Dance Gallery Festival Returns For 11th Year; Lineup Announced

Astrid von Ussar, Artistic Director of The Dance Gallery Festival, announced today the lineup for the Festival's 11th annual New York performance showcase, on Friday, November 3 at Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center, 29 Jay St in Brooklyn, and on November 4-5 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W 55th Street, NYC.

The Dance Gallery Festival was established in 2007 to mentor upcoming national and international choreographic talent with performance opportunities and residencies. Twenty-five artists will present groundbreaking work in three distinct and separate programs over the 2017 NYC Festival weekend, which will include choreography by Alvin Ailey dancer Sean Aaron Carmon, Rohan Bhargava's Rovaco Dance and Nicole von Arx. *Program lineup below.

Under the guidance of Astrid von Ussar, Festival Artistic Director and co-founder, artistry is cultivated by creating a performance vehicle to help support the growth of dance companies. By providing increased exposure and new performance opportunities, The Dance Gallery Festival serves to mentor hundreds of artists seeking to establish a foothold in a business with few resources and much competition.

Over 300 emerging and established choreographers have participated in the Dance Gallery Festival since its founding in 2007, with more than 25 works commissioned. Many Festival alumni have gone on to perform at Jacob's Pillow, The Joyce Theater, international venues and national television.

"This year the Festival is expanding," said Ms. von Ussar. "Level UP artists are now receiving artist fees in support of the creation of new work. Additional residencies are in process via our new, expanded university partnerships.

"In addition, for the first time this year, dancers will be participating in a residency program with workshops and performances, in coordination with the Catskills Arts Society in Livingston Manor, New York. It's so wonderful to see further opportunities arise for Dance Gallery participating artists as the Festival continues to grow," she said.

In 2009, The Dance Gallery partnered with Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, offering paid guest artist residencies to select participating companies. The University's one-week residencies include the opportunity to choreograph new work on Sam Houston's upper-level students, as well as teach classes in technique and choreography. A juried panel comprised of Sam Houston faculty and area artists select the resident artists. The Texas portion of The Dance Gallery Program this year will take place October 27 and 28 at Sam Houston University Performing Arts Center (7:30pm).

The Dance Gallery Festival NYC
November 3-5
Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center | Ailey Citigroup Theater
Tickets from $20 - Available Soon!

Opening Night - Friday, November 3 at 7:30pm
Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center
29 Jay St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Reception with Cast to Follow Performance

· Thirteen artists, selected by the Festival committee from more than 250 applications, will present work pushing the boundaries of modern and contemporary dance. The program will include the AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD, in which audience members get to choose the ONE choreographer they would like to see in The Dance Gallery Festival Level UP program next year.

Saturday, November 4 at 7:30pm
Ailey Citigroup Theater - The Joan Weill Center for Dance
405 W. 55th Street at 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10019

· "Level UP" is a performance showcase for three dance companies/choreographers ready to advance to the next level in development and promotion of their work. Each company will receive 25 minutes of performance time and a commission fee. "Level UP" artists are judged qualified by the selection committee to present at the national level. Featured Artists for the Dance Gallery 2017 Level Up performances include Nicole von Arx, Rohan Bhargava, Dionne Sparkman Noble and Andy Noble.

Sunday, November 5 at 3:00pm
Ailey Citigroup Theater - The Joan Weill Center for Dance
405 W. 55th Street at 9th Avenue
New York, NY 10019

· Thirteen artists to present, six for the first time at this year's Festival, and seven in reprise from Dance Gallery Festival opening night at Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center. Artists were chosen from the Festival committee from more than 250 applicants, presenting work that pushes the boundaries of modern and contemporary dance. The program will include the AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD, in which audience members get to choose the ONE choreographer they would like to see in The Dance Gallery Festival Level UP program next year.

THE DANCE GALLERY FESTIVAL NYC PARTICIPATING ARTISTS:

The Movement/James Morrow, Victoria DeRenzo, Ad Deum Dance Company, Charlette Settle, Sean Carmon, Cassie Hobbs, Patrick O'Brien, RudduR Dance/Christopher Rudd, Kjara Staric Wurst, Kizuna Dance/Cameron McKinney, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Elizabeth Roxas, Bruce Wood Dance, Ariel Rivka Dance, Jenny Gerena, Mary Grace McNally

LEVEL UP:

Nicole von Arx, Rohan Bhargava, Dionne Sparkman Noble and Andy Noble

ABOUT THE DANCE GALLERY FESTIVAL

The production of modern concert dance is often challenged by the scarcity of suitable and affordable performance venues. The Dance Gallery Festival addresses this problem by providing a state-of-the-art theater, complete with production staff, marketing, and public relations support to showcase each choreographer's work. Having been met with much praise and enthusiasm from artists, audiences and critics alike, The Dance Gallery Festival has quickly become an essential and anticipated addition to the dance world. This type of venue helps deepen the public's appreciation and support for concert dance.