Trainor Dance

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"I love dance because of those rare exquisite moments when the movement feels as fine as it does in my dreams" Caitlin Trainor (Founder, Artistic Director)

About Caitlin Trainor:

Caitlin Trainor lives and dances in New York City. Originally from Rhode Island, Trainor holds degrees from Skidmore College (B.S. in Dance Performance and Choreography) and Mills College (M.F.A. in Dance Performance and Choreography). Caitlin is a member of the dance faculty at Barnard College/Columbia University and delights in sharing dance with students. Before founding Trainor Dance, Caitlin danced for the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, Sean Curran, Amy Marshall and others. She was assistant choreographer to Mr. Curran and site-specific choreographer Stephan Koplowitz, and has taught at Dance City (Newcastle, England), Montclair State University, American College Dance Festival, and Sarah Lawrence College. During her recent tenure in the U.K., Caitlin co-founded Fresh, an ongoing forum for the development, sharing and discussion of new work for regional dance artists and audiences, and presented The Magic Behind the Movement, a lecture/demonstration, in conjunction with Northumbria University and Darlington Arts Center. Trainor recently received a generous grant from New York Foundation of the Arts, and is grateful to Barnard College for ongoing production support.

09/01/2026

Like life
Kaitlyn Gilliland Caitlin Trainor
Photo Paul B Goode Dance
Rehearsal for “KaitlynCaitlin”

09/01/2026

✨Flashback to 2015–> behind the scenes at Ailey Citigroup Theater. ✨The moments of preparation before the stage are such a heightened time, each dancer having specific rituals and preparations that allow them to be superhuman on stage. “Faux Pas”, the piece for which Holt and Allegra are preparing here, is a flight of fancy, but the work is comprised of intricate, almost mathematical steps of supreme physicality. Holt’s skirt would become so drenched in sweat that he had special tricks to keep it floating on air during the piece. This photo by Paul B Goode Dance captures the focused anticipation of these beautiful dancers. Allegra Herman Holt Walborn

08/29/2026

Looking back at the New York Botanical Garden performance for the yayoikusama exhibit in 2021 with costumes that met the moment by David Quinn. It was later pandemic days and *joy* was all we craved. “Spring Fever” with 🎶 by Mozart.

08/22/2026

♥️🇿🇦✨”Fact or Fiction? South Africa” developed with and by the incredible students of Sumbandila in July 2026 for winter holiday school.
In “Fact or Fiction?” performers tell stories through language and movement, and the audience votes on the veracity of each using auction paddles. This time, the stories were those of the students, developed in a whirlwind week at with Caitlin Trainor and phenom dance assistant Betty Chando. The musical literacy of these youth was mind blowing 🤯 and being in a place where no one says “i don’t dance” equally so. Stories ranged from hilarious to heartwarming and their grooves just kept coming at the powerful Sumbandila last day.
Thank you to Sumbandila for making our 🌎 better, and for the opportunity to exchange ideas with your incredible students. 💛💛💛

Photos 2&5 by Barry Wong
Photo 3 Idaishe gifted the gorgeous South African flowers to Caitlin 💛
Photo 5 is Antoinette Quarshie, a longtime friend of the company who knows what deep support to artists means. She’s an educator, writer/author, and brilliant human.

06/16/2026

My teacher Mary Cochran told me to ‘seek off center!’ Only later did I realize the many layers of that idea, but apparently it sunk in.🕊️🪽
Caitlin Trainor in the studio Baryshnikov Arts captured by Paul B Goode

06/11/2026

Brooke and Hannah. Circle duet from “Digital Delulu” Baryshnikov Arts
I love when Paul B Goode captures the emotions that I sense under the surface in rehearsal but seldom actually see. The light changes and the moment vanishes but the dance echos on. Hannah Albin Brooke Moody 🤍 Caitlin Trainor

05/31/2026

A whirlwind week of sharing “Digital Delulu” and followed by a gazillion laughs with the cast. ✨May was magical✨ thanks to an incredible process residency
Now to wash costumes and take a 😴 nap.

05/20/2026

This cast is magical ⚡️⚡️So luscious! and all problem solving with no ego. Ok Gen Z, you got it ✨🙌🏼💛cuddlepuddle

05/06/2026

The synesthesia of dancers is so natural, reflected in the translation of physical to verbal reference points. In “Faux Pas” we had ‘ecstasy party’, ‘flowers blooming’,’escaping bird’, ‘babies’, ‘acid trip’, ‘African’ and ‘. Watch the piece and see if you can find them, or depart on your own flight of fancy into “Faux Pas”. ⁠
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Dancers: Emily Craver, Landes Dixon, Kaitlyn Gilliland, Allegra Herman, Emily Pacilio, Holt Walborn, A. Raheim White, Leslie ZiffMusic: Mozart Costumes: David Quinn Photos: Paul B. Goode, Lucas C, Paula Lobo, etc⁠
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05/06/2026

Like a dream, this piece is rife with non-linear imagery meant to dazzle the eye and awaken the imagination. In every rehearsal process, there is an interior language developed, often using metaphor to describe sections, moments or passages in a work.

Address

New York, NY

Website

http://www.trainordance.org/support

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