Late Bloomer
Late Bloomer delves into the complexities of power, timing, experience, and choice in how one navigates belonging and human connection. The work examines how we show up for each other, the responsibility of the bystander, and the profound consequences of being cast aside.
In collaboration with award-winning composer Angélica Negrón, dramaturg Melanie George, costume designer Quinn Czejkowski, and lighting designer David Ferri, Simoneau and her ensemble of dancers explore the subtle forces that shape group dynamics, asking: How is belonging connected to survival? What separates true belonging from merely fitting in?
Late Bloomer premiered at 92NY on November 14-15 in NYC.
“A state of almost constant motion, a continuum of sleek, superbly performed dancing.”
- Dance Enthusiast
LATE BLOOMER
Premiered November 2025 at the 92nd Street Y in NYC.
Concept and Direction: Hélène Simoneau
Choreography: Hélène Simoneau in collaboration with the performers
Original Music: Angélica Negrón
Performance (premiere): Liane Aung, Juan Duarte, Quaba Venza Ernest, Peter Mazurowski, Thryn Saxon, Frances Lorraine Samson, Jie-Hung Connie Shiau, and Miles Yeung-Tieu
Additional Collaborators: Paige Amicon, Joe Davis, Alisia Pobega, Amanda Sachs, Kevin J. Shannon
Dramaturgy: Melanie George and Cara Hagan
Costume Design: Quinn Czejkowski
Lighting Design: David Ferri
“A potent metaphor, … underscores the group’s collective endurance and ultimately suggests that an empathetic group keeps the individual safe. The dance's images continue to linger long after the performance ends."
- Dance Enthusiast
THE MAKING OF
VIDEOS
THANK YOU
Late Bloomer by Hélène Simoneau was created in part during residencies at the Pillow Lab at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Banff Centre, and The National Center for Choreography–Akron (NCCAkron). This work has been made possible through the generous support of Virginia Weiler and Claudine Legault, and by a commissioning grant from the O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation. The development of Late Bloomer was made possible in part by The National Center for Choreography-Akron (NCCAkron), and DANCECleveland. Additional support was provided by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Photos by Whitney Browne and Banff Centre
