Summer 2026 Events in Santa Fe, NM

Groove Sunday: Let Your Body Move!

Sunday, July 19
10am - 11:30am
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Studios, 550 St Michaels Dr.
Ages 18 and above.
$15 at the door. No advance registration needed. First come, first served.

Join us for a dynamic movement experience for the Santa Fe community, designed for adults and young adults! Led by experienced teachers, this class focuses on the joy of movement, self-expression, and becoming more comfortable in your own body. Combining elements of dance class, fitness, and community movement, it's a democratized, joyful, and fun way to feel good and celebrate movement as medicine. Expect improvisation and interactive elements within an inclusive space, with a great soundtrack to guide your own movement. Taught by Zeitgeist Dance Theatre Co-Artistic Director Francisco Gella. 

Company Open Rehearsal / Q&A with ZDT Dancers

Thursday, July 23 from 4 - 5:30pm
New Mexico School for the Arts, Building 550, 500 Montezuma Ave.
Free Event Open to the Public

Get a behind-the-scenes look at Zeitgeist Dance Theatre’s creative process during this free company open rehearsal. Observe ZDT dancers as they rehearse, refine movement material, and collaborate with artistic staff while preparing new contemporary dance works for the company’s 2026 premiere concert on August 1 at The Lensic Performing Arts Center. This unique opportunity offers insight into how a professional dance production develops from the studio to the stage. Following the rehearsal, audience members are invited to participate in a Q&A with the dancers, where they can learn more about the creative process, the works in development, and the company’s artistic vision.

The Alchemy of Motion: A Global Convergence in the High Desert Choreographer’s Panel

Saturday, July 25 at 3:00pm
Zane Bennett Gallery / 435 S. Guadalupe Street
Moderated by Lilli Pierrepont, ArtStorming Podcast Host
Free Event Open to the Public

From across the Western Hemisphere — Brazil, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Chicago, and Albuquerque — bold choreographic voices are arriving in Santa Fe for a three-week creative residency.

The result is more than a performance at The Lensic. It is the emergence of a new global hub for contemporary dance, uniquely rooted in the vibrancy, landscape, and creative energy of the Desert Southwest.

ArtStorming host Lili Pierrepont sits down with Livona Ellis, Francisco Gella, Vladimir Conde Reche, Jessica Miller Tomlinson, and Madison Falconer to discuss the residency, the 75 artists involved, and how The Alchemy of Motion is helping position Santa Fe as one of the newest centers of the dance universe.

An Evening of Contemporary Dance

Saturday, August 1 at 7:30pm
The Lensic Performing Arts Center

Reserved seating tickets on sale here

Regular: $85 / $65 / $45
Student: $70 / $50 / $30

*Student ticket eligibility is limited to individuals currently enrolled in K–12 schools or postsecondary colleges and universities.

Zeitgeist Dance Theatre’s 2026 premiere concert marks the culmination of the company’s fifth summer season and an ambitious three-week residency rooted in creation, collaboration, and artistic exchange. Under the leadership of award-winning Artistic Director Francisco Gella, ZDT has established itself as an electrifying, world-class contemporary dance company with its home in New Mexico and a reach that extends globally.

This year’s production includes more than 75 diverse artists and features six contemporary dance works by Livona Ellis (Vancouver, BC), Francisco Gella (Santa Fe), Vladimir Conde Reche (Brazil/Albuquerque), Jessica Miller Tomlinson (Chicago), and Madison Falconer (Los Angeles/Traverse City, MI), brought to life by a dynamic cast of dancers from across New Mexico and around the world. Together, these artists reflect ZDT’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and establishing New Mexico as a vital, welcoming gathering place for contemporary dance.

Rooted in the spirit, landscape, and creative energy of the Desert Southwest, while shaped by diverse national and international perspectives, this concert offers an evening of powerful new work that is both locally grounded and globally resonant. The result is a vibrant celebration of artistry, connection, culture, and the impact of Zeitgeist Dance Theatre’s creative vision.

