Umami Playground
Movement Troupe
Umami Playground Dance Company NYC, founded in 2022, is a collective of movers who come together to play, explore, make mistakes, and grow together. Our dancers have mastered various styles such as House, Popping, Tutting, Breaking, and Contemporary, winning both local and national level battles and competitions. We blend street dance with contemporary styles, infusing them with our imagination and experience to create uniquely fun and dynamic work.
The company has produced two full-length works and performed them in anniversary showcases and Chashama Anita's Way. Additionally, they have performed at the Queensboro Dance Festival (2022-2024), the Pride Parade, JCAL Freedom Dance Festival, Judson Movement Research, Elements, Dixon Fast Forward, JAM and CUPA dance showcase. They also successfully hosted more than 50 workshops to share our expertise. They'll debut their 2024 new work at SparkFest as a world premiere. "Elements of Life" draws inspiration from East Asian culture, using symbols to represent each day of the week. Each weekday corresponds to a natural element: moon, fire, water, wood, gold, soil, and sun. The set explores and depicts the typical experiences of each day, including how it feels, the activities associated with it, and how people relate to these elemental representations. Additionally, it aims to reflect the cyclical nature of life as it progresses through the weekdays.