classes with School of Dance faculty, including Suzanne Farrell, and invited guest artists.  

Feb. 6 — Meridian Dance Film Festival: This inaugural juried dance film festival features works selected from filmmakers around the world, giving audiences an opportunity to experience diverse approaches to dance that extend beyond the boundaries of the stage. 

April 9-10 — Evenings of Dance: The School of Dance’s annual spring mainstage production features student performers in works created by School of Dance faculty and distinguished guest artists, highlighting the creative exchanges that emerge through mentorship, collaboration and artistic practice. 

April 13 — Senior Capstone: The Senior Capstone showcases culminating creative projects by graduating students, who bring together their artistic, technical and scholarly development through original work presented to the School of Dance community.