Wellspring Celebrates 45th Season with Fall Concert Featuring Retrospective and New Works

Wellspring's Fall Concert of Dance: Epic Moments will be presented November 21–23, 2025, at the Cori Terry Theatre in Downtown Kalamazoo's Epic Center. This vibrant program celebrates Wellspring's 45th year of creativity, connection, and community through dance, featuring a powerful retrospective of works created within the Epic Center since the company's 2000 move. The weekend invites audiences to relive unforgettable works by founder Cori Terry and to experience the dynamic artistry of Artistic Director Marisa Bianan and the 2025–2026 company.

Our fall concert is thoughtfully crafted to center works that were created in our home, the Epic Center, as we celebrate 25 years of dance making within these walls, said Bianan. And our 45th season promises a packed performance lineup with visionary choreography and immersive experiences in exquisite venues in Kalamazoo and across southwest Michigan. Fall concert audiences will experience the revival of Terry's Family Altar (2001), complete with original costumes by Elaine Kauffman and set design by Paul Marquadt, and the rhythmic quintet Dervish (2002), set to music by Kalamazoo-based Blue Dahlia.

The program also features the spectacular, full-company work At This Very Moment Breaking (2008), known for its sweeping lifts and striking lighting design. Balancing these classic works are two powerful pieces by Bianan: The Ground Has Thawed (2025)—originally premiered with the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra's Burdick-Thorne String Quartet and performed here in its entirety for the first time—and Woven Together (2025), created for the YWCA's 140th Anniversary Gala and featuring stunning wearable chainmail art by Elaine Unzicker. The fall concert is Wellspring's full-production premiere of this work.

Wellspring's professional company will be joined by guest artist Sam Crouch for the performances. This is more than a concert—it's an essential chapter in Wellspring's story. The performance schedule includes Friday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m. with a post-concert talkback, Saturday, November 22 at 2:00 p.m. as a sensory-friendly performance in collaboration with Unmask the Arts, Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, November 23 at 2:00 p.m. The Epic Center and Cori Terry Theatre are wheelchair accessible, and the theatre features hearing loop assistive listening technology.

With both afternoon and evening performances, Wellspring makes it easy to fit an inspiring experience into your weekend. Tickets are available now and may be purchased online at https://WellspringDance.org/season. General admission tickets are $30, with Pay-It-Forward tickets at $40, Youth/Student tickets for those under 18 at $15, and Pay-What-You-Can tickets starting at $5 minimum. Wellspring's 45th season continues with multiple events including the Koa Fund Sunrise Gathering on December 5, 2025, ACGK Community Arts Awards on December 9, 2025, the 17th Annual RADFest March 5–8, 2026, Movement in the Museum on March 26, 2026, Student Concert of Dance on May 3, 2026, and Spring Concert of Dance May 15–17, 2026.

Now in its 45th season, Wellspring is one of the nation's longest-standing small professional modern dance companies and has helped shape Kalamazoo's arts landscape through collaborations with professional artists and through its work as a producer, presenter, and educator. The fall concert represents a significant milestone, demonstrating how a local arts institution can sustain creative excellence and community engagement over decades while continuing to innovate and present new work alongside cherished classics from its repertoire.