WINTER SERIES, Celebrating Season 10
December 28 - January 2 ~ Auditions Open NOW!
Early Registration open until November 13 for ALL tracks!
About the Series
Zion Dance Project's 6th Winter Series will take place in the middle of ZDP's Celebratory 10th Season! The Series offers a 5-Day creative process designed to take dancers on a journey through technique classes, somatic practices and creatively rich rehearsal processes culminating in a concert presented in Dallas, TX in celebration of the new year!
Auditions for the 2026 Winter Series are now OPEN.
Early Bird discount availble through October 30th!
Never danced before, consider yourself a beginner, or returning to dance, and interested in exploring movement with Zion this summer? We have a place for you. Check out the Community Artist Track.
Vision for 2026
For nearly a decade, Zion Dance Project has gathered dancers from across the world in Dallas, TX — creating a space where artistry, faith, and dance meet in meaningful and transformative ways. Winter Series 2026 marks a pivotal evolution in that journey. With fresh clarity and vision, this season introduces a deeper approach to the creative process — one that integrates technical excellence with somatic intelligence, improvisational research, and a spirit-led exploration of the body as both instrument and site of discovery.
This year’s Winter Series invites dancers into an immersive environment to expand artistry, technique and expression. Through various master classes in ballet, contemporary, modern, jazz, contact improvisation, and partnering, artists will develop greater range and responsiveness in their movement language. Improvisation will serve not as an accessory but as a core discipline rooted in the curiosity of what is means to be a prophetic dancer.
Come grow, expand, and transform! Let's ring in the New Year together in movement!
Who is this for?
This Winter Series is designed for dancer who desire to expand their movement vocabulary in both codified techniques and beyond. It invites artists who are open to all styles of dance, contact improvisation, partnering work and who are interested in exploring the body as a site of awareness, healing, and revelation. Rooted in a Christ-centered, Spirit-led approach that emphasizes embodied experience and prayer-centered expression, the program welcomes dancers willing to engage deeply in process — embracing exploration, growth, and transformation. All are welcome! Whether you come from a a primarily competition-style training, conservatory training, or traditional church dance ministry models - there is a place for you here!
Dancers often leave the Winter Series with greater fluidity and efficiency in movement. This includes an increased trust in their body and a deepened understanding of their creative voice and integrated connection between body, artistry, and faith.
A Note on Faith
Zion Dance Project is rooted in the Way of Christ — not as a restrictive system, but as a lived relational experience with God. Our work is shaped by a belief that God dwells with His people - within the body, in the world around us, speaking through creation and continuously inviting us into communion and wholeness rather than fragmentation.
We do not require dancers to hold specific beliefs, but we do invite respect for the spiritual integrity of the space. Many dancers encounter God here not through explanation, but through experience and presence.
Program Details
Dates, Schedule and Venue
December 29, 2026 - January 2, 2027
Dallas, TX at Lake Highlands Dance Academy
The Series will kickoff the morning of Tuesday (12/29) and end following the presentation of the Winter Series Concert on Saturday (1/2). Registered dancers will receive a detailed schedule via email
Admission
To be considered for ZDP's Winter Series, applicants should submit an audition form presenting a headshot, resumé, intent video and dance reel.
The intent video is a short introduction where you can share who you are and why you feel drawn to the Summer Series experience, allowing us to hear your heart and understand what you hope to explore and grow in during this time. Your dance reel should include compiled clips that showcase your movement quality, technical foundation, and artistic presence, offering insight into how you move and embody your training. Applicants are also asked to provide a current headshot and a dance resume highlighting training background, higher education (if applicable), and performance experience, which will be considered when casting for available positions.
Applications open: October 1, 2026
*Early Bird discount available until October 30, 2026
Applications close: December 12, 2026 (or until all spots have been filled)
Acceptance announcement: Once submitted, applicants can anticipate receiving audition results within two weeks via email.
