CHOP SHOP was founded in 2008 on a mission to offer insight on contemporary dance and its creative process, forging deeper connections between artists and audiences through presentation, education, dialogue, and experience. The festival promotes work accessible to a diverse audience - comprising both new and experienced dance viewers - and provides free, fun, and open to all ages and abilities dance classes through our innovative Experience Dance Program.

Since its founding in 2008, CHOP SHOP has shared and championed the work of 410+ individual artists from 76 dance companies, welcomed over 1,000 Experience Dance Program participants to free and open to all ages and abilities dance classes, and invited numerous dance students to engage directly with professional artists in more than 70 master classes.

Past Festival Artists.

2020

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work will hold its 13th annual contemporary dance festival February 15 & 16, 2020 at Meydenbauer Center Theatre! This video features out...

2019

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work will hold its 12th annual festival February 16 & 17, 2019 at Meydenbauer Center Theatre! Featuring outstanding performances by Lauren Horn/Subira vs. Movement, Javier Padilla & The Movement Playground, Julie Crothers, Lydia Relle, Julia Antinozzi, Natalya Shoaf, The Stone Dance Collective, and Margot Gelber, the festival also offers master classes for intermediate/advanced level dancers and free intro-level dance classes and lectures through the Experience Dance Program.

2018

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work's 11th annual celebration of contemporary dance was held February 17 & 18, 2018, presenting outstanding work by leading dance creators from Seattle and beyond.

2017

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work presented its 10th anniversary festival in 2017, featuring work by New Zealand School of Dance/Christina Chan, MOVETHECOMPANY/Joshua Beamish, Anatomiae Occultii/Adam Barruch, The Stone Dance Collective/Eva Stone, Bryn Cohn + Artists/Bryn Cohn, Project20/Donald Sales, The Foundry/Alex Ketley, and Mark Haim.

2016

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work ninth annual festival performances were held February 13 & 14, 2016 at The Theatre at Meydenbauer. CHOP SHOP is an annual contemporary dance festival focused on presenting creative dance work accessible to both new and seasoned audiences.

2015

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work held its 8th annual festival on February 14 & 15, 2015 at The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center. The 2015 festival featured performances by The Foundry/Alex Ketley, Alana O Rogers Dance Company, Asher Lev, Coriolis Dance, Gabrielle Revlock, Jamie Karlovich, Lindsey Matheis, The Stone Dance Collective, and Project20.

2014

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work's 7th annual festival was held in 2014 at The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center. The 2014 festival featured performances by Spectrum Dance Theater, Grand Rapids Ballet, Adam Barruch, Gerard Regot, The Stone Dance Collective, Bryn Cohn + Artists, Pocket INC, Price Suddarth, Anna Conner +CO, and Ballet Arkansas.

2013

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work's 6th annual festival was held on February 16th & 17th, 2013 at The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center. The 2013 festival featured performances by Spectrum Dance Theater, Kiyon Gaines, Heather Dotto, The Stone Dance Collective, Mid-Columbia Ballet, Shayla Bott & Company, Andrew Bartee, Vincent Michael Lopez, Bennyroyce Royon, and MOVETHECOMPANY/Joshua Beamish.

2012

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work held its 5th annual festival on February 11 & 12, 2012. The 2012 festival featured performances by Spectrum Dance Theater, Adam Barruch Dance, Northwest Dance Project, The Stone Dance Collective, SANDSTROMMOVEMENT, MOVETHECOMPANY/Joshua Beamish, Jason Ohlberg, Khambatta Dance Company, Penny Hutchinson, and Bellingham Repertory Dance.

2011

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work held its 4th annual festival on February 12 & 13, 2011. The 2011 festival featured performances by Spectrum Dance Theater, Zoe Scofield, Bellingham Repertory Dance, Tonya Lockyer, The Stone Dance Collective, Wade Madsen, SD/Prism Dance Theatre, The Sho, Catherine Cabeen and Company, and Quark Contemporary Dance Theatre.

2010

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work held its 3rd annual festival on February 13 & 14, 2010 at The Theatre at Meydenbauer. The 2010 festival featured performances by Sp...

2009

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work's 2nd annual festival was held February 7 & 8, 2009 at The Theatre at Meydenbauer Center. The 2009 festival featured performances by Spectrum Dance Theater, Wade Madsen, The Stone Dance Collective, Mark Haim, Seattle Dance Project, Olivier Wevers, Khambatta Dance Company, and Coriolis Dance Collective.

2008

CHOP SHOP: Bodies of Work, a contemporary dance festival, celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2017, presenting a program that brought together audience favorite artists from the festival's history. This video highlights some of our favorite work from the festival's first decade, with choreography by Adam Barruch, Bryn Cohn, Donald Sales, and Alex Ketley.

Banner Photo: Bryn Cohn + Artists performing Bryn Cohn’s If you sink at CHOP SHOP 2014, photo by Rex Tranter.