Almost every spring since 1989, Fort Wayne Dance Collective brings a guest dance/drumming company to Fort Wayne to inspire, educate, enhance the community, and of course entertain. FWDC has also hosted four Indiana Dance Festivals featuring guest artist performances and master classes. In recent years, FWDC has collaborated with the Embassy Theatre to present the annual spring guest artist residency.
In addition to spring guest artist residencies, FWDC occasionally welcomes guest artists for the annual Halloween Show and various other events. These have included members of Jacmel Arts Center (2021), Calpulli Mexican Dance Company (2022), and the Japanese Folk Dance Institute of New York (2023).
Here is a full list of the amazing spring guest artists FWDC has hosted in Fort Wayne!
- 1989: The Dance Brigade
- 1991: Urban Bush Women
- 1992: Katari Taiko
- 1993: Historias by Merian Soto and Pepon Osorio
- 1994: Pilobolus and In the Heart of the Beast
- 1995: Second Hand Dance Company
- 1996: Joe Goode Performance Group
- 1997: Katari Taiko
- 1998: Garth Fagan
- 1999: 20th Anniversary Concert
- 2000: F’loom
- 2001: Pilobolus
- 2002: Mason/Rhynes Production “The Story of Sally Hemings”
- 2003: Trisha Brown Dance Company
- 2004: 25th Anniversary Concert with guests F’loom
- 2005: Rennie Harris PureMovement
- 2006: Indiana Dance Festival with Debra Knapp
- 2007: Indiana Dance Festival with Urban Bush Women
- 2008: Black Grace
- 2009: Joe Goode Performance Group
- 2010: Taikoproject
- 2011: Indiana Dance Festival with Hubbard Street 2
- 2012: Rubberbandance Company
- 2013: Keigwin and Company
- 2014: Gallim
- 2015: Dayton Contemporary Dance Company
- 2016: Axis Dance Company
- 2017: Battery Dance Company
- 2018: Diavolo
- 2019: Indiana Dance Festival with Brett Conway
- 2020: MOMIX (postponed due to COVID-19)
- 2022: Complexions Contemporary Ballet
- 2023: Chloé Arnold’s Syncopated Ladies
- 2024: Ailey II