Summer 2025

New Century Dance Project

(NCDP) Festival Concerts

Based in Northern New Mexico and presented by Zeitgeist Dance Theatre (ZDT), New Century Dance Project unites dance artists across diverse genres, offering a unique laboratory for artistic development. Every summer, nearly 100 pre-professional and emerging professional performing artists, and professional artist-educators descend on Santa Fe for concerts, classes, workshops, and activities focused on performance and choreography, guided by world-renowned teaching artists.

Once again, we are excited to present ZDT’s fourth summer season in Santa Fe at NCDP

FREE Contemporary Dance Class with Zeitgeist
Saturday, July 19 | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
University of New Mexico – Carlisle Gym, Central Campus
No advance registration necessary.

Led by Zeitgeist Artistic Director Francisco Gella, with support from company dancers, this class offers a fun, engaging and inspiring Contemporary experience for dancers ages 14 through adult -intermediate to advanced levels — and the class is completely free! This is an opportunity for your dancers to build on their technique and gain insights from leading industry professionals, while becoming a part of a larger artistic community.

Preview of ZDT's 'Lineage' Concert
Saturday, July 26
7pm - 8pm
Railyard Performance Center, 1611 Paseo De Peralta, Santa Fe
RSVP for FREE Seat
Supported by Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department
*Offered as part of the 2025 New Century Dance Project Festival

ZDT is excited to present an exhilarating evening that will provide a glimpse into our full company evening length work created by Artistic Directors Francisco Gella and Yusha-Marie Sorzano which will be presented on August 2 in Albuquerque at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. 'Lineage', the evening’s centerpiece work on August 2, honors Santa Fe’s 20th year as a UNESCO Creative City, paying tribute to New Mexico’s rich heritage through the story and work of contemporary artist Emily Trujillo and her Chimayo weaving roots. This evening's presentation in Santa Fe will include short samples of the work that is being created, a facilitated dialogue with weavers Irwin, Lisa, and Emily Trujillo, and an opportunity to meet the Zeitgeist Dance Theatre Co-Artistic Directors and company members!

Groove Sunday: Let Your Body Move!
Sunday, July 27
10am - 11:30am
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Studios, 550 St Michaels Dr., Santa Fe
Ages 18 and above.
$15 at the door. No advance registration needed. First come, first served.

Join us for a dynamic movement experience for the Santa Fe community, designed for adults and young adults! Led by experienced teachers, this class focuses on the joy of movement, self-expression, and becoming more comfortable in your own body. Combining elements of dance class, fitness, and community movement, it's a democratized, joyful, and fun way to feel good and celebrate movement as medicine. Expect improvisation and interactive elements within an inclusive space, with a great soundtrack to guide your own movement. Taught by Zeitgeist Dance Theatre Co-Artistic Director Francisco Gella.


'Lineage' World Premiere Concert
Saturday, August 2
7pm - 8:30pm
National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th St SW, Albuquerque
Get your Reserved Seat Tickets
$29, $39 & $49 Regular / $19, $29 & $39 for Seniors & Students

Join Santa Fe’s own Zeitgeist Dance Theatre — one of New Mexico’s most compelling companies — and the New Century Dance Project Ensemble for one electrifying evening of world-class contemporary dance. Five original works by acclaimed choreographers Francisco Gella, Yusha-Marie Sorzano, Noelle Kayser, Joshua Whitehead, and Rhaine Marquardt come to life with over 70 exceptional dancers from around the world commanding the stage. The evening’s centerpiece honors Santa Fe’s 20th year as a UNESCO Creative City, paying tribute to New Mexico’s rich heritage through the story and work of contemporary artist Emily Trujillo and her Chimayo weaving roots. "Lineage' features an original musical score from composer Ryan Bridwell.

Partially funded by the Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department and supported by Ramos Danza

About ZDT’s Involvement in the UNESCO 20th Anniversary Creative Cities Celebration

Zeitgeist Dance Theatre Co-Artistic Directors Francisco Gella and Yusha Marie-Sorzano will co-create a full-length work for as part of Santa Fe’s 20th Anniversary Celebration of its designation as one of UNESCO’s Global Creative Cities.  The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations with the aim of promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. 

