Two Black girls face away from the audience with their feet apart and their arms and legs out straight as they look at one another. The background is covered in colorful chalk drawings.
Watch Trailer
Watch the BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play trailer!
Get a sneak peek at the show.

BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play

Camille A. Brown & Dancers
from New York, New York

January 21 – 30, 2026
Recommended Grades
Grades 4 – 12
Price
Students: $2
Chaperones: $5
What Kind of Show?
Dance with live music; vivid and personal
Running Time
70 minutes with no intermission
Venue
The New Victory Theater 209 W 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
schools public

Only Partner organizations can book school-time tickets.

Select a Performance

Available

Few Seats Left

Unavailable

Week of January 19 – 25

Jan 21

Wed, 11am

Performance followed by a short Talk-Back

Jan 22

Thu, 11am

Performance followed by a short Talk-Back

Jan 23

Fri, 11am

Performance followed by a short Talk-Back

Week of January 26 – February 1

Jan 28

Wed, 11am

Performance followed by a short Talk-Back

Jan 29

Thu, 11am

Performance followed by a short Talk-Back

Jan 30

Fri, 11am

Performance followed by a short Talk-Back
Live audio description provided
Live sign interpretation provided

Key

  • Audio Described Performance
    Audio-Described

    Live audio description provided

  • Audio Described Performance
    Sign-Interpreted

    Live sign interpretation provided

  • Audio Described Performance
    Talk-Back

    Performance followed by a short Talk-Back

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About the Show

“Who was I be­fore the world de­fined me?” Celebrated choreographer Camille A. Brown shines a spotlight on sisterly love, unfurling the joys and complexities of Black girlhood. Across three dynamic duets, the rhythmic play of schoolyard games and adolescent feuds gives way to nurturing friendships forged in common struggle. Through live music and a mix of modern and ancestral African-American movement traditions—stepping, Double Dutch, Juba, ring shout—BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play evokes memories of self-discovery and resonates with the humanity of young women whose experiences deserve to be danced.

Playful tour de force

—The New York Times

Things to Know

  1. While choreographer Camille A. Brown has performed in BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play before (you might spot her in the video trailer!), she will not be dancing on the New Victory stage this time around.
  2. “Linguistic Play” in the show’s title refers to the playfulness of dance, gesture, rhythm and rhyme as a common language of Black girlhood, rather than a theatrical play.
  3. BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play was nominated for Outstanding Production at the 2016 Bessie Awards, which celebrate the creative work of independent dance artists in New York City. In total, Camille A. Brown has been nominated for a Bessie four times, winning in 2014 for Mr. TOL E. RAncE.

About the Artist

Camille A. Brown’s award-winning choreography reclaims the cultural narrative of African American identity. Her bold work taps into both ancestral stories and contemporary culture to capture a range of deeply personal experiences. Since 2019, she has earned four Tony Award nominations for Best Choreography, most recently for the Audra McDonald-led revival of Gypsy and Alicia Keys’s Hell’s Kitchen.

Photos
Photo: Kirk Richard Smith
Photo: Sharen Bradford

Accessibility

For every performance at the New Victory Theater…

  • You can request to borrow supports like fidgets, earplugs, assisted listening devices, wheelchairs and more.
  • Our quiet Cozy Zone and a live feed of the performance are available in the lower lobby at all times for those with sensory sensitivities or anyone who needs a break from the theater.
  • Wheelchair-accessible seats are available (see more details when buying tickets).

 
Get additional accessibility details, and prepare for your visit with our New Victory Social Narrative.

Curriculum & Trip Planning

A stack of four New Victory School Tool Resource Guide handouts

Access Resource Units

Curriculum and activities!

Inspire creative thinking with ready-to-implement, grade-appropriate activities.

An adult stands in the middle of a group of students who watch and follow along with her movements.

Book a Workshop

Led by New Victory Teaching Artists!

Explore art forms and themes in the show in a pre- or post-show workshop.

School Bus in front of the New Victory Theater

Field Trip Guide

Plan your visit!

Review field trip information and ticketing policies.