Nugent Dance uncovers meaning through body language amplified in time and space. Led by Artistic Director, Stephanie Nugent, Nugent Dance’s mission is to collaborate with performers and artists in other mediums in the presentation of improvisational and choreographed movement works, which flirt with and expand the limits of virtuosity, while remaining firmly connected in the familiar.

Nugent’s movement vocabulary ranges from subtle gestures and tones, to momentum-driven acts that take dancers barreling into the floor, the air, and each other. Her work is a unique blend of dance and theater, exploring mechanisms for challenging assumptions of audience as passive observer. On spirituality, gender, sexuality, and culture, Nugent uses movement, image, spoken word, and sound to create works that invite viewers to recognize reflections of themselves.

In addition to presenting dance works by Stephanie Nugent, it is also the goal of Nugent Dance to support the development and presentation of other emerging and mid-career dance/theater artists. Through presentation of performances, workshops, and discussions in Santa Barbara and through partnerships with other organizations throughout California, the US, and abroad, Nugent Dance fosters the ongoing development of our cultural and artistic community, and encourages interface between audiences and artists on a local and international scale.

"When the most intimate truths of an individual are revealed, so is an intimate truth of humanity" - Stephanie Nugent