The year-long anniversary celebration in 2025 is presented by the Santa Fe Office of Arts and Culture Department. This important commemoration in the artistic life of the city honors centuries of thriving artistry and craft and its resulting designation in the UNESCO Creative Cities ‘Crafts and Folk Art’ category. Santa Fe is the first US city to receive this prestigious international designation. 

Zeitgeist Dance Theatre’s performance on August 2 will pay tribute to New Mexico’s rich heritage as an Arts and Crafts center inspired by the artistic process and work of contemporary weaver and artist Emily Trujillo, a descendent of eight-generations of Trujillo family weavers.

“With ‘Lineage,’ we are delving into the deeply rooted artistic tradition of weaving through the visionary, forward-looking work of New Mexico artist Emily Trujillo. In our creative process, we’ve uncovered striking parallels between weaving, choreography, and dance. While weaving creates something permanent and tangible, dance exists in a fleeting, ephemeral moment—yet both are rich in rhythm, pattern, mathematics, and design. Each form tells stories, whether narrative or abstract, that speak to the human experience. Through this work, we’re exploring how these traditions—so soulful and spirit-driven—can inspire new, experimental expressions that honor the past while shaping the future.”

- Francisco Gella, Co-Artistic Director, Zeitgeist Dance Theatre

Project Archive

2020/21 marked the inaugural season of Zeitgeist Dance Theatre (ZDT). Despite a devastating pandemic, ZDT's leadership took a bold step to launch while dancers were scattered across the United States - having never come together in person as a company. It wasn’t what we had planned for or what we expected.

We anticipated the company of eight would come together for a residency in Santa Fe, New Mexico - getting to know each other as a company, taking company classes together, and learning new work. Running parallel to the company would be our fifteen-member trainee program. All twenty-three dancers would then travel together to the New Century Dance Project Festival in Salt Lake City culminating in a world-premiere performance at the end of that week. When it was clear that we could not meet in person, we shifted gears.

What came out of this unpredictable and ambiguous moment in history, was a gift. While our fifteen Trainees met separately over six weeks this summer, the professional company was in virtual residence, beginning each day with company class, then engaged in dialogue and movement research to respond to systemic racial justice protests initiated by the death of George Floyd. The result was a powerful dance on film featuring the stories of two Black company members and the very personal reflections of their fellow company members.

The translation for the German word "zeitgeist' is - ‘the sign of the times’. As ZDT began their work together in the summer of 2020, what could have been more appropriate at the time for this new company than to discuss racism in America amidst the Black Lives Matter protests happening nationwide and worldwide after the tragic murder of George Floyd?

Co-Artistic Director Yusha-Marie Sorzano took the lead in facilitating discussions over Zoom sessions. Company members were asked to take a hard look at themselves, delving into their viewpoints regarding race and its societal stigmas. Yusha brought important insights about the black experience in America, facts not learned in school or found in most of our country's history books. The resulting conversations were intense, emotional, invigorating, and eye-opening. From days and weeks of difficult dialogue came the powerful stories of each dancer's personal experience with race in America - told through their lens and their struggles.

Each dancer wrote their own story. Through guided improvisation, each artist created a phrase that communicated what they felt as they read their own essay. Following, every company member chose several different locations in an area close to home to film their movement sequences. The film footage was shot with their smartphones with the assistance of the dancer's colleagues.

Throughout the artistic process, the script kept evolving. As our brilliant and patient editor, Serge Dorsainvil, worked with the many materials generated to create the film, he began to assemble a work that was not only a powerful story on systemic racial injustice in and of itself, but a piece of moving art demonstrative of the life energy of Zeitgeist Dance Theatre, and a parable worthy of our talented dancers’ prodigious empathy and vulnerability.

We hope that after you view our film, you’ll be willing to look deeply within yourself and understand the experiences of others with patience, understanding, empathy, and compassion. It’s truly the only way forward - the only means to bridge the divides between us and to build a shared, beloved community.

Summer 2020 - The Vulnerability Project (with Zeitgeist Trainees)