NEW YORK — Vangeline Theater, home of the New York Butoh Institute, has announced the return of its annual commemorative performance, Unforgotten: Butoh for 9/11, which will be staged in Times Square with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. The free public event will bring together dance, live music and remembrance in a tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks and the first responders who lost their lives.
The 60-minute ensemble work will be choreographed by Vangeline and performed by dancers Suyi Xu, Zo Roze, Dani Cole, Madelyn Sher and Eilish Henderson. Acclaimed cellist Katinka Kleijn will provide live musical accompaniment throughout the performance.
The production continues a tradition that has become a significant part of Vangeline Theater’s artistic programme. For more than two decades, the organisation has presented public commemorative performances in New York honouring those affected by the attacks. Over the past ten years, these performances have taken place in Times Square, transforming one of the world’s busiest public spaces into a setting for reflection, remembrance and healing.
According to organisers, the event uses Butoh, a meditative and expressive dance form, to create an opportunity for collective mourning while exploring themes of resilience, loss and recovery. The symbolic setting of Times Square adds further significance, allowing audiences from around the world to participate in a shared act of remembrance.
“Every year for the past two decades, Vangeline Theater has held public 9/11 commemorative performances in New York. For the past ten years, we have performed these offerings in Times Square, with a special dedication for the firefighters, policemen, and women who lost their lives on 9/11. Our annual performances in Times Square on 9/11 hold deep symbolic and cultural significance. The act of performing Butoh—a meditative, expressive dance form—on such a solemn occasion creates a space for collective mourning, remembrance, and healing. Given Times Square’s status as a global landmark and cultural epicenter, the performances serve as a poignant tribute to the victims of 9/11, while also offering an artistic reflection on resilience and loss.”
The programme is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Office of the Governor and New York State Legislature, as well as the New York Department of Cultural Affairs and the City Council.
A central figure in the performance will be Katinka Kleijn, whose career bridges classical music, experimental composition, improvisation and performance art. A member of both the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the International Contemporary Ensemble, Kleijn has built a reputation for challenging conventional approaches to the cello through innovative collaborations and interdisciplinary projects.
Her career has included premieres at major venues such as Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, as well as performances and installations that combine music, visual art and technology. Kleijn has also collaborated with internationally recognised artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Christoph Eschenbach, Richard Goode and Jeremy Denk.
The performance also highlights the work of Vangeline, a New York-based choreographer, teacher and dancer recognised for her contributions to the development of Butoh. As artistic director of the Vangeline Theater/New York Butoh Institute, she has focused on expanding awareness of the art form while promoting inclusion and accessibility within contemporary dance.
Beyond performance, Vangeline has launched several initiatives aimed at supporting underrepresented communities. These include the New York Butoh Institute Festival, Queer Butoh, and The Dream a Dream Project, which brings Butoh training and creative opportunities to incarcerated individuals across New York State.
Her work has been presented internationally and has earned recognition for combining artistic exploration with social engagement. Among her achievements is a National Endowment for the Arts Dance Award for The Slowest Wave, a project examining the relationship between Butoh and neuroscience. She has also authored Butoh: Cradling Empty Space and led pioneering research into the effects of Butoh practice on the human brain.
The upcoming Times Square presentation is expected to attract audiences seeking both a meaningful act of remembrance and an opportunity to experience a distinctive form of contemporary performance. By combining movement, music and public participation, Unforgotten: Butoh for 9/11 continues a longstanding tradition of honouring those affected by one of the most significant events in modern American history.