Emerging/Professional Artists
Community Artists (Beginner Level)
Placement and Casting
Winter Series is designed as a shared artistic environment where dancers from diverse stages of their journey come together in pursuit of depth, rigor, and seeking growth. We welcome artists ranging from seasoned professionals to emerging dancers who are committed to curiosity, discipline, and meaningful creative process.
Rather than placing dancers into hierarchical levels, we thoughtfully cast artists into specific tracks that help shape their individual experience within the larger collective. These placements allow us to structure class environments, rehearsal processes, and choreographic casting in ways that best support each dancer while strengthening the overall atmosphere of the Summer Series.
Our intention is that every dancer feels both supported and challenged — entering a space where technical excellence, somatic exploration, and collaboration meet. Each track reflects a different entry point into this shared work, ensuring that all artists who desire to be here can find meaningful engagement and growth.
Following auditions, dancers may be invited into one of the following tracks:
Emerging Artist - Formation-Focused Training Experience (Ages 16+)
Designed for pre-professional and collegiate dancers committed to developing mastery, artistry, and embodied presence.
Ideal for dancers preparing for:
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Professional company work
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Advanced artistic research
-
Long-term sustainability in dance
Professional Artist - Return to Practice. Return to Presence
(Ages 18+)
Designed for working professionals with rich artistic maturity seeking opportunity to grow and create in a rejuvenating and curious dance space
Ideal for dancers seeking to:
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Expand technical range and efficiency
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Deepen improvisational and contact dance intelligence
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Integrate somatic depth into professional-level work
Tuition
Tuition for Winter Series is determined by placement. Here is the tuition breakdown for each artist tracks:
Artist Track
Emerging Artist
Professional Artist
Tuition
$600
Registration Fee
$50
Notes
Scholarships are very limited. All applicants are automatically considered for any available scholarships at the time their audition application is reviewed by ZDP leadership.
Tuition
Waived
$75
Limited space. Registration fee secures placement in the program.
An Early Bird discount is available until December 30, 2026, offering $100 off tuition for those ready to commit early. To receive this discount, tuition must be paid in full by October 31st. We encourage dancers who feel drawn to the experience to apply early, as spaces are limited and early commitment helps us shape the community and creative process intentionally.
Travel and Accommodations
Winter Series will be hosted at Lake Highlands Dance Academy, located at 6300 Skillman St., Suite 150, Dallas, TX 75231. Participants traveling from outside the Dallas area are responsible for securing their own accommodations. We recommend staying in the Lake Highlands/NorthPark area for convenient access to the studio. Suggested hotels include Home2 Suites by Hilton North Dallas Central Expressway, Hampton Inn & Suites North Dallas Central Expressway, Hyatt House Dallas/Lincoln Park, La Quinta Inn & Suites Dallas North Central, and DoubleTree Dallas–Campbell Centre. We encourage dancers traveling together to consider sharing hotel rooms or suites to reduce accommodation costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Winter Series for me?
Do I need contact improvisation experience?
No prior experience is required — only a willingness to step into the process with curiosity and openness. Contact improvisation is introduced progressively, with clear guidance and an emphasis on safety, consent, and relational awareness, allowing dancers to explore connection and shared movement in a supportive environment.
I am not a professional dancer or training for a career in dance — do I belong?
Yes! Whether you are new to dance, returning after time away, or simply curious to deepen your connection to movement, there is a place for you here. Our Community Artist Experience is an open-level track designed for beginner to intermediate movers who want to explore dance in a supportive and embodied environment. For some returning dancers, the Emerging Artist Track may also be a good fit. If you are unsure which pathway is right for you, feel free to reach out at ziondanceproject.info@gmail.com — we would be happy to help guide you.
Is this program only for Christians?
No — everyone is welcome to the table. While Zion’s work is rooted in a Christ-centered perspective, Winter Series is designed as a space where artists from diverse backgrounds can gather, explore, and engage in meaningful exchange. We invite dancers who are curious about embodied practice, creative research, and authentic connection to join us and experience the joy, freedom, and community that shape Zion.