Everyone’s Favorite Dancing Hippo Finds a New Stage at Lincoln Center

A beloved cultural icon has taken center stage at Lincoln Center! Danish artist Bjørn Okholm Skaarup’s Hippo Ballerina, the 15-foot, 2.5-ton bronze sculpture adorned in a copper tutu, has arrived at Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus as the highlight of The Magis Sculpture Exhibition, a collaboration with Cavalier Galleries.

Inspired by Degas’ Little Dancer Aged Fourteen and Disney’s Fantasia, Hippo Ballerina has delighted audiences across the country, from New York to Connecticut and beyond. Now, set against Fordham’s stunning outdoor sculpture garden, she is joined by an extraordinary lineup of 11 sculptures, including Skaarup’s sculptures The Frog, The Majestic Lion, The Giraffe, and The Ostrich. Each sculpture presents a whimsical story or allegory to decipher, with sources ranging from ancient fables and art history to music and modern animation.

Joining Skaarup’s bronze lineup are two monumental sculptures from Jim Rennert, Timing and Inner Dialogue, which represent the meeting point between the business world and the everyday lives of ordinary people. Rennert’s titles work together with his visual art to illustrate the experiences—sometimes physical, sometimes psychological—common to contemporary society, and perhaps especially the urban environment. The sculptures have previously been exhibited in New York City’s Pershing Square, Theatre District and Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza. Works by renowned figurative artists Bruno Lucchesi and Jane DeDecker are also featured, with sculptures that explore themes of family, nature, and human growth.

The exhibition offers a whimsical and thought-provoking journey through art history, allegory, and storytelling—all in the heart of Manhattan’s vibrant cultural corridor. Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour, with QR codes offering insights into each piece. The exhibition is open to the public through December.