Ishida Dance Company Brings Rara avis to Austin’s Long Center Dell Hall on January 23

A larger Austin stage for a contemporary dance program

ISHIDA Dance Company is scheduled to present Rara avis at 8 p.m. on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Dell Hall at The Long Center for the Performing Arts in Austin. The engagement marks a move into one of the city’s largest venues for the company’s winter season presentation.

The event listing describes Rara avis—Latin for “rare bird”—as an international program centered on contemporary dance and dance-theater storytelling. The program is billed as highly physical and emotionally resonant, and it includes a world premiere created by the company’s artistic leadership.

What the program includes

Programming materials outline three main components for the Austin performance:

• Rara avis, a world premiere by ISHIDA, described as following a singer returning to the stage after a hiatus while grappling with imposter syndrome.
• Mutual Comfort by Romanian choreographer Edward Clug.
• A new dance-theater work by choreographer Kristian Lever, described in event materials as British-Finnish.

Ticket prices for the Austin date are listed in the range of $30 to $140, with an optional VIP component that includes a post-performance reception and an opportunity to meet dancers and the artistic director.

Company context in Austin and Texas

The company has maintained an Austin performance presence for several years at The Long Center, including studio-theater programming and winter-season engagements. Recent listings also show the company bringing work to additional Austin-area venues, including St. Andrew’s Upper School, where it presented the program inside my walls in June 2025.

For January 2026, the company’s schedule also includes performances in Houston from January 15 to January 18 before the Austin engagement. The Austin date is positioned as the culminating Texas stop within that January run.

Operational details for attendees

The Long Center listing identifies Dell Hall as the venue location and notes standard venue policies, including that all patrons require a ticket regardless of age. The venue also publishes an accessibility services framework, and the company separately maintains an accessibility page directing patrons to venue-specific accommodation information for Austin performances.

Performance: Rara avis • Date: January 23, 2026 • Time: 8:00 p.m. • Venue: Dell Hall at The Long Center (Austin)

With the move into Dell Hall, the January 23 presentation places ISHIDA Dance Company’s latest mixed program—anchored by a new premiere—on a larger platform within Austin’s performing arts calendar.