Joyce Theater New York
Dance road house
I saw Ballet Trockadero de Monte Carlo at this perfectly sized theater (472 seats) on Eighth Avenue between 18th Street and 19th Street. Then I saw Compagnie Maguy Marin, with two women friends. Afterward we had drinks next door in a too-loud Chelsea bar.
This is in no way a minor-league dance theater, but is where you go to see companies that are smaller than the big ones that perform at say, City Center, Lincoln Center or at BAM, in Brooklyn.
The Joyce showcases companies about which “the dance” is everything, and sometimes the only thing. Companies from all over the world perform for usually, five nights.
Ballet Trockadero is a New York-based touring company of all male ballet dancers who dance en pointe. I saw them do Swan Lake excerpts here which was both enchanting and well, hilarious because there was no pretension about scale. Men in toe shoes wearing appropriate costumes, that was it. At that scale it was possible to appreciate their passion. One alum has actually become a ballerina for the English National Ballet. A danseuse in the corp.
The audience is usually passionate and knowledgeable and often dancers can be seen in the audience checking out their friends who may be in these visiting companies. That can be discerned by the hooting and hollering during bows and curtain calls.
Nearby are many bars and restaurants, as the theater is the heart of Chelsea.
The nearest subway stations are at 14th Street and 23rd Street.
Explore cities like a local with Spotted by Locals - discover hidden gems and all our locals’ favourites! Get full access to our New York guide.
Nice place right!? There’s so much more to discover:
Discover all other hidden gems in New York
L&B Pizza – Gravesend Italian/American
L&B in Brooklyn, famed for its plain square slices since 1939, is a must-visit. Enjoy outdoor dining in Bensonhurst, a haven for Italian-American cuisine. Iconic!
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
The Old Print Shop – Flatiron District Gallery
"The Old Print Shop" in New York is my hands-down, hands-on museum/gallery of choice. I love mid-twentieth century 'industrial' or 'city' art...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Sea & Sea – Fried fish takeout
"Sea & Sea " in NYC is a traditional-looking fish shop with wet, tiled floors, cool air, grated ice on every hand, busy with customers from near and far...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pikine – Senegalese restaurant
Come to "Pikine" in NYC to eat shoulder-to-shoulder with Senegalese people!
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Modern Bread and Bagel – Extreme gluten-free bagels
"Modern Bread and Bagel" in NYC has surfaced as exemplary, using criteria such as size and texture, seed and salt density. Here are some more top picks...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Django – Tribeca jazz boîte
"Django" in NYC is proof that the city's jazz club world is recovering. I celler/cavern is intimate enough that after performances I walk over to engage...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
The Dublin House – Irish Bar Centenarian
"The Dublin House" in NYC has been around since Prohibition and it still is neighborhood-sized. By the end of the night, everyone speaks Irish here...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pain d’ Epices – French / American patisserie
"Pain d' Epices" is a French bakery in NYC that makes croissants so flaky & buttery, the only way to avoid the crumbs is to 'put your back to the wind...'
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Pastrami Queen – Traditional kosher Jewish deli
"Pastrami Queen" in NYC has if not the best, among the very best pastrami sandwiches in the city. It's the kind of American excess you just can't miss...
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Grandma's Place – Inclusive Books and Toys
I stumbled across a store about which I had read but never visited—the very inviting and colourful playground of Dawn Harris-Martine), retired teacher, now famous—named Grandma’s Place.
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Sisters Uptown Bookstore – African diaspora hub
"Sisters Uptown Bookstore" in NYC is a hidden shop/cultural center w/ an eye-opening trove of books by African diaspora authors. A true neighborhood spot!
By
Geoffrey
Dunbar
Color World – Curb Side BBQ
Color World sets up on the corner of 116th and 2nd Avenue, rain or shine. There they serve beef, pork, goat, oxtail, and chicken for $10 a plate.
By