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McKoy Dance Project, one of the many companies performing in the FREE Battery Dance Festival. Photo by Nir Arieli.
Plus pay-what-you-wish events, Michelle Dorrance, Pilobolus and more
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Dance does not slow down for the summer. In addition to incredible indoor performances, including Michelle Dorrance and her tappers, the eye-popping Pilobolus and American Ballet Theatre's Like Water for Chocolate, you can catch FREE outdoor dance in Manhattan parks and plazas.
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The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in Chelsea
Runs July 9-14.
Founded 30 years ago by the late Tony-winning choreographer Michael Smuin (Sophisticated Ladies, Anything Goes with Patti LuPone), his namesake company dances on as a repertory troupe. Its Joyce program features three commissioned works, all NYC premieres: Val Caniparoli's neoclassical Tutto Eccetto il Lavandino; Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Tupelo Tornado inspired by Elvis' love-hate relationship with fame; and Renaissance by the company's incoming artistic director Amy Seiwert.
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Lincoln Center's Rose Theater, Broadway and West 60th Street in Lincoln Square
Runs July 11-12.
Part of India Week at Lincoln Center's Summer for the City festival, Aakash Odedra Company's Samsara draws on the essence of Buddhist philosophy, exploring the obstacles and states of mind that hold us back. Odedra, a striking British dancer of South Asian ancestry, made several memorable solo appearances in NYC over a decade ago. So his long overdue return with his eponymous troupe is a notable event.
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New Victory Theater, 209 West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in Midtown West
Runs July 11, 18 and 25
NYC's premier family theatre, the New Victory, presents a trio of dance programs for ages 8 and older that are brief (just 75 minutes), eclectic (hip-hop, contemporary and international troupes are all represented) and cheap (only $13 per ticket!). On July 11, catch work from Jerron Herman, Calpulli Mexican Dance Company and A.I.M by Kyle Abraham. On July 18, Ephrat Asherie Dance, Kotchegna Dance Company and Barkin/Selissen Project perform. The series ends on July 25 with Ladies of Hip Hop, NVA and Mont Blanc. An excellent introduction to dance for kids!
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Chelsea Green Park, 20th Street between Sixth and Seventh Avenues in Chelsea
CANCELED DUE TO RAIN. Runs July 12. FREE
As part of the three-day West Side Fest, The Joyce Theater presents dancers from two of its upcoming programs for FREE at a nearby Chelsea green space. Two of Dorrance Dance's talented tappers, Sterling Harris and Addi Loving, will improvise to live music, and Pilobolus will perform its mesmerizing duet Bloodlines. After each set, there will be a Q&A with the performers as well as a tap jam open to all.
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The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in Chelsea
Runs July 16-21
Prolific tap innovator Michelle Dorrance brings her namesake company back to The Joyce with a world premiere for which she provides not just some of the moves, but the entire percussive score. The hour-long work is inspired by the spirit and philosophy of one of Dorrance's early mentors, Gene Medler, the founder and director of the North Carolina Youth Tap Ensemble. Her company, a tight-knit group of musician-dancers, alternate between improvisational solos and choreographed ensemble sections.
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Metropolitan Opera House, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza at 62nd Street on the Upper West Side
Runs July 16-20. If you're a TDF member, log in to your account to purchase discount tickets.
American Ballet Theatre's summer season wraps up this month with a return engagement of last year's major premiere, Christopher Wheeldon's Like Water for Chocolate, inspired by Laura Esquivel's celebrated novel-turned-film about thwarted lovers. The score is by Joby Talbot, a longtime Wheeldon collaborator, and Bob Crowley created the elaborate scenery and costumes.
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Little Island, Pier 55 in Hudson River Park at 13th Street in the Meatpacking District
Runs July 17-21
A new work by the singularly musical and intelligent choreographer Pam Tanowitz is always a must-see. Day for Night is particularly exciting because she has crafted this world premiere to complement the dramatic natural landscape of Little Island. A meditation on memory and nostalgia, the piece was created with several of her longtime dancers and features costumes by Reid Bartelme & Harriet Jung.
