During monthly First Friday events, local art galleries open their doors from from 6 — 9 p.m.  and offer free admission to exhibits and more. Founded in 2008 by Rochester Contemporary Arts Center, First Friday helps to promote Rochester’s robust visual arts scene to new audiences, from those in the city of Rochester to neighboring cities.

“We created the project to carve out a time for small venues to shine,” said Bleu Cease, executive director and curator of the Rochester Contemporary Arts Center. “It’s not about excluding the big venues, but rather bringing together the small venues to share audiences. By coordinating our schedules, we can make the trip worth it for visitors from Syracuse, Buffalo, or elsewhere.”

The event, which began with only four businesses participating, has grown to include 35-40 groups each month. Although the formatting of First Friday lends itself best to visual art galleries, performances featuring poetry, folk theater, and comedy have joined occasionally.

In May, Garth Fagan Dance will add modern dance to the list of First Friday’s art forms. Rather than presenting a fully-fledged performance, the company will give audiences a quick glimpse behind the curtain. The dancers will take company class and then rehearse a piece in their studio space on Chestnut Street, mirroring a normal day in the life of a Garth Fagan dancer.

“This process is a very unique way of showing audiences how we operate,” said Natalie Rogers-Cropper, executive director and school director of Garth Fagan Dance. “By observing rehearsal and class, you can see the discipline and hard work that’s put into our regimen.”

As part of the peek into rehearsal process, audiences will have the chance to get to know the company, which includes many new faces. Aside from Natalie Rogers-Cropper, Norwood Pennewell and Steve Humphrey, the next-most senior dancers are in only their third year with the group.



“Their willingness to learn something new and fresh is a gift,” said Rogers-Cropper of the current company dancers. “And Garth Fagan Dance is something completely new to them, movement-wise, technique-wise, and the concentration needed to rehearse and learn. They all embrace the level of professionalism needed to succeed.”

The company can’t yet say which specific piece they will be rehearsing the evening of First Friday in May, but whichever work they present will reflect the recently refreshed vision for Garth Fagan Dance.

After announcing a transition in leadership in November 2023, the company settled into a new phase, with a focus on growth and change. Part of that change includes implementing a staff made up entirely of dancers, a rare format for a dance company’s administration. Audiences who stop by the studio in May will get a memorable chance to see the dancers who now steer the ship at Garth Fagan Dance, both in the office and onstage.

First Friday will occur from 6—9 p.m. on May 3. For the latest listing of participants in First Friday, visit firstfridayrochester.org.

Sydney Burrows is a contributor to CITY.