In the eyes of Ana Maria Alvarez, who heads up the dance program in UC San Diego’s Department of Theatre and Dance, art-making can be both enlightening and healing.
“We’re in a time right now where more people need to be making art,” Alvarez said.
This year, she has been mentoring nine student choreographers who have developed dance works that are helping them explore deep questions about themselves and the world. Now the public will have the opportunity to see the results in the “New Directions” dance program, taking place Thursday through Saturday evenings at Epstein Family Amphitheater on the UCSD campus.
Ana Maria Alvarez, director of the dance program at UCSD, at the 2025 “New Directions” dance concerts at Epstein Family Amphitheater. The 2026 program will take place June 4-6. (Erik Jepsen)
In addition to the ticketed “New Directions” concerts, the university is also presenting V12ION, a free showcase of dance teams that will take place on Saturday afternoon. Nearly 300 student dancers will perform hip-hop and other dance forms and engage in dance battles.
Saturday’s double-feature of V12ION and “New Directions,” has been dubbed the Day of Dance. It was developed with support from the Department of Theatre and Dance, ArtPower at UC San Diego, the Office of the Dean of Arts and Humanities and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Campus Life.
The all-day celebration Saturday will grow connections among UC San Diego’s dance community while engaging audiences through the power of embodied storytelling. This new tradition joins dozens of arts and performance events across campus that bring people together through shared creative experiences.
Student choreographer James Selby will premiere his dance piece “It’s Time to Shine” at the 2026 “New Directions” dance concerts at UC San Diego’s Epstein Family Amphitheater, June 4-6. (Luis Lopez)
One of the student choreographers Alvarez is working with for “New Directions” is undergraduate James Selby, who said dancing has changed his life.
After immigrating to the United States nine years ago, he decided to follow his childhood dream of becoming a dancer. In his mid-30s, Selby enrolled in a local community college that offered dance courses. Despite the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, he started with online classes, eventually transitioning to in-person lessons as time passed.
There were moments when Selby doubted himself.
“I often felt too old, insecure or afraid that this dream was unrealistic,” he said. “But I never stopped showing up for myself. Even on difficult days, I would tell myself: ‘You are going to class. No matter what happens, show up for yourself.’”
Selby transferred to UC San Diego last fall at 41 years old to study dance. The piece he choreographed for “New Directions” is titled “It’s Time to Shine,” which shares his personal story — how dancing once served as a form of emotional numbing, but has evolved into an immense sense of freedom, connection and joy. Five dancers will perform the piece, including Selby, in a style that blends jazz, improvisation, contemporary and groove-based movement.
“One of the biggest messages I hope people take from my story is that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams,” Selby said. “Your age, your body, your background or your past do not define your ability to grow, transform and achieve something meaningful.”
A total of eight works will be presented at “New Directions,” with subjects ranging from the path to overcoming self-doubt to how desire can be channeled into personal strength and how to process the loss of a loved one.
The showcase, directed by Alvarez and led by students, offers an opportunity for students to collaborate across disciplines, with choreographers, sound designers, stage managers, dancers and lighting designers working together to bring the show to life.
The dance showcase V12ION (pronounced “vision”) will introduces audiences to the UCSD’s dance teams. The event, featuring hip-hop and other dance forms, is organized by the Division 12 Dance Team, a project team described as a home base for students who wanted a space to “inhale, exhale and dance.”
Their goal for this year’s event is to cultivate connections.
“We want to bring the community back together and reinforce the relationship between students and the Department of Theatre and Dance,” said Rianna Nirel Ferrer, an interdisciplinary computing in the arts major who began dancing at age 11.
“A lot of dancers are non-majors; they just love dancing as a hobby,” explained team member Brandon Tran.
A real estate development and urban studies and planning student, Tran started his UC San Diego dance journey through KADOFF (Korean-American Student Association Dance Off) before joining Division 12.
“San Diego is known for team dancing, and we wanted to cultivate that within UC San Diego, give them space to show everyone what they’ve been working on.”
UCSD Day of Dance
V12ION Dance Team Showcase
When: 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday
Admission: Free
“New Directions”
When: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday
Tickets: $12.50-$25
Where: Epstein Family Amphitheater, 9500 Gilman Drive, UCSD, La Jolla