Experimental Dance Performance in Milwaukee Offers Intimate Experience

A contemporary dance show with an abstract storyline sells just 8 tickets per show, giving audiences a uniquely close-up view.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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In a small Milwaukee studio, an experimental dance performance called "Something Familiar" is offering audiences a uniquely intimate experience. The show, which is about memory, family, and relationships in the Ozark region, only sells 8 tickets per performance, allowing the audience to be seated just inches away from the dancers. The abstract, contemporary dance piece is designed to evoke emotions rather than tell a clear narrative, and the close proximity means the dancers don't have to appear effortless, but can show the exertion of their performance.

Why it matters

This type of small, experimental performance is a departure from the typical large-scale dance productions that Milwaukee audiences are used to. By creating an immersive, almost one-on-one experience, the choreographer hopes to challenge traditional notions of dance and performance, and give audiences a chance to connect with the art in a more personal way.

The details

The performance, titled "Something Familiar", is choreographed and directed by Dawn Springer. It is performed in the intimate setting of the One-Off Exhibitions studio, which normally hosts contemporary art galleries. The show's abstract, poetic style is a far cry from the clear narratives of traditional ballet, with Springer focusing on evoking emotions and memories rather than telling a linear story. The close proximity of the audience, seated just inches from the dancers, creates an unforgiving environment for the performers, who embrace the rawness and authenticity of showing their exertion.

  • The performance runs from February 13, 2026 onwards.
  • A video recording of the dance will be shown at One-Off Exhibitions on February 20, 2026 from 11am to 4pm.

The players

Dawn Springer

The choreographer and artistic director of "Something Familiar", Springer created the contemporary dance performance that explores themes of memory, family, and relationships in the Ozark region.

Janel Meindersee

One of the dancers in "Something Familiar", Meindersee has a background in classical ballet but embraces the raw, authentic style of the experimental performance.

Tina Schinabeck

The director and curator of the One-Off Exhibitions space, Schinabeck decided to host the intimate dance performance as part of the gallery's mission to provide a low-stakes experimental space for artists.

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What they’re saying

“So I was looking at different memories and thinking about memory and how sometimes that is accurate, and sometimes it is not.”

— Dawn Springer, Choreographer and Artistic Director (tmj4.com)

“Much in the same way as you might read a poem and it evokes a feeling, but you're not quite sure if - but you're not even really sure what that feeling is yet, and it takes some time to process.”

— Dawn Springer, Choreographer and Artistic Director (tmj4.com)

“Be open to the experience and know that it's okay if you're not necessarily getting everything all at once. But it might take a few days afterwards, and you might never really get there. And that's all fine.”

— Dawn Springer, Choreographer and Artistic Director (tmj4.com)

“I will say this is the smallest room I have performed in.”

— Janel Meindersee, Dancer (tmj4.com)

“For a piece like this, it doesn't have to look effortless. You can, you know, we can be free to let people see the exertion.”

— Janel Meindersee, Dancer (tmj4.com)

What’s next

A video recording of the "Something Familiar" dance performance will be shown at the One-Off Exhibitions space on February 20, 2026 from 11am to 4pm, giving those who missed the live shows a chance to experience the intimate production.

The takeaway

This experimental dance performance in Milwaukee challenges traditional notions of dance and performance, creating a uniquely immersive and personal experience for a small audience. By embracing the rawness and authenticity of the dancers' exertion, the show offers a departure from the typical polished, large-scale productions, and provides a glimpse into the creative potential of intimate, experimental art forms.