By Cameron Lee
April 3, 2026
Photo: Butch Delatina
Contemporary dance often gets overlooked when thinking about modern performing arts and entertainment, but it has all the characteristics many look for in a captivating production: storytelling, music, theatrics, emotion, and compelling movement that keeps audiences engaged. It’s a free-flowing form of dance that can incorporate ballet, modern, jazz, and even hip-hop.
Since 2012, Audrey Baran — an accomplished Filipina-American dancer, choreographer, and educator — has been bringing her work to venues across Charlotte as the founder and artistic director of the contemporary dance company Baran Dance. Her first notable collaborative public work took place at the now-defunct Chop Shop with Charlotte experimental folk-pop band Blessed These Sounds Under the City, an evening that melded contemporary dance with live music and visual art.
“We love partnering with musicians and visual artists and poets and, you know, just trying to make dance more accessible,” Baran said. “Kind of cross-pollinate everyone’s audiences and let people know you can go out and have a beer — or not — and just enjoy dance the way you would at a concert or a brewery.”
Baran, who was selected as a choreographer for the prestigious Joffrey Ballet Academy’s Winning Works Competition in 2022, was also chosen for Charlotte Ballet’s Innovative: Direct from the LAB, a program within the Innovative Works series that showcases new choreography developed through the company’s Choreographic Lab. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from UNC Charlotte and a Master of Fine Arts in Dance from Hollins University, also teaching as a Visiting Assistant Professor at UNC Charlotte. While Baran has achieved a great deal throughout her career, her true passion has always been expanding the visibility of her craft through artistic collaboration.
Baran further explored interdisciplinary performance in 2015 by pairing the atmospheric music of Charlotte band Sam the Lion with the intricate choreography and emotionally resonant movement of her dance company. The collaboration was a hit, nearly selling out all three performances, which took place at the former Goodyear Arts space, Foundation for the Carolinas, and C3 Lab.
Now, more than a decade after those landmark performances, Baran Dance is bringing the experience back with BDXM: Baran Dance x MOA, a collaboration with the dreamy Charlotte post-rock and experimental band MOA, consisting of Lindsey Ryan (vocals, keys), David Driscoll (guitar), and Chris Walldorf (drums) — original members of Sam the Lion. MOA’s song “Under Your Skin” was featured in the 2021 Netflix documentary series Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer, following the release of their self-titled debut album in 2020.
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The collaboration with MOA will be one of the company’s most ambitious to date, featuring nearly 30 dancers performing at Open Door Studios in East Charlotte from June 5-7. It follows a recent performance at the studio alongside the Latin electro-folk sounds of La Brava — the solo project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Liza Ortiz — which sold out two nights. These collaborative works come naturally for Baran, who is deeply embedded in the local music scene; her husband, Mark, is part of the folk duo Sinners & Saints and now plays bass in MOA.
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With a Graduate Certificate in Anti-Racism in Urban Education from UNC Charlotte, Baran also centers her work on inclusive and socially conscious art. She has partnered with organizations such as ourBRIDGE for Kids, Refugee Support Services, and The Center for Artistic Activism, providing free dance classes and wellness workshops. She is also seeking to connect more deeply with her Asian heritage and hopes to collaborate with organizations such as The Cambodian Legacy Project and North Carolina Asian Americans Together (NCAAT) to create multicultural dance events that promote both artistic exchange and voter engagement.
“Political action with art — that’s kind of what’s next for a project down the road,” Baran said. “A lot has come from these partnerships, and we’re working with The Cambodian Legacy Project to do some collaborative, contemporary Cambodian dance fusion classes in the fall.”
While her academic teaching career is coming to an end after nine years at UNC Charlotte, Baran Dance continues to offer weekly company classes on Sundays at 11:30 a.m. at Open Door Studios, welcoming the broader dance community. Classes are primarily for ages 18 and up, though advanced 16-year-olds have participated.
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For her sustained work elevating contemporary dance in Charlotte, Baran was an inaugural recipient of the Arts & Science Council’s Creative Renewal Fellowship in 2020 and has received multiple ASC Artist Support Grants over the years — support that has been vital to both her and the company’s growth.
“They’ve [ASC] been super supportive… and it’s objective and fair with their award system,” Baran said. “It’s a wealth of resources for artists.”
Baran Dance will also perform at ASC’s Midnight Marathon on April 17 at Carolina Theatre, featuring company dancers RJ Lee, Jordan Hawkins, and Faith Carder in what Baran describes as a “super powerful contemporary trio.” It will mark the company’s first performance at the historic theater.
As for what Baran believes will help grow Charlotte’s dance scene, better access to venues and stronger local support top her list.
“More integration with local venues and artist groups — like the venue access grant from ASC. We received that to help with our space at Open Door for rehearsals and performances,” Baran said.
Regarding sustainability as a nonprofit dance company, Baran feels that if Charlotteans collectively prioritized local arts, it could have a significant and lasting impact on the city’s creative community, supporting emerging artists, strengthening venues, and fostering more opportunities for collaboration.
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“If you’re going to pay hundreds of dollars for a big-name concert ticket, maybe invest that in local art once a month… stay engaged and look at local artists first.”
Baran Dance will perform at the Arts & Science Council’s Midnight Marathon on Friday, April 17, at Carolina Theatre, followed by their collaborative show with MOA, BDXM: Baran Dance x MOA, June 5-7 at Open Door Studios.
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