Pageant, a Brooklyn-based artist-run performance space known for fostering experimental dance, took part in a residency at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in August, presenting a broad range of contemporary choreographic work. The residency, organized by Martha Joseph and Luiza Renspald Fraga from MoMA’s department of media and performance, culminated in “Pageant Presents Pageant,” a performance marathon featuring 25 artists each presenting brief, 10-minute pieces.

Founded four years ago by Sharleen Chidiac, Lili Dekker, Jade Manns, Owen Prum, and Alexa West, Pageant has developed into a site where artists can explore ideas, embrace risk, and create both polished and experimental work in an intimate setting. Located in a modest loft in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the venue has become a vital platform in New York’s dance landscape, offering two full shows per month. Unlike many experimental spaces, Pageant does not showcase works in progress; each performance is presented as a complete work. Choreographers receive half of the door proceeds, which helps sustain the venue’s operational costs.

The MoMA residency, held in the museum’s fourth-floor studio, was both a challenge and an opportunity for Pageant’s founders. Although the group considered developing a collaborative piece for the residency, they ultimately presented individual works alongside other artists from the Pageant community. This approach illustrated the collective yet distinct nature of the artists involved. “We are putting our own work in that context of everyone, because that is also what Pageant is,” Chidiac said. She emphasized that while they created the community, the founders have also maintained separate choreographic identities.

The performance space within MoMA was intentionally designed to evoke the intimacy and minimalism of Pageant itself. Seating on all four sides faced a raised, red-painted platform, mirroring Pageant’s characteristic environment. Performers were limited to a single light and sound cue to maintain the raw and direct aesthetic central to Pageant’s ethos. The marathon generated an energetic atmosphere, marked by audience engagement including applause and moments of informal interaction, offering a contrast to the typically more formal museum setting.

Pageant’s founders highlighted the importance of having a dedicated venue for rehearsal and performance as a critical factor in their artistic development. Chidiac, also a member of the band Voyeur, continues to explore the intersection of dance and rock music. Dekker focuses on subtle manipulations of presence through movement and text, while West experiments with sculptural dance in site-specific contexts. Manns’s work delves into explorations of the natural world through compositional investigations.

The residency reflects Pageant’s ambition not just to adapt to MoMA’s environment but to influence it. “We are going to affect the museum. We’re going to try to change it,” Prum said. The residency signals an expanding recognition of Pageant’s role in nurturing experimental dance within New York’s arts ecosystem, bridging grassroots practice with institutional spaces. The group will continue its regular programming, beginning its fall season on September 17 at the Brooklyn location.