Virtual Salon Performance Series for Social Change

Mark DeGarmo Dance (MDD) broadcasts the second salon of its sixteenth annual Virtual Salon Performance Series for Social Change (VSPS) 2026, exploring the theme Dance & Social Change. The event will take place on Thursday, March 5, 2026 at 7pm EST via a Live Online Interactive Zoom Broadcast. *

MDD’s Thursday, March 5 salon is a unique evening of original movement and dance performance works-in-process with facilitated audience reflection. Curator and facilitator Mark DeGarmo shares, “VSPS is an opportunity to view and contribute to works-in-process of under-recognized dance and movement artists that break, cross, or don’t recognize boundaries; stir up the mix; and face global issues across cultures, countries,d and continents.” The March 5 salon features Audrey Baran (NC), Nick Daniels (PA), Marianna Koytsan (NYC), and (Otredanza compañia artística LGBTI de Medellín) Alexis Restrepo (Antioquia, Colombia). The artists will present a range of works-in-process exploring the VSPS 2026 theme dance and social change. Audrey Baran focuses on mass and school shootings and the call to action against preventable violence. Nick Daniels explores technology’s impact on communication, civility, and memory. Marianna Koytsan reflects on community interconnectedness, solidarity, and resilience. Alexis Restrepo reimagines Colombian folkloric dance through queer and experimental aesthetics, addressing vulnerability, resilience, and social transformation.

About MDD’s March VSPS Artists:

Audrey Baran is a Charlotte, NC-based dance artist and Artistic/Executive Director of Baran Dance. She holds an MFA in Dance from Hollins University and a BA in Dance with a Graduate Certificate in Anti-Racism in Urban Education from UNC Charlotte. Her work has been featured with Joffrey Ballet’s Winning Works (2022) and Charlotte Ballet’s Innovative: Direct from the LAB. A 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher and MUNZ FLOOR® coach, she centers movement and mindfulness across diverse bodies.

Nick M. Daniels is a celebrated Pittsburgh, PA-based choreographer, multimedia artist, and the founding Artistic Director of The D.A.N.A. Movement Ensemble (Dancers Against Normal Actions), a company he launched in 1991 to confront and challenge societal norms through movement. A graduate of Slippery Rock University with a BFA in Dance, Daniels has been celebrated as a Pittsburgh Cultural Treasure and recognized as a pioneer in exploring themes of race, sexuality, and identity in performance.

Marianna Koytsan is a New York City–based street-style and contemporary dancer originally from Russia, who has been performing locally since 2012. Her work has been featured at iconic venues including City Center, Barnard College, LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Little Island, and Dance Parade NYC. She is a founding member of Neta-Kinetics, a dynamic dance company. The company builds intensely physical, character-driven worlds that weave together the diverse movement backgrounds of its artists.

Founded in Medellín in 2010, Otredanza Compañía Artística LGBTI (Antioquia, Colombia) blends Colombian folkloric dance with experimental and queer performance to celebrate diversity and foster social change. With works like ¡Vihva la Vihda!, Tránsitos, Marik Folclórik, and Mi Vida es un Torbellino, the company has toured Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Ecuador. As the first LGBTI company to join Medellín’s iconic Flower Parade, Otredanza marks 15 years of resilience, innovation, and cultural activism.

Tickets on Eventbrite: By donation; if it is impossible for your economic situation, contact us at least 24 hours in advance: info@markdegarmodance.org with the reason for your request so you can join us.
Suggested donations: Salsa – $10; Step – $15; Break – $20; Improv – $50; Aerial – $100

• Zoom Link will be sent to attendees by 5:00 PM ET the day of the performance from info@markdegarmodance.org. If a donation for tickets is made after that time, the MDD staff will send the link via email as soon as possible. Contact info@markdegarmodance to communicate regarding ticket status.