APRIL 29, 2026: After a day of free community classes, dancers of all ages and styles performed at Downtown Cary Park’s pavilion for families, friends, and any lucky park visitor who caught a glimpse of the diverse display of dance the Triangle offers. With near perfect weather and a sizable audience sitting on the lawn, the evening celebrated a wide variety of dance styles in the Triangle, including clogging, contemporary dance, tai chi dance, kung fu & sword, tango, Irish dance, tap, musical theatre, African dance, and Kathak. While some pieces were reflective and quiet, others actively engaged the audience to come onstage, dance along, and clap to the music. Children were seen gleefully dancing for the entire 90 minute performance. Logistically, the show ran tight, with little downtime between performances. Given the amount of dancers, music ques, and props, it was truly impressive to see this outdoor community performance so well-run.
IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE:
Pack Cloggers: This group of NC State’s dancers opened the show with a clogging demonstration in a variety of formations. They performed with great precision and smiles that could be felt all the way to the back of the lawn. After their performance, they invited audience members onto the stage to dance alongside them in circles and a “Soul Train Line” style, with children laughing as they had a chance to dance next to the university performers. (@packclogging)
Graceful Expressions, Boys’ Contemporary: A group of five teenage boys emerged from stage left leaping and turning. Throughout the piece, they broke into smaller groups to share weight and jump amongst each other. Towards the end, Graceful Expressions’ contemporary director, Willie Hinton, surprised us to dance with and celebrate the group’s display of joyful masculinity in dance. (@gracefulexpressions)
AOCI – Oriental Culture Dance, Kung Fu & Sword: A group of adults and elementary-aged children confidently took to the stage donned in Chinese martial arts attire and Wudang swords. What began as a slow yet powerful tai chi dance turned into a lively demonstration of the children’ s prowess in kung fu and sword. The children flipped, posed, and danced in powerful formations that made it clear Jasmine Yiping Ni runs a technique-focused program. (@ping_peaceful_taichi)
Triangle Tangueros: Three couples spaced evenly across the stage stepped into a tango demonstration. Improvising to the music, each couple displayed an intimate listening to and understanding of one another through the use of careful steps, musicality, and slow yet joyful dancing. (@triangletangueros)
Triggle Irish Dance Academy: A group of young dancers dressed in black took to the stage in a V-formation. Each dancer showcased their impressive competency in the fast-moving footwork Irish dance is known for, with Nick Miller giving a particularly dazzling performance with gazelle-like jumps, high kicks, quick turns, and flashes of choreography. Though clearly trained in the same technique, each dancer’s unique voice shone through the performance. (@triggleacademy)
Graceful Expressions, Tap & Musical Theatre: A group of teenage girls and boys outfitted in colonial-style costumes began a fun tap dance performance to music from Hamilton. Shortly after, they changed into jazz shoes to continue dancing to music from the famous musical in a variety of formations, all with great big smiles across their faces. (@gracefulexpressions)
Graceful Expressions, African Dance mini-class led by Willie Hinton: Willie Hinton asked audience members to both join him onstage and stand up on the lawn to learn the fundamentals of African dance. Accompanied by a live drummer, Willie showed each move and described the intrinsic connection between dancer and drummer that is characteristic of African dance. Most of the audience joined in the dancing, which consisted of claps, raised arms, and squats. Children laughed, parents danced, and one attendee’s Golden Retriever was keenly observing the mass of dancers moving to live music. (@gracefulexpressions)
AOCI – Oriental Culture Dance, Tai Chi Dance: Four women dressed in loose-fitting outfits of white and blue danced onstage to peaceful music. There was a clear dedication to the craft from the dancers, with each carefully placing their arms, legs, and eyes with every movement. This quiet performance was a welcome breath between a variety of upbeat performances. (@ping_peaceful_taichi)
Frankie Lee: NCMA’s artist in residence Frankie Lee of Flee Dance performed an enchanting four-minute solo. Lee’s tall stature and purity of movement captivated the audience: People stopped walking and talking to enjoy his contemporary dance solo, which seamlessly blended components of ballet, contemporary dance, and African dance. Lee’s dancing was more akin to sharing with the audience rather than performing for the audience. Occurring right at sunset, his performance beautifully ushered in the last few pieces of the evening. (@fleedance)
Tanu Sharma: Tanu Sharma took to the stage in a striking yellow and red Kathak costume and Ghungroo bells. With laser focus, she began a series of repeating phrases that were clearly tied to the music, a theme intrinsic to Kathak dance. As the choreography developed, she began moving across the stage with turns and pivots. The dance continued to evolve into increasingly intricate repositioning of the eyes, head, wrists, arms, torso, legs, and feet. Tanu’s clear competency in and passion for this ancient form of dance was a delight to witness. (@tanusharma0416)
Carolina Dance Theater: Cary’s only professional dance company took the stage in a bold performance of contemporary dance. Five women in casual, grunge-like outfits walked across the stage in intertwining circles. Throughout the piece, soloists, duets, and trios broke out into choreographed dance. The women leapt, kicked, and swung to the floor, with a few knowing smiles tossed amongst each other, almost as if the whole dance was a fun celebration of womanhood and forest-frolicking. (@carolinadancetheater)
Graceful Expressions, Adult Contemporary: Several audience members dressed in 1970s hippy attire suddenly rose and began walking onstage. A large group of perhaps 15 to 20 dancers sat onstage, with one woman stage left gleefully blowing bubbles. “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” played while the group both improvised and moved en masse with bold dancing directed towards the sky. Each dancer shone like bright sunlight off the stage and onto the audience! (@gracefulexpressions)
Triangle Dance 4 Life, Zumba: To finish out the evening, Triangle Dance 4 Life led an informal Zumba class with the remaining audience members on the lawn. It was a great way to get the blood pumping for the rest of the week (and to walk back to our cars)! (@triangledance4life)
Thank you, Graceful Expressions for this thoughtful, exciting evening of dance available to the public in a beautiful venue free of charge. The organizations and dancers who performed captured so many different aspects of the Triangle dance scene. ///
Photo credit: Emily Robison
Author: Emily Robison
Emily Robison is a dance choreographer, educator, performer, and advocate. She founded The Dance Resource in April 2026.
