In May 2025, Kenia Rosete Dance will present two events at SMUSH Gallery, located at 340 Summit Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey. These events are part of the gallery’s Spring Dance Series, a program supported by grants from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development, and the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund.
The first event is a free workshop called Sitting with Dissonance, which will take place on Wednesday, May 7, from 7:30 PM to 8:45 PM EDT. The second is a performance titled still. to be. moving, which will run for two nights on Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17, both starting at 7:30 PM.
- Kenia Rosete Dance hosts a free movement workshop, Sitting with Dissonance, on May 7 at SMUSH Gallery in Jersey City.
- The performance still. to be. moving runs May 16–17, exploring home, memory, and Mexican-American identity through dance.
- Both events are part of SMUSH Gallery’s 2025 Spring Dance Series, funded by NJ State and Jersey City arts grants.
Sitting With Dissonance: A Workshop in Motion and Thought on May 7
Sitting with Dissonance is a 75-minute workshop created and led by Kenia Rosete. It invites participants to look closely at everyday movement—especially sitting in a chair, and think about how motion and stillness work together.
The workshop includes three main activities: creative writing, movement exploration (called movement scores), and group discussion. It does not require dance experience. Rosete encourages people to reflect on their routines, notice how they move, and use writing and discussion to express their observations.
This event is free and open to all. RSVPs are accepted until 11:59 PM on May 6, but walk-ins may attend if space is available.
The workshop takes place at SMUSH Gallery, a small community art space near Journal Square. To get there, take the PATH train to Journal Square, exit toward Sip Avenue, walk east, then go 4.5 blocks south on Summit Avenue. Street parking is also available nearby.
SMUSH Gallery is wheelchair accessible. For additional accessibility needs, guests should email [email protected] at least three weeks in advance.
still. to be. moving: A Performance Rooted in Memory, Identity, and the Body
On May 16 and 17, Kenia Rosete will present her newest performance work, still. to be. moving, at SMUSH Gallery. The show begins at 7:30 PM on both nights.
This dance work is structured as a series of vignettes, or short scenes. They are a mix of real memories and imaginative ones. Together, they explore the meaning of “home.” Rosete uses the body as a vessel for storytelling, showing how it holds onto experiences like language, childhood, and migration, plus how these shape her Mexican-American identity.
Rosete describes the performance as “a tapestry of memories,” with movement that shows how time changes the way we remember. This piece continues her interest in everyday gestures and emotional memory.
Tickets are available through a sliding scale, which means attendees choose a price that works for them. Prices range from $15 to $35. Online ticket sales close the day before each show, but tickets may be available at the door. For free or discounted tickets, guests can contact [email protected].
There are no refunds on tickets.
SMUSH Gallery’s Spring Dance Series
The 2025 Spring Dance Series is the current version of SMUSH’s growing dance programming. It follows the gallery’s earlier project, the Curatorial Fellowship in Dance, which ran from 2020 to 2022. That fellowship gave dance artists the chance to create and present work, connect with peers, and lead public events.
In 2025, the Spring Dance Series features work by three artists or groups: Kenia Rosete Dance, Rosalia Saver, and jill sigman/thinkdance. Each presents workshops, open rehearsals, and performance events between March and May.
SMUSH Gallery, run by Benedicto Figueroa and Katelyn Halpern, is a 550-square-foot community art space. It supports visual and performing arts, workshops, and local collaborations. It is known for hosting work that is personal, experimental, and community-driven.
