Art Under Construction: Naia Neal
March 13
"To be a WATERWORKS Fellow is an invitation to freely explore, take bold risks, experiment, and expand my artistic voice within a community that believes in my potential and supports my vision with genuine intention. I am deeply honored, inspired, and grateful to Harlem Stage and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for this transformative opportunity."
Naia Neal (Aptos, CA) began her dance training at the age of 7 at Dancenter, a local dance studio in her hometown. A graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program, where she was awarded the 2024 Denise Jefferson Memorial Scholarship, she now holds an apprenticeship with Ailey II and a contract with Pangea Dance Collective.
Ms. Neal has performed works by Alvin Ailey, Hope Boykin, Christopher L. Huggins, Jonathan Lee, PeiJu Chien-Pott, Francesca Harper, Clifford Williams, Darshan Singh Bhuller, Ephrat Asherie, and Micha Scott. Her performance appearances include Alvin Ailey’s Memoria during Ailey’s 2023 New York City Center season and at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) in 2024, Hope Boykin’s Chasing the Spirit at the 2023 Ailey Spirit Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and an appearance with Ailey II during their 2024–2025 season
Naia is deeply honored to collaborate with Harlem Stage, where her work Dear Us unfolds as a love letter to collective becoming.