City of Ashes is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary contemporary dance work conceived by choreographer Matthew Westerby. The work marks the advent of the AIDS crisis in New York City – an epidemic that defined an era and forever changed the face of the city’s gay community. Drawing inspiration from the stories of lives taken too soon and the memories that many left behind, the work reflects upon the tragedy so many faced and the resilience that the community found in the face of stigma, ignorance and bigotry.

Through research of publications, artwork and media from the period, City of Ashes honors the powerful human relationships and personal histories of those lost to AIDS in New York City. The work is a collaboration with three composers – Bent Duo (David Friend & Bill Solomon) and John P. Hastings.

The project identifies artistic goals that speak to Westerby’s work – creating professional, collaborative dance works as a reflection of his identity as an immigrant, LGBTQ New Yorker and creating dance works that are accessible and open to all, showcasing Westerby’s athletic movement style and his abstract, emotional connection to music.

The work was performed in excerpt as part of MWC’s 15th Anniversary Performance Season in May 2024; the full-length work with live music will be premiered in December 2025 at the Judson Memorial Church. The work is supported, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts.