![Male dancer carrying female in dramatic lift]({"full":{"0":"2025\/12\/IshidaBalance-PR-p15-SHORTERLITE.jpg","1":640,"2":464,"3":false,"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IshidaBalance-PR-p15-SHORTERLITE.jpg"}})
ISHIDA Dance Company announces RARA AVIS
By SA Tripi
Myles Lavallee and AllisonMcGuire/ISHIDA Amitava Sarkar
World premiere January 15 – 18, 2026 | TICKETS now ON SALE
Nationally acclaimed ISHIDA Dance Company is back.
Pulitzer prize-winning dance critic Sarah L Kaufman described Ishida’s work as “deeply poignant”
and “remarkable”.
“The dancers weaved pure magic in the air, and you could almost hear jaws dropping as they moved…” wrote Brett Cullum, Broadway World.
Rara avis , which means “rare bird” in Latin, is a highly physical, visually stunning, and emotionally resonant international program with critically acclaimed dancers and choreography. The world premiere of Rara Avis by ISHIDA follows a singer who struggles with imposter syndrome as she returns to the stage after taking a hiatus.
The program includes Mutual Comfort by world-renowned Romanian choreographer Edward Clug and a new dance theater work Let’s Not Talk About It, by award-winning British-Finnish choreographer Kristian Lever. The evening promises to be a unique opportunity to see some of the best and most interesting choreography from Europe and the U.S.
Rara Avis will play Houston January 15-18, 2026, presented by the Asia Society Texas Center—tickets on sale now at IshidaDance.org.
*VIP tickets include premium seating with access to a post-performance reception to meet the dancers and choreographers. On Sunday, everyone is invited to remain in their seats post-performance for a talkback with Artistic Director Brett Ishida and the dancers.
(“Rara avis” is funded in part by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance).
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![Contemporary dancer arching back in spotlight]({"jaw_blog-16_9-small":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/341-ISHIDA-DANCER-2-170x95.jpg","width":170,"filesize":15606},"jaw_blog-16_9-middle":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/341-ISHIDA-DANCER-2-270x152.jpg","width":270,"filesize":19970},"jaw_blog-16_9":{"file":"https:\/\/montrosestar.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/341-ISHIDA-DANCER-2-475x267.jpg","width":475,"filesize":36780}})
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