Umami Playground Dance Inc. NYC

Play, Make Mistakes, Explore

Photo: Sean Chee

General liability insurance (COI); NYC base; 15 Dancers Performed in Museums, Theaters & Festivals, Indoor & Outdoor; All-Ages Audiences

TOURING REPERTORY

WIP: Clothing — 60 min · Cast 15
Elements of Lift — 90 min · Cast 8
NYC — 30 min · Cast 9
Playground — 25 min · Cast 7
More Works & Interactive Works — 4–15 min · Cast 1–10

Fiscally Sponsored by

New York Live Arts

Press Kit

Repertory (Full Work)

“I can honestly say that I had never seen anyone pretend to be a Roomba vacuum onstage until this show—it was one of the most hilarious things I’ve ever seen in a dance work.” - Dancing in the District (2026)

“A delightful, slightly mischievous, joyful performance that offered a kinetic portrait of New York City.” - MD Theatre Guide (2026)

“A mesmerizing performance exploring the forces of nature through expressive and fluid movement.” - The Dance Enthusiast – Audience Review (2024)

Our Works

XXXXL - Excerpt from Full Length Work - Clothing

This piece is excerpt from the current WIP full length work - about different type of clothing. It celebrates oversized clothing, often loved by dancers for its comfort and flow. Using its playful, wiggly texture, the work explores creativity, movement, and the joy of making mistakes, bringing a fun, flowing energy to the stage.

Full Length: TBD (40-90mins)

Recap of "Elements of Life" Full Length Work - 2024

We premiered *Elements of Life*, a 90-minute theater piece inspired by East Asian elemental symbols associated with the weekdays, rooted in the "Seven Luminaries" (七曜 qī yào). Each day corresponded to a natural element: moon (月), fire (火), water (水), wood (木), metal/gold (金), earth/soil (土), and sun (日). The production, hosted as a donation-based free showcase at Downtown Gibney in November, was sold out with 100 attendees.

This work blended Korean, Filipino, and Afro-Peruvian traditional dances with House, Tutting, Breaking, Contemporary, and Miming. The result was a unique and playful audience experience that inspired cultural appreciation and artistic creativity.

Full Length: 90 mins

Excerpt from "Playground" Full Length Work - 2023

Our 'signature' set "Playground". The piece named "Playground," is a direct reflection of our company mission, which focuses on the value of play. As people grow up, we tend to limit ourselves as we gain more knowledge. Similarly, as artists train and grow more mature, we often move in certain ways, not necessarily because we want to but because we have been trained to. Additionally, with the prevalence of social media, dancers often focus more on how they look and try to produce work that pleases viewers. This piece aims to break free from those limitations and encourages dancers to be free from judgment and just play in the dance playground, like kids. We try to maintain the same mindset as when we first encountered dance, which was the pure joy of moving with music and rhythm and the endless possibility of move in different ways. Hope audience will get inspired by watching this.

Full Length: 40 mins

Tekcno Powwow - Zimmerli Art Museum - Educational Battle - Street Dance Meet Powwow

Tekcno Powwow Jr.2: To the Second Power is a multi-disciplinary performance artwork, a continuation of Tekcno Powwow Jr., a scaled-down version of the groundbreaking Tekcno Powwow performance series created by Northern Cheyenne artist Bently Spang. The Tekcno Powwow series is a cultural mash-up that, since 2004, has brought together multiple dance forms including powwow and break dance and powwow drum and DJ to explore how cultures interact and influence each other in the realm of creative expression.

This performance took place on November 6, 2025, in the Kirkpatrick Chapel at Rutgers University. Tekcno Powwow Jr.2: To the Second Power is a performance made in conjunction with the Zimmerli Art Museum's groundbreaking exhibition, Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always.

MTA - Excerpt from Full length work - NYC

A kinetic portrait of New York City—its subways, streets, noise, rhythms, and restless energy. Dancers move through the city’s daily realities: crowded commutes, constant sound, the pressure of expensive rent, and the collision of cultures and languages. Shifting between grit and beauty, exhaustion and resilience, the work captures the chaos, pulse, and lived intensity that shape how New Yorkers survive, adapt, and keep moving.

Duration: 30m

Dancers: 10

Premier in 2026: Atlas Performing Arts Center - INTERSECTIONS Festival, Washington, D.C.

Length: 30m (60m WIP)

Monday (Moon) - Excerpt from "Elements of Life" Full Length Work - 2024

2024 Theatre set "Elements of Life". In East Asian culture, each weekday is represented by a natural element. From Monday to Sunday, they are moon, fire, water, wood, gold, soil, and Sun. This piece is inspired by these elements and tells the story of our general experience of each weekday: how it feels, what we do, and how we connect with those elements. It also reflects how life is cycling through the weekdays.

Full Length: 1.5hr

Umami Playground Dance Inc. NYC

Our Works

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