ShaLeigh Comerford first founded her dance-theatre company, ShaLeigh Dance Works, with the premiere of returning at the 4th annual Greensboro Fringe Festival in 2005. Since receiving a standing ovation at their NYC debut at Judson Church in 2007, a whirlwind of performances launched ShaLeigh Dance Works into recognition as an emerging dance-theatre company. Their success has taken them from performances and creative residencies in NYC to Germany, England, Israel, and Japan. Since establishing Durham, NC as their home base in 2014, the company has celebrated multiple tours with the North Carolina Dance Festival (NCDF), performing at the prestigious American Dance Festival (ADF) with Here and Now: NC Dances, and presenting two evening length works as showcased artists of Durham Independent Dance Artists (DIDA). Their 2019 sold out performances of Bamboo Wind received standing ovations every night and critical acclaim.
Known for a diverse ensemble that consists of some of Durham’s most brilliant performers and creators ranging in genres from theatre, performance art, heels, drag, martial art, and contemporary ballet, SDW has had the privilege of receiving commissions, residencies and most recently their first NYC tours since landing in NC. Their 2018 premiere of I Promise was listed by Byron Woods of criticalfragilistic.blogspot.com as one of “Five exceptional dances from 2017,” and their ADF Here and Now: NC Dances premiere of Dedicated to [ ] because of [ ] (and vice versa) was hailed by Kate Dobbs Ariail of the CVNC.org as “a marvelous surprise … with its mix of Gaga-style freedom of movement and balletic elegance … well suited to the complex balance of dance theatre.”
Touring History
• The Carolina Theatre, Durham, NC 2019
• The Rickhouse, Durham, NC 2019
• Gallery 202, Roanoke, VA 2019
• Carolina Performing Arts, Chapel Hill, NC 2019
• Anchorlight, Raleigh, NC 2019
• The Washington Duke Inn, Durham, NC 2019
• Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill, NC 2019
• The Cary Theatre, Cary, NC 2019
• DPAC, Durham, NC 2019The Fruit, Durham, NC January 2019
• Greensboro Project Space Gallery, Greensboro, NC November 2018
• BeBe Theatre, Asheville, NC Setpember 2018
• The Ritz, Raleigh, NC July 2018
• PSI Theatre, Durham, NC 2018
• Dixon Place, NYC 2018
• BOOM Festival, Charlotte, NC 2018
• DPAC, Durham, NC 2018
• North Carolina Museum of Art, Raleigh, NC 2018
• Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, Durham, NC 2018
• Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC 2018
• The Fruit, Durham, NC 2017
• Duke Energy Theatre, Charlotte, NC 2017
• Carolina Theatre, Durham, NC 2011, 2017
• American Dance Festival, Reynolds Theatre, NC 2015
• Community Arts Center, Wilmington, NC 2014
• Bob Carr Performing Arts Center, Orlando, FL 2014
• The Ailey Citygroup Theatre, NYC 2014
• Jones Auditorium, Raleigh, NC 2013
• Valborg Theater Boone, NC 2013
• Aycock Auditorium, Greensboro, NC 2013
• Robinson Hall, Charlotte, NC, 2013
• Roppongi Stripe’s Space, Tokyo, Japan 2013
• Noguchi Room, Keio University (MITA), Tokyo, Japan 2013
• Dance Film shown at Kaaitheater, Brussels, Belgium 2013
• PSI Theatre, Durham, NC 2013
• Cambridge University, Judith E Wilson, UK 2012
• National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing, China 2011
• Lenfest Center for the Arts, W & L University, Lexington, VA 2008, 2009, 2011
• Mulberry St Theater, NYC 2007
• American Dance Guild Performance Festival, Hudson Guild Theatre, NYC 2007
• The Flea Theater, NYC 2007
• Dance Theatre Workshop, NYC 2007
• Judson Church, NYC 2007
Upcoming
• The Fruit, Durham, NC 2020
• Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYC 2020
Company
Guests
Apprentices
Collaborators
