Mobballet

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The MoBBallet is a digital hub for information about the history of contributions to ballet by Black

10/11/2026

Since its 2012 launch, the New York City Ballet Fall Fashion Gala has stood at the dazzling intersection of couture design and contemporary choreography. Spanning 13 years across 14 seasons (accounting for the 2020 dark year), the initiative has generated 38 world premieres from 23 unique choreographers.

In "NYCB Fall Fashion Gala: Statement Pieces, or Fast Fashion of Dance?", MoBBallet founder Theresa Ruth Howard () dissects master data to examine not just demographic representation and pipeline impact, but the delicate tension between high fashion and movement. She unpacks the complex parameters choreographers face—balancing costume design constraints, restricted movement parameters, and elevated spectacle—to ask whether these works are built to withstand time or designed for single-season flair.

Does this high-profile platform yield enduring repertoire or ephemeral spectacles?

🔗 Read the full essay now at mobballet.org /
https://bit.ly/ODJFASHIONNYCB
link in bio.

10/09/2026

“Does the reaction say more about the piece, or about me?” 💭✨

In the latest piece for The Oasis Dance Journal, writers Hallie Chametzky () and Benji Hart () examine the difference between reactionary writing and true responsiveness in dance criticism.

Born out of conversations at the 2026 Dancing Lab: MoBBallet Writing Workshop (), Chametzky and Hart connect their practices as dance writers to their work as organizers, asking how slowing down, self-reflecting, and naming our analytical “lenses” can transform how we witness performance and engage with the world.

📖 Read the full conversation now at https://bit.ly/ODJconvo
Read on mobballet.org

OverReactivity

10/06/2026

To anchor this next chapter, we have introduced our Standards for Responsible Dance Writing: A Framework for Ethical Practice and Service to the Field. This is more than just guidelines—it’s our vow to honor the dance ecosystem through Role & Purpose, Responsibility & Ethics, and The Practice of Critique. Swipe to see the framework that will guide everything we write! ➡️

To celebrate our return, we have officially published our first two pieces for October 2026, and you won’t want to miss them:

🏙️ "Buildings Hold the Echoes, People Hold the Memory: Honoring The Human Ecosystem of the Kennedy Center" by Theresa Ruth Howard ()

An essential look at the unseen, human heartbeat that keeps one of our most iconic cultural institutions alive.

🖖 "The Prime Directive of Dance Writing: A Star Trek Model for the Dance Ecosystem" by Rachel Benzing ()

A brilliantly unique, "geeky" perspective comparing the boundaries of dance critique to Star Trek's most famous rule of non-interference. Sci-fi meets dance writing in the best way possible!

We are back, inspired, and dedicated to elevating the voices and stories that shape the dance world. Read the full Standards and our debut October articles aon mobballet.org✨

10/05/2026

In the October issue of The Oasis Dance Journal (ODJ), writer Rachel Benzing ()—a participant in the MoBBallet Dance Writer Workshop at —shares her key takeaways in a refreshingly unique way.

One of the workshop’s anchoring topics was acknowledging your lens as a writer, which is shaped by your social identity and directly informs how you experience, perceive, and interpret the world—including the dance you watch. We also explored the power of finding the right angle: sometimes it’s not just what you write about, but how you write about it that makes a piece engaging, informative, and readable.

When Rachel pitched a reflection piece drawing correlations between our workshop discussions and the Star Trek Prime Directive, I was geeked! First, because I’m a Trekkie, and second, because I never would have thought of it! Her angle cleverly bridges two seemingly disparate fan bases—and it’s a GREAT read.

Check it out via the link in our bio! or visit mobballet.org

10/02/2026

The October issue of The Oasis Dance Journal kicks off with “Buildings Hold the Echoes, People Hold the Memory: Honoring The Human Ecosystem of the Kennedy Center” by Editor-in-Chief Theresa Ruth Howard.

So much has been said about the impact the closure has had on the artists and the art—which is a profound loss—but seldom do we turn our focus to the people who are the stewards of the institution. Howard draws from her personal experience to honor the everyday custodians of legacy, livelihood, and institutional knowledge: the heroes behind the curtain.

📖 Read the full piece at https://bit.ly/ODJKCpeople
or visit mobballet.org

09/16/2026

What does a healthy, generative relationship between dance artists and critics look like today?

As we prepare for the relaunch of the Oasis Dance Journal, writer Lauren Wingenroth is working on a story exploring the dynamic between artists and the writers who cover them—and we want to hear directly from you.

Whether you’re on stage, in the studio, or writing in the audience, your voice is essential to shaping a more reflective, accountable, and supportive dance ecology.

🔗 Fill out our short survey: https://bit.ly/ArtistCriticSurvey

09/10/2026

On the Youth America Grand Prix controversy

09/09/2026

In response to the article about experience with white body make up

09/01/2026

THE OASIS DANCE JOURNAL RETURNS!!

In June 2024, as MoBBallet’s Pathways to Performance premiered at the Kennedy Center, we hosted our first Dance Writers Workshop: Examining the Role, Responsibilities, and Relevance in the Evolving Ecosystem of the Field, supported by .

This gathering marked the first phase in developing new criteria and standards for dance writing that reflect where the field is today. It was there that the concept for The Oasis Dance Journal: A Home for Conscious Critique and Ethical Commentary was born.

In July 2026, MoBBallet collaborated with to host eight dance writers and editors for the second iteration of this vital work. Coming out of that residency, MoBBallet Founder Theresa Ruth Howard curated the Standards for Responsible Dance Writing: A Framework for Ethical Practice and Service to the Field.

Today, we are proud to relaunch The Oasis Dance Journal with our inaugural issue, introducing the ethical standards that will guide and define our work.

To read the full statement visit MoBBallet.org
or https://bit.ly/OASIS126

2024 Dancing Lab: MoBBallet Writing Workshop:
, , Chametzky,
, , .s._

Address

12 Highland St
Natick, MA
01760

Website

http://www.mobballet.org/

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