Local dance company DEYO Dances is offering two free performances of the world premiere of 17/NYC, featuring choreography by company founder and director Lisa Deyo, on Saturday, Aug. 23 (7 p.m.) and Sunday, Aug. 24 (2 p.m.) in Cal Poly’s Spanos Theatre. Visit deyodances.com and follow the link to free tickets.
Deyo is a SLO native who trained locally with the SLO Civic Ballet, eventually achieving worldwide success as “a professional dancer with Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, LA Chamber Ballet, and work in NYC and with commercial videos and Disney Industrials,” her bio explains. “Her work won an ART INSPIRES! Individual Artist’s Grant for choreography. Her ballet, Out Of Water, was chosen as one of six finalists in the International Competition of Classical Choreography as part of the Nouveau Festival International de Danse de Paris in 1999. It was performed by Oakland Ballet in Paris for the finals.”
Deyo’s company has performed in Russia and New York City, and collaborates with Opera SLO. The upcoming two free performances will also feature two other dances, Blue—an homage to American roots and uses musical theater, jazz, swing—and Uncertainty Principle—exploring the tension of being in relationships. Come get some free culture! Δ
This article appears in Aug 21-31, 2025.