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The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in Chelsea
Runs July 23-August 11
Pilobolus may have reached middle age but the unique 53-year-old troupe continues to evolve and create bold new works. The company returns for its annual summer run at The Joyce with two distinct programs: Dreams and Memory. In addition to performing classics, including early works Untitled and Gnomen, there will be two NYC premieres: the athletic duet Bloodlines and Tales from the Underworld set to a score by Stuart Bogie. Note that Memory features full frontal nudity. For a G-rated experience, try the family matinee on Saturday, Jul 27.
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Various Lincoln Center venues in Lincoln Square
Runs July 26-August 4. All events are FREE. General admission is first come, first served or you can make free fast track reservations online in advance, which give you priority.
Jawole Willa Jo Zollar's Urban Bush Women is still going strong at 40, continuing to explore and communicate the power, resourcefulness and spiritual strength of Black women. To mark its Ruby Anniversary, the troupe presents a series of no-cost events as part of Lincoln Center's Summer for the City festival. The main attraction is Haint Blu (July 28 and August 4), a roaming work in and around Hearst Plaza named after the color that Southern families paint their front porches to ward off evil spirits. Additional celebratory events include Dance for Every Body movement classes (July 26 and 28); How We Got to the Funk by Jawole Willa Jo Zollar (July 26), a performative workshop; and Mindful Bodies and Reflective Practices (July 31 and August 4) focused on self-care and rejuvenation.
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Various Lincoln Center venues in Lincoln Square
Runs July 30-August 3. FREE and pay-what-you-wish.
Also part of Summer for the City at Lincoln Center, this fest within a festival brings together five of NYC's most celebrated dance companies: Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlem. The performances, all featuring one work from each troupe, are held indoors at the David H. Koch Theater and are pay-what-you-wish starting at $5. (No surprise tickets are practically sold out.) But before every performance there will be FREE dance workshops open to all in the lobby of David Geffen Hall.
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Bryant Park, 40th to 42nd Streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown West
Runs August 10 and 31. FREE
Throughout the summer, Bryant Park is presenting FREE performances on select evenings. Music, theatre and movement are all on the schedule and can be enjoyed in this verdant, Midtown oasis. There are two dance events in August. On Saturday, August 10, the New Victory Theater presents an evening curated for families featuring Bessie Award winner Ephrat Asherie and her company alongside the Barkin/Selissen Project. On Saturday, August 31, summer goes out with a bang with this stellar lineup: the lauded Mark Morris Dance Group, Blacks in Ballet and Reed Luplau, a striking Australian contemporary dancer and Broadway vet.
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Rockefeller Park, enter at Murray Street and River Terrace in Battery Park City
Runs August 11-17. FREE
For its 43rd annual edition, this ambitious festival offers seven eclectic programs performed against the scenic backdrop of New York Harbor. The lineup includes 16 American troupes, 11 international companies (from Finland, Taiwan, Romania, Nigeria and more), as well as a program (August 12) focused on Young Voices in Dance. The August 15 performance celebrates India Day with dancers and musicians from that nation. Can't make it in person? Register to receive emails with links to recordings of the performances.
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The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street in Chelsea
Runs August 13-18
The Joyce's summer season closes with a week of ballet curated by American Ballet Theatre principal Calvin Royal III, who will also perform. He brings together an incredible roster of performers, including dancers from ABT, Paris Opera Ballet, Boston Ballet, Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Ballet Eloelle/Grandiva and the winner of this year's Youth America Grand Prix competition. The two ambitious and diverse programs feature choreography by legends such as George Balanchine and Kenneth MacMillan alongside recent works by Royal's ABT colleagues, including James Whiteside, Duncan Lyle, Aleisha Walker and Zhong-Jing Fang.
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Navatman, 38 West 32nd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown West
Runs August 22-25 and September 13-15
This thoughtfully curated festival of Indian dance and music features seven different programs exploring the diverse range of styles within the nation's many regions. A bona fide celebration of community and culture, each performance focuses on a distinctive genre and its traditions. Workshops and panel discussions are also on the agenda.
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Susan Reiter covers dance for TDF Stages.
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