The 2026 edition of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels returns to New York with a program celebrating the profound legacy of Robert Rauschenberg. The festival highlights the artist’s enduring ties to the dance world and marks the Robert Rauschenberg Centenary, reaffirming his influence across visual and performing arts.
Trisha Brown Dance Company revives postmodern masterpieces
From February 26th to 28th, the Trisha Brown Dance Company will present Dancing with Bob: Rauschenberg, Brown & Cunningham Onstage at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). The program features two historic collaborations: Brown’s Set and Reset (1983), with music by Laurie Anderson, and Cunningham’s Travelogue (1977), featuring John Cage’s score Telephones and Birds, not performed professionally since 1979. Rauschenberg’s scenography—including the sculptural Elastic Carrier (Shiner), stage design, and silkscreened costumes—creates a visual and spatial dialogue between movement and visual art.
Celebrating the Robert Rauschenberg Centenary
This year’s performances are part of the ongoing Robert Rauschenberg Centenary, a global commemoration that began in 2025, elevating the artist’s profile for a new generation. Beyond his groundbreaking contributions to visual art, Rauschenberg’s work in theater and dance—both as a designer and performer—underscores the breadth of his creative vision.
Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels festival in New York
Running from February 19th to March 21st, 2026, the festival presents some 20 performances across multiple venues in New York. From Lyon Opera Ballet’s Merce Cunningham BIPED (1999) to Christos Papadopoulos’ Mycelium (2023), the festival blends choreographic heritage with contemporary innovation. Other highlights include Age of Content (2023) by (LA)HORDE, Lucinda Childs’ Early Works series at the Guggenheim Rotunda, and Benjamin Millepied’s Reflections: a triptych.
The festival also revisits Rauschenberg’s contributions with Set and Reset and Travelogue, celebrating his centennial. Additional performances include Alessandro Sciarroni’s Save the Last Dance for Me (2019), Robyn Orlin’s We wear our wheels with pride… (2021), and Jan Martens’ THE DOG DAYS ARE OVER 2.0, alongside works by Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, Nacera Belaza, Leïla Ka, Noé Soulier, Hervé Koubi, and Soa Ratsifandrihana. Workshops at the New York Center for Creativity & Dance further emphasize education and transmission, engaging new audiences with contemporary choreography.
Photography by CHARLES ATLAS, 1977. Courtesy of CHARLES ATLAS, MERCE CUNNINGHAM TRUST, and the JEROME ROBBINS DANCE DIVISION, The New York Public Library
