Join the OFA Dance Program for an informal showing of three works-in-process by 2026 choreographers of Boston-based dance organization MIDDAY Movement Series Rough Drafts program: Mira Göksel, Simon Montalvo, and Aiden Marshall.

These new dance works span investigations into Black Futures; solidarity-building through collective power; and an ode to to the ongoing revolutionary acts done by journalists, protestors, and artists alike in Türkiye, fighting for autonomy.

A conversation with the artists will immediately follow the showings.

See the final works presented on stage at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston (ICA/Boston) on October 23, 2026. A limited amount of tickets for Harvard undergraduates who attend the Open Studios will be offered.

About MIDDAY Movement Series and Rough Drafts
MIDDAY Movement Series is a BIPOC-led grassroots initiative cultivating a new, diverse generation of dance leaders through professional development, mentorship, and advocacy. By providing focused support to emerging contemporary dance teachers, MIDDAY is creating a leadership pipeline, improving talent retention, and increasing workforce readiness in Metro Boston.

Rough Drafts, a program of MIDDAY Movement Series, is a choreographic lab and teaching residency that supports three emerging Boston-based artists working in contemporary dance. Rough Drafts supports three artists per cycle in a three-pronged approach: 1) a teaching residency, where artists receive pedagogical support through seven company-class style workshops; 2) an informal studio work-in-progress showing; 3) a fully produced work-in-progress showcase.

Artist Bios
Simon Montalvo (they/them) is an interdisciplinary movement artist, researcher, and collector of stories born on the land once nurtured by the Coahuiltecan and Karankawan peoples. Simon’s choreographic works investigate bounding athleticism, nourishing emotional offerings, and sobering truths laid against abstracted realities.

Mira Göksel (they/them) is an Interdisciplinary Movement Artist from Izmir, TR, currently existing on the land of the Massachusett and Pawtucket Peoples, colonially referred to as Boston, MA. Their work is an ode through movement and song to the ongoing revolutionary acts done by journalists, protestors, and artists alike in Türkiye, fighting for autonomy.

Aiden Marshall (he/him) is a dancer, choreographer, and educator based in Boston, MA. Marshall’s choreography is inspired by West African and Afro-diasporic techniques and aesthetics, and their influences in Western concert dance. His movement research extends into portraying Black American experiences, sharing queer narratives, and using somatic-based practices for collective healing and liberation.

The OFA Dance Program hosts and supports professional dance artists at various stages of their creative process. Open Studios are an invitation for students and community members to be in the room during open rehearsals, sharings of works-in-process, and research sessions. It’s an opportunity to both participate in and witness the creative process, while learning more about current dancemakers.

RSVP
Free and open to the public! Limited capacity, please register. For Non-Harvard affiliates, please follow the instructions to claim your Harvard Guest credentials.

Accessibility
Harvard Dance Center is accessible for wheelchairs and mobility devices. Assisted listening devices may be requested. If you have questions regarding accessibility, and/or need to request accommodations, please contact dance@fas.harvard.edu or 617-496-0314. We welcome the conversation!