Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Dancing in and out of the closet: TERE O’CONNOR and CALEB TEICHER reflect their queer identities in their dance aesthetic

• By drediman
• December 12, 2025
• No Comments

This week, I attended a pair of dance performances that expressed queerness in fascinatingly distinct ways. Seen side by side, they chronicle the evolution of dance from being a reaction from being deep in the closet to a celebration of one’s sexuality well outside of it. As per usual, read on for my thoughts.

TERE O’CONNOR: CONSTRUCT-A-GUY & THE LACE
New York Live Arts
Through December 13

Last night at New York Live Arts in Chelsea, I was able to take in a fascinating evening of rigorously danced works by contemporary dance choreographer Tere O’Connor (RECOMMENDED), juxtaposing his first work, the 1984 solo Construct-a-Guy — a choreographic reaction to growing up a closeted gay man originally danced O’Connor himself — with the world premiere of his latest piece The Lace. What makes the American dance maker’s work so unique is how his choreography takes on the fabric of thoughts and consciousness as opposed to the typical attempts at depicting wholistic characters and/or graspable narratives. Also distinguishing his works is the way attitude and subtext play just as much of a role in their overall impact as physical movements. As such, his works can seem ambiguous and instinctual (i.e., haphazard). Look more closely, however, and you’ll find that O’Connor’s creations are no less illuminating of human nature than, say, Paul Taylor’s works. Just like your typical hormone-driven adolescent, Construct-a-Guy comes across as angst-ridden and semi-formed, which are actually characteristics that make the dance such a compelling artifact. Even in his first work, the choreographer’s trademarks — liberal reversals in direction, highly elaborate sequencing — are in evidence, albeit far from the refined forms they would take in his later works, like The Lace. In this world premiere creation, O’Connor expands his distinct vocabulary to inform six dancers and their interactions with each other, as if to suggest the choreographer’s own psychological growth in the four decades that separate the two pieces. That being said, the same dance aesthetic governs his latest, implicating that his very being continues to be tied and goes back to his experience of having to deal with the world from deep within the closet.

CALEB TEICHER: A VERY SW!NG OUT HOLIDAY
The Joyce Theater
Through December 14

Also in Chelsea (just a block away, in fact), you’ll find The Joyce Theater production of A Very SW!NG OUT Holiday (RECOMMENDED), the joyous concoction devised by the young dance phenom Caleb Teicher (alongside their creative colleagues Evita Arce, LaTasha Barnes, Nathan Bugh, and Eyal Vilner). This year, SW!NG OUT returns in its holiday iteration, which may very well turn out to be its definitive form. Indeed, this evening of Lindy Hopping brilliantly lends itself to the holidays with its celebratory atmosphere and deceptively simple goal of providing goodwill and unalloyed good cheer. Born several generations after O’Connor, Teicher strikes me as someone who, for much of their life, has been very much comfortable with their queer identity. This manifests itself in the unabashed fluidity of their pairings and the overall generosity of their choreography and direction, which allows each member of the company to shine as they’d like and provides ample opportunity for improvisation within a defined structure. In fact, the non-binary choreographer gently smashes hetero-normativity, which is particularly satisfying and refreshing in the world of social dance, which was largely born from male/female partnerships. Their eclectic dancers — each hugely energetic and personable — bring idiosyncratic personality and physicality to their respective performances. Caleb themself is a sensational dancer, shifting gloriously and seamlessly between swing, tap, and soft shoe with astonishing nimbleness and ease. Collectively, Teicher and their company conjure a utopian environment that’s infectious and inspiring. In fact, in the second half of the evening, the invitation is extended to audience members, who are encouraged to put on their dancing shoes and dance the night away with the company onstage. Throughout, sensational live music is played by the excellent Eyal Vilner Big Band, who churn out holiday classics such as “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve”, “Christmas Night in Harlem”, and “Winter Wonderland”.