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Rashaun Mitchell + Silas Riener: Open Machine

May 29–30, 2026
Performances
A group of dancers perform on a dimly lit stage; one leaps high in the center. Behind them, large screens display the text MY LEFT HIP, THAT LIGHT. and a black-and-white photo of an industrial space.
Rashaun Mitchell + Silas Riener, Open Machine.  Photo: Paula Lobo.  Courtesy of the artist.

Event Details

Tickets & Info

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When May 29–30, 2026
Where McGuire Theater
Time 7:30 pm
Price Tickets start at $20
Part of: Performing Arts Season 2025–26

Part of: Performing Arts Season 2025–26

“Adroitly put together, [Rashaun Mitchell and Silas Riener’s] choreography is studded with real beauty and invention.” —New York Times

Open Machine is an open experiment. For their new Walker commission, choreographers Rashaun Mitchell and Silas Riener return with a dynamic work that imagines an artificial intelligence lovingly programmed through experimental dance. Open Machine brings together live speech‑to‑text transcription and conjured images that react to the unfolding performance, blurring the lines between brain, body, and machine. As dancers navigate the stage with precision and abandon, the piece reflects the social and spatial structures that shape daily life.

Featuring luminous media design by Jesse Stiles, a sweeping electro-acoustic score by Charmaine Lee and Mas Ysa, and lighting design by Davison Scandrett.

Accessibility, Content, and Sensory Notes

Sensory note: This performance contains flashing lights and disorienting video.

For more information about accessibility, visit our Access page.

For questions on accessibility or to request additional accommodations, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.

Part of: Performing Arts Season 2025–26

Part of: Performing Arts Season 2025–26

Gallery

A dancer in a blue tank top and maroon pants stands with arms outstretched against a dark blue background, while another persons hands support their waist from behind.
A group of diverse dancers performs on stage, each striking expressive poses. They wear colorful, varied outfits and move energetically in front of a dark, minimalist backdrop.
Five dancers in colorful costumes perform a contemporary routine, intertwining their bodies in a low, expressive formation on a dimly lit stage with a textured, metallic background.
Several people sit or recline on a stage in front of a large, textured backdrop with three rectangular digital screens above them. One person stands, extending their arm upward toward the screens.
Five people are on stage; two walk past each other, one raises arms overhead, one stands to the right, and one sits against the wall. The background is industrial and minimalist, with muted lighting.
A person in a blue top and red pants leaps gracefully on stage beneath three large screens displaying colorful, abstract cosmic patterns. The background is dark, highlighting the movement and visuals.
A person in orange pants and a blue shirt poses with arms stretched to the side on a dark stage, beneath three large, abstract, colorful screens.
A group of dancers in colorful, modern costumes perform expressive movements on stage against a dark background, showcasing contemporary dance.

Program support provided by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project. Commissioned by the Walker with support provided by the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional commissioning support provided by Lois and John Rogers.

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