Asian American Ballet Project (AABP), the nation’s first ballet company dedicated exclusively to Asian American dancers and narratives, in partnership with Project Asian Joy and its founder, artist Anita Yip, will present Asian American Ballet on the Bay, a free outdoor performance and participatory arts experience on June 20, at 4pm (rain date: June 21) at Fan Pier Park on Boston’s waterfront.
Conceived by Anita Yip, a public artist whose work connects people to place, culture, and history, and a member of the Boston Harbor Women of Color Coalition, the event uses art to foster community connection and expand access to Boston’s waterfront for communities historically underrepresented there. Together, AABP and Project Asian Joy bring this to life through world-class ballet, cultural storytelling, and joyful intergenerational participation.
The program begins with a curated performance by AABP dancers, featuring original works inspired by Asian folklore. Audiences are then invited into the performance space to learn simple, expressive movements and join dancers in a collective movement experience. The event concludes with dynamic photo opportunities, allowing attendees to connect directly with artists and create lasting memories.
For many attendees, this will be a first encounter with live ballet—and a first experience of feeling culturally centered in a waterfront environment.
By pairing an art form historically perceived as elite with a public space that has not always felt inclusive, Asian American Ballet on the Bay creates a powerful cultural intervention. More than a performance, the event reimagines who belongs in both ballet and on the Harbor.
Through shared, participatory experiences, the event fosters lasting emotional connections to the waterfront, transforming it into a place associated with joy, pride, and community presence. It invites audiences not only to experience the Harbor—but to feel a sense of ownership within it.