New York City Center's FALL FOR DANCE FESTIVAL Runs 9/27-10/13

New York City Center's ninth annual Fall for Dance Festival, running September 27 – October 13, has been expanded to 12 evenings of dance to meet the extraordinary ticket demand. The international festival will feature 20 acclaimed dance companies and choreographers in five unique programs. (Programs 1 – 3 will be repeated twice; Programs 4 and 5 will be repeated three times.) In keeping with its commitment to make dance affordable to everyone, all tickets will be $15. Tickets will go on sale Sunday, September 9 at 11 a.m.

"The Fall for Dance Festival has been wildly popular since its inception in 2004, with performances selling out more and more quickly each year," said New York City Center President & CEO Arlene Shuler. "This enthusiasm has been very gratifying to us, but we want to ensure that as many people as possible have a chance to experience the Festival and perhaps discover dance for the first time. To that end, we're thrilled to be able to offer two additional performances this year."

The Festival will also feature many free pre-show events, including discussions with choreographers and artists, dance lessons and a lounge where artists and audiences can meet.

AN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
The Fall for Dance Festival has received international acclaim for its quality, innovation and success in introducing new and younger audiences to the world of dance. Since its inception, the Festival has presented 165 different dance companies to almost 200,000 people. Newcomers and dance enthusiasts alike look forward to Fall for Dance as both an introduction to new artists and a welcome return to familiar and beloved companies.

The 2012 Festival features 20 companies from all across the globe and will include performances by BalletBoyz from London, U.K.; Circa from Brisbane, Australia; Fang-Yi Sheu & Artists, based in Taipei, Taiwan; The Hong Kong Ballet from China; LDP-Laboratory Dance Project from Seoul, South Korea; María Pagés Compañia from Madrid, Spain; Moiseyev Dance Company from Moscow, Russia; Nan Jombang from Jakarta, Indonesia; and Shantala Shivalingappa from Madras, India.

Acclaimed American companies include Ballet West from Salt Lake City, Utah; Ka Leo O Laka I Ka Hikina O Ka L? from Honolulu, Hawaii; Pacific Northwest Ballet from Seattle, Washington; and TU Dance from Saint Paul, Minnesota. New York companies and performers include American Ballet Theatre, Jared Grimes, Jodi Melnick, Juilliard Dance, Martha Graham Dance Company and Shen Wei Dance Arts (whose artistic director, Shen Wei, is a 2011-12 New York City Center Choreography Fellow). The 20th company is yet to be announced.

New York City Center gratefully acknowledges Fall for Dance Leadership Sponsor, Bloomberg, and its Principal Sponsor, MetLife Foundation. Fall for Dance is also made possible through the generosity of its Presenting Partners, Jody and John Arnhold, Barbara and David Zalaznick, Perry and Marty Granoff, and Caroline Howard Hyman.

"Bloomberg is firmly committed to supporting a diverse range of artists around the world," said Erana Stennett, Manager of Corporate Giving for the Americas, "and we are thrilled to continue our sponsorship of New York City Center's Fall for Dance Festival, which brings a variety of the world's best dance to New York."

"MetLife Foundation is committed to fostering access to the arts for people of all ages and backgrounds," said Dennis White, President and CEO of MetLife Foundation. "We are pleased to continue our support for this groundbreaking festival that creates opportunities for diverse audiences to experience world-class dance."

New York City Center also recognizes the extraordinary leadership support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, which inaugurated a $10 million endowment campaign to ensure the future stability of the annual Fall for Dance Festival. Additional generous funding for the Fall for Dance Festival endowment has been received from The Peter Jay Sharp Foundation, The Irene Diamond Fund, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation and an anonymous donor. More than $6.5 million in commitments have been received to date.