Dance theater that brings Houston together
World premiere dance theater for audiences of every age and background, made in Houston and shared with the whole city. Come to the theater. Bring someone.
“Hands down the most polished and potent dance theater to come out of Houston in the last ten years.”
Nancy Wozny, Arts & Culture TX“For reminding us that art is essential, not a luxury, to maintaining our humanity.”Molly Glentzer, The Houston Chronicle
“Houston’s source for truly innovative immersive dance.”Tarra Gaines, CultureMap
“Some of the most unique, audience intensive and truly theatrical productions dance lovers can experience in Texas and perhaps the nation.”Arts & Culture TX
Named a “25 to Watch” by Dance Magazine. Our 2027 world premiere Ghost Ship headlines Dance Magazine’s “Must See Shows of 2026–27.”
Find your night
From a free evening under the stars to an immersive world premiere aboard a WWII aircraft carrier. Dance theater you can follow, feel, and bring the whole family to.
SHORTcuts
An evening of world premiere dance theater “shorts” by company members and Houston-based guest artists. Includes a pay-what-you-can performance.
Buy tickets →A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Aerial silks, acrobatics, and clever choreography under the stars. Delights children and grown-ups alike. Free.
Event details →The Not-So-Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm
Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and more collide in a dance theater show for all ages. Tickets coming soon.
Learn more →Ghost Ship
An immersive wartime romance aboard the USS Intrepid. World premiere. Tickets coming soon. Join our book club to read along.
Read along →Performance with an open door
Open Dance Project makes critically acclaimed dance theater and works to make it accessible to everyone.
Engagement
Original, audience-centered dance theater, from intimate black-box premieres to free outdoor performances, created by a 12-person ensemble of Houston artists.
See the seasonAccess
ASL, audio description, sensory-friendly shows, touch tours, captioning, pay-what-you-can seats, and free weekly adaptive dance theater classes. Every body belongs here.
Access servicesLearning
Performances in schools plus more than 3,820 hours of classes, workshops and residencies last season. For thousands of children, ours is their first live theater.
Arts in schoolsHands go up wherever we perform
In school gyms, cafeterias and theaters wherever we tour, students and teachers gather for our productions. In September 2025, 6,518 students and teachers from 10 districts filled The Hobby Center for The Wizard of Oz.
When students are asked to raise their hands if this is their first time seeing a live performance in a theater, hands go up in every room at every show.
Be part of the story
Ticket sales cover only part of what it takes to put a world premiere on stage and a free performance or workshop in front of a child. Your gift keeps the doors open, the ensemble working, and the seats full.
Open Dance Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Many employers match gifts.
All photography by Lynn Lane.