Performances
Learn more about Cohesion's upcoming season and
past performances
Shira Greenberg's Nutcracker On the Rocks 2026
Party scene
50s
Party scene
Party scene
Thanksgiving weekend brings a uniquely Helena holiday tradition to the Helena Civic Center as Cohesion Dance Project presents Shira Greenberg’s Nutcracker on the Rocks, Nov. 28 and 29, 2026.
This year’s production is especially significant as Nutcracker on the Rocks will move to a rotating year schedule following the 2026 performance. Cohesion will take a planned break from the production in 2027 while creating and performing a new imaginative holiday production, making this year’s performances an opportunity audiences will not want to miss.
Created and choreographed by Shira Greenberg, Nutcracker on the Rocks puts a rock-n-roll spin on the holiday classic, featuring iconic hits by Janis Joplin, James Brown, The Rolling Stones, and more. Showcasing an energetic fusion of dancers and dance styles—plus a roaring Harley Davidson on stage—the production has become one of Helena’s most beloved holiday events. Visiting guest artists join a dynamic cast of community and professional dancers of all ages and abilities in this thrilling journey through the decades.
Nutcracker on the Rocks originated in Albuquerque, NM, and was performed there for 20 years. Helena now holds the prestigious honor of being the only location where this innovative production is staged.
The 2026 cast includes nearly 70 community dancers performing alongside New York City based professional visiting artist Patrick Higgins and local leads Laura Brown as Marie, Nina Murphy as Madame Drosselmeier, and Rebecca White as Rat Queen.
Don’t miss your chance to experience the unique Helena holiday tradition of Shira Greenberg’s Nutcracker on the Rocks 2026 on Thanksgiving weekend, November 28 & 29!
Additional Opportunities!
* Exclusive Table Seating: Elevate your evening at a private table for six with premium floor seating right up front! Share the night with your favorite people while enjoying festive light bites and a complimentary drink token. Plus, table guests get early access one hour before the show for an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek before the curtain opens. It’s the ultimate way to experience the magic up close! (Tables are limited and available at both performances.)
* Online Auction: Bid on an array of one-of-a-kind packages and experiences in our online auction—the perfect way to kick off your holiday shopping while supporting the arts! Online bidding opens November 23, with items on display at both performances and final bids closing after the final curtain call November 29. Snag something special for everyone on your list!
Show times: Saturday, November 28 at 7:30pm and Sunday, November 29 at 2:00pm.
Ticketing info: Tickets are $18-$35 (plus fees) and are available through the Helena Civic Center box office at 406-447-8481 or online at www.helenaciviccenter.com.
Accelerated Contemporary Experience (ACE) Training Program
Cohesion's Accelerated Contemporary Experience (ACE) is a comprehensive dance training program designed to further the growth and development of contemporary dancers, ages 10-adult, through enhanced training and performance opportunities, fostering creativity, imagination, collaboration and mentorship.
ACE Information Session Wednesday, December 9 at 5:30pm at Cohesion Center.
A performance showcasing the ACE participant's original choreography will be held on March 20, 2027.
Experience Helena’s 15th Annual Community Choreography Showcase on Saturday, February 20, 2026, at Cohesion Center.
For one-night only, this lively, family-friendly performance celebrates the creative voices of choreographers of all ages and experience levels, featuring original and restaged works in a wide range of styles - from Irish and Hip-Hop to Jazz, Tap, Latin, and Modern/Contemporary. The evening brings together an energetic mix of dancers and dance groups from across the Helena community, offering audiences a dynamic and inspiring snapshot of local movement-makers.
Last year's contributors included Tiernan Irish Dancers, Diadra Goldes, Jeff Swingley and Julie Wotring, Nina Murphy, Jessica Partridge, Harley Hollibaugh, Cohesion Dance Project, Juliet Mahar, Tawnya Trevino-Mix, Isabella Ramos, Charley Troyer, Image Dancing, the 42nd Street tap number from Grandstreet’s 50th Anniversary Concert, and more.
2026-2027 End of Session Show
April 24, 2027
Join us for the End-of-Session Performance where students who attended classes during Cohesion's 2026-2027 Season will share what they have learned. These choreographed pieces are a demonstration of the movements, coordination and skills taught throughout the session. More information to come!
Past Performances
2026 Guest Artist Residency
Supporting artists in the development of new work - featuring 2026 Artist-in-Residence, Nina Murphy!
Cohesion Dance Project presents Recollections, an evening-length performance by 2026 Spring Artist-in-Residence Nina Murphy.
Murphy’s residency explores repetition, pattern, and recurrence, drawing inspiration from nature, daily life, and her own choreographic process. Influenced by philosopher Søren Kierkegaard, the work considers repetition and recollection as the same movement in opposite directions - repetition as a repeating lived experience in the present, and recollection as a return to what has already occurred.
Recollections challenges the notion of repetition as monotonous, instead revealing it as a source of renewal rather than duplication. As time shapes each moment, repeated actions evolve - gaining new meaning, depth, and possibility. The performance features a varied cast of over 40 community and professional dancers from Cohesion and the broader Helena community.
Community Outreach
Beyond the stage, Cohesion’s Guest Artist Residency extends into the community through movement-based outreach with local schools, expanding opportunities for students to engage with and learn from professional dance artists. The residency and accompanying outreach classes are supported in part by the Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation and the Montana Arts Council.
About Nina
A Helena native, Murphy spent the past four years living in the United Kingdom, where she earned her MFA from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. During her time abroad, she performed in A Single Man (2025), directed by Jonathan Watkins at the Royal Opera House; danced with Boy Blue for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee (2022); and performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Young Composer Programme (2024). Her performance credits also include works by José Limón, Colin Connor, Jesse Obremski, and Julynn Wildman’s dance film Body in Motion (2021). Murphy received her BFA from the University of Wyoming and began her dance training at Helena’s Creative Arts Center. She has been a guest instructor for Cohesion summer intensives and was most
recently featured as the Rat Queen in Cohesion’s 2025 rendition of Shira Greenberg’s Nutcracker on the Rocks.
