Help bring Benjamin Akio Kimitch’s newest dance work Allegra to the stage, October 8-10.

I’m raising the final $5,000 with my community to support this final production stretch. Thank you for your generosity.

Allegra conjures a fantasy Japanese American court dance where history presses against memory, and memory against imagination. Ballet stages give way to temple grounds, barren foothills, army barracks, and the stench of empty horse stables. Allegra turns to Bugaku, an ancient dance form that became central to postwar U.S.-Japan relations and inspired George Balanchine’s own “Bugaku” ballet. These histories converge through a Japanese American lens anchored by the aftermath of the camps in World War II. Together, we bring these collective memories to life. Allegra has its world premiere at New York Live Arts, October 8-10, 2026.

Thank you for being part of this work.

~ Ben and the Allegra team

Director and Choreographer: Benjamin Akio Kimitch
Performers: Jessica Cook, Lai Yi Ohlsen, Glenn Potter-Takata, Nami Yamamoto
Costume Designer: Carlos Soto
Scenic Designer: Jian Jung
Lighting Designer: Serena Wong
Dramaturg: Jeffrey Gan
Gagaku Advisor: Fumiya Otonashi
Cultural Advisor and Mentor: Yasuko Yokoshi
Costume Supervisor: Victoria Bek
Associate Scenic Designer: Josh Oberlander
Producer: ShowShow (Jenni Bowman, Melissa Kievman, Jason Goodman, Janet Rucker)
Production Manager: Emily Duncan
Stage Manager: Taeuk Kang
Artistic Administrator: Hanna Yurfest

Questions about making a gift? We also accept gifts by check, ACH, and DAF.

Tickets on sale now: https://newyorklivearts.org/event/allegra/

Photo by Alexander Coggin

Build the world premiere of Allegra