Mandell Presents: The Remember Balloons
Saturday, October 3, 2026
3:00 PM-4:30 PM
Based on the book by Jessie Oliveros
Illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Directed and Choreographed by Dominic Moore-Dunson
Original score by Theron Brown
James’s Grandpa has the best balloons because he has the best memories. He has balloons showing Dad when he was young and Grandma when they were married. Grandpa has balloons about camping and Aunt Nelle’s poor cow. Grandpa also has a silver balloon filled with the memory of a fishing trip he and James took together.
But when Grandpa’s balloons begin to float away, James is heartbroken. No matter how hard he runs, James can’t catch them. One day, Grandpa lets go of the silver balloon—and he doesn’t even notice! Grandpa no longer has balloons of his own. But James has many more than before. It’s up to him to share those balloons, one by one.
Created by Director/Choreographer Dominic Moore-Dunson, this dance production breathes life into “The Remember Balloons” by bringing the original story by Jessie Owens and illustrations by Dana Wulfekotte onto the stage! Beautifully accompanied by an original score composed by Theron Brown, the show incorporates digital projections and narration to complement Moore-Dunson’s theatrical choreography, resulting in a heartfelt experience for the entire family.
2:00 PM | Information & engagement in Mandell Lobby
3:00 PM | Performance
3:45 PM | Community conversation with Dominic Moore Dunson immediately following the performance.
Tickets for this event are free, but registration is required in advance. Get Tickets HERE
Please note: the performance includes themes related to Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. It is presented with sensitivity, but some content may evoke strong emotional responses, particularly for those who have personal experience with the themes presented.
Engage more with this artist!
The visionary choreographer and director of The Remember Balloons, Dominic Moore-Dunson, is a 2026-27 Rankin Scholar-in-Residence for Drexel’s Antionette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. His artistic visit to campus includes class visits and workshops for Drexel students and the community, Sep 30-Oct 3, 2026. Visit drexel.edu/Westphal/news-events/events/ for more information and announcements.
Dominic Moore-Dunson, one of Dance Magazine’s 2023 “25 to Watch,” is an award-winning choreographer, professional dancer, producer, and teaching artist. After his 25/26 appointment as Lloyd Richards New Futures Resident Artist at the Wilma Theater and delivery of the 2025 Drexel Fall Lecture in Dance, Dominic returns to Philadelphia as a 2026-27 Rankin Scholar-in-Residence, accompanied by the company of his production, The Remember Balloons.
Dominic is the co-owner of Moore-Dunson Co., a performing arts production company housing national touring arts +entertainment products and local arts community impact initiatives. Moore-Dunson Co. is committed to Urban Midwest Storytelling, a style of presentation capturing the juxtaposition between the beauty and hopelessness of humanity. Known for his community-centric approach, Dominic is a champion of community engagement in dance and entrepreneurship. Dominic's work has earned him acclaim, including as an Associate Artist at Atlantic Center for the Arts, the 2019 Cleveland Arts Prize's Emerging Artist Award for Theatre & Dance, and as a2019 Fellow of The Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Program at Jacob’s Pillow. He's also deeply involved with the National Center for Choreography–Akron as a Creative Research Residency Artist and Creative Administration Research Fellow. A co-founder of the Akron Black Artist Guild and graduate of National Arts Strategies’ Executive Program for Arts & Culture Strategies at the University of Pennsylvania, Dominic is a committed leader to the arts & culture sector nationally using his knowledge and skills as a choreographer to help the sector “move into action.” dommooredun.com
Rankin Scholar-in-Residence Series
Named in honor of former Dean Marjorie Rankin and established through the continuing donations of her friends and colleagues, seeks to bring noted individuals to campus who excel in the multidisciplinary education championed by the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design.