HWS News
13 January 2026 Doug Varone and Dancers to Hold Three-Week Residency at HWS
Internationally acclaimed company brings performances, master classes and community outreach to Geneva and Rochester, Jan. 12–31.
The Department of Dance and Movement Studies at Hobart and William Smith is pleased to announce a three-week residency by the internationally acclaimed Doug Varone and Dancers (DOVA) from Jan. 12–31.
During their time in Geneva, the company will engage the campus and broader community through a series of master classes, workshops, lecture-demonstrations and performances, including a public performance on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Deming Dance Theatre in the Gearan Center for the Performing Arts. The company will also travel to Rochester to present workshops and performances at the University of Rochester.
Now celebrating its 40th anniversary season, Doug Varone and Dancers was founded in 1986 by artistic director and choreographer Doug Varone. As the company describes its mission, DOVA brings to life the creative vision of Varone and his collaborators through physically charged, emotionally resonant and musically driven choreography. The company has received 11 Bessie Awards and has performed in more than 125 cities across 45 U.S. states, as well as throughout Europe, Asia, Canada and South America, appearing on stages ranging from the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center to London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, Moscow’s Stanislavsky Theatre, Buenos Aires’ Teatro San Martin and the Venice Biennale.
Critics worldwide have praised Varone’s work for its emotional depth, athleticism and musicality. The New York Times has written that “Varone’s ability to convey depths of emotion through highly charged, physically exciting choreography has made him a rarity among his generation.”
Professor of Dance and Movement Studies Cynthia Williams, who has followed Varone’s career for decades, says the residency offers a rare opportunity for students and community members alike.
“Varone’s movement vocabulary is recognizably personal and simultaneously historic, reminding us of modern dance’s heroic past and the thrown-away look of contemporary ‘Downtown’ dance,” says Williams. “His choreography is intensely musical, deeply humanistic and kinetically extraordinary. He is truly a ‘best-kept secret’ of contemporary modern dance whose work inspires, uplifts and deeply touches audiences.”
In addition to the Jan. 24 performance, the company will offer master classes in technique, repertory and choreography for HWS students, as well as outreach programs for local schools, community organizations and libraries.
The residency is supported by a grant from New York State DanceForce, the Department of Dance and Movement Studies at HWS, and the company’s receipt of a New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) Upstate Residency Grant.
Event Schedule
In addition to private workshops at West Street School, Geneva Boys and Girls Club, St. Peter’s Arts Academy and HWS, the following events are open to the public.
Thursday, Jan. 15
Public Lecture-Demonstration: Choreographic Process
6–7 p.m., Geneva Public Library, 244 Main St., Geneva
Company members will perform intimate excerpts and discuss their creative process.
Thursday, Jan. 22
Technique/Repertory Master Class
2:50–4:50 p.m., Studio 104 or Deming Dance Theatre, HWS
(Contact Cynthia Williams to participate.)
Saturday, Jan. 24
Public Performance
7:30 p.m., Deming Dance Theatre, Gearan Center for the Performing Arts, HWS
(See poster/QR code for tickets.)
Sunday, Jan. 25
Devices Workshop for Rochester-Area Choreographers
11 a.m.–1 p.m., Spurrier Dance Studio, University of Rochester
(Currently full; contact Cynthia Williams for waitlist options.)
Friday, Jan. 30
“Stripped” Performance — NYS Dance Education Conference
7:30 p.m., Sloan Center for the Performing Arts, University of Rochester
(Ticketed public performance.)
Photo Credits: Group against dark background: Greg Kessler; Varone teaching with dancers in foreground: Matt Furman; Solo dancer and group jumping: Erin Baiano.
