Fifty-two dancers from over 20 countries — what a difference five years makes.
In November 2020, when Men Who Dance made its premiere, the all-male dance extravaganza featured only 15 performers.
Men Who Dance returns to South Florida this coming weekend, with its continuing mission to challenge stereotypes about male dancers.
READ MORE: New York-based choreographer brings her 'talking-dancing' style to Miami City Ballet
Artistic Director Rafi Maldonado-Lopez says maintaining its international character was difficult this year.
"Our biggest challenge has been getting visas approved. A lot of the dancers and artists are getting their visas postponed or even denied," he says.
So Maldonado-Lopez scoured the United States for dance talent. The result, he says, will probably be the most diverse edition of Men Who Dance yet.
"It really covers what the true American landscape is and I'm really thrilled about that," he says.
Some of South Florida’s leading dance companies return to the festival this year. They include Miami City Ballet, Dance NOW! Miami, Cuban Classical Ballet, Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami, RTW Dance, Arts Ballet Theatre, New Canon Chamber Collective and Syncopate Dance Collective.
In addition, the festival will welcome five new companies: Jon Lehrer Dance Company (New York City), Tropilla Malambo (Buenos Aires), Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theatre (Chicago), C.A.M. Dance Company (Davie, FL) and Indigenous Enterprise (Arizona) — the first Native American company to appear in Men Who Dance.
IF YOU GO
What: Men Who Dance Festival 2025
Where: Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Amaturo Theater, 201 SW 5th Ave., Fort Lauderdale.
When: 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 29 and 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 30
More information here.
