Officials with the nonprofit Houston Contemporary Dance Company have announced performances for the group's 2023-24 season, which will kick off with a gala event Sept. 30. With a home base on Houston Avenue near the Heights, the dance company was founded by trained dancer and instructor Marlana Doyle as a way to bring professional acts and artists to the Bayou City.

The upcoming season will feature the following shows, according to an Aug. 16 news release:
  • Oct. 14: “Silver Celebration!” will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, 800 Bagby St., Houston. This concert will present a world premiere by Norbert De La Cruz III. It will also include “Sock Hop Sonata” by Dallas-based artist McKinley Willis; “American Land” by Japanese American artist Yoshito Sakaraba; “Porcelain” by Joshau Manuculich; a solo performance by Sean Carmon; and the Houston debut of Whirlwind, a new dance company launched by Manchulich.
  • Feb. 9-10: The HCDC will present “The House” at the historical landmark Heights Ironworks, 201 W. 15th St., Houston. This show will combine dance, storytelling and historical reimagining to bring together the stories of Houston native Barbara Jordan and the author Harper Lee. The show will be crafted and choreographed by former Houston Ballet soloist Nao Kusuzaki.
  • April 20: “Electrostatic Attraction” will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Hobby Center. This show will feature a world premiere by Jack Wolff and a new solo created by Andrea Dawn Shelley. The HCDC will also present several works from the company's previous four seasons, including “Intersections” by Joe Celej and “Let my Hair Down” by Robbie Moore in collaboration with Say Girl Say playing live.
Officials will also host a gala event Sept. 30 to celebrate the start of the new season. The event will take place from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Institute of Contemporary Dance, which Doyle also founded, at 1302 Houston Ave., Ste. 300, Houston.

The gala will honor Judy Nyquist, who has supported and advocated for the work of the HCDC, according to the release. It will feature cocktails, dinner provided by Navy Blue, a performance by Say Girl Say with the HCDC, and a meet and greet with the company’s dancers.