Year: 2025-2026
DanceForce Member: Nancy Long
Artists: Nancy Long, Cat Wright
Community Partners: Bank of Utica; Flavored Layers Art; Oneida Square Arts District Association, Inc.; The Community Foundation
County: Oneida
OSADA, the Oneida Square Arts District Association presented the first Utica Fringe Festival on Saturday, July 19, 2025, 1:00-5:00pm in the Auditorium of DeSales, 309 Genesee Street, Utica, NY. Attendees were treated to a range of visual arts displays, music and dance performances, art activities and local treats. Sixteen artist/vendors showed their work while on stage performers took the stage. Cat Wright, a 2009 recipient of the Minneapolis Fringe Award, created a dance and art installation. The audience was set up on stage and off while Cat engaged audience members in an immersive dance experience. “happy heavy weird” was commissioned by Nancy Long with funding support from the DanceForce. Local music groups entertained the audience and the final daytime event was titled, Speaking Works/Dancing Words. Before JWatch, local poet, writer, chef and comedian performed his “Cycles N Seasons,” there was a guerilla-style pop-up of poets presenting their own version on the theme of cycles and season. The choreographers showcase that followed included four unique performances: CNY Ballet (Syracuse) choreographer, Aldo Kattan performed “Un Tango” with partner Felipe Antonio Panama. Casey Avaunt set her “Contours in Sepia” on herself and fellow Hamilton College faculty, Paris Wilcox. Emma Mazloom performed her solo, “Human Music” and completing the program 32nd Pack Dance Company (Queens) offered an excerpt of their “When the curtain’s down.” When the daytime family friendly events ended, the space was turned over to Cleo Qupid who organized an evening Cabaret Show “On The Fringe, ” with Burlesque, Drag, Song and Pole performances.
The community and participant response was overwhelmingly enthusiastic:
From Brian Lazore, photographer:
“Moments like these remind me why I love what I do: catching the spark that artists share and watching it ripple through a crowd. Thank you to all the creatives who made the Fringe Festival such a powerful experience for our city. And to this dancer wherever you are… great job!”
From Tea Parker, poet:
“Overall, the event was lively and the room was radiating good vibes.
THIS is what I love about Utica. It’s a safe space for people to showcase their creativity. It is a safe space to be bold and different, and even queer (considering the queer artists and performers involved who were graciously admired). Utica is a place where people support and uplift each other. It’s a place where people can explore, imagine, create, inspire, and uplift themselves/others.”