Fire Island Dance Festival Returns to Fire Island Pines

Fire Island Dance Festival returns July 20-22, 2018, bringing world-class dance, breathtaking views and unparalleled culture to Fire Island Pines. The annual festival of celebrated and diverse companies and choreographers is produced by and benefits Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Fire Island Dance Festival (#fidance) will once again grace a stunning waterfront stage, set on the shores of the Great South Bay. Tickets for the festival are on sale now at dradance.org or by phone at 212.840.0770, ext. 229.

The event has raised more than $5.6 million since the festival began in 1995. Through their generous support, Fire Island Dance Festival attendees have helped ensure that those in need throughout the New York area and in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico receive lifesaving medications, nutritious meals, counseling and emergency financial assistance. This year's performers, choreographers and host will be announced this spring.

Past festivals have welcomed acclaimed dance companies including Acosta Danza, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Hispanico, Caleb Teicher & Company, MADBOOTS DANCE, Miami City Ballet, MOMIX and Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, and featured choreography by Kyle Abraham, Joshua Beamish, Al Blackstone, Lorin Latarro, Marcelo Gomes, Darrell Grand Moultrie, Paul Taylor, Charlie Williams and Tony Award winners Rob Ashford and Jerry Mitchell. The weekend kicks off with the Friday night Leadership Event, an intimate evening of cocktails and a special performance exclusively for Leadership Supporters.

The experience continues with three Fire Island Dance Festival performances: the opening performance on Saturday, July 20, at 5 pm (cocktails starting at 4 pm); Leadership Sunset Performance on Saturday, July 21, at 7 pm (cocktails following); and closing performance on Sunday, July 22, at 5 pm (cocktails following). Leadership Supporters enjoy an elevated festival experience that includes the Leadership Event with cocktails on Friday, highly coveted tickets to the sunset performance on Saturday or priority seating at either 5 pm performance, as well as recognition in the harbor and throughout the Pines.

Leadership tickets start at $375. Individual tickets for the 5 pm performances are $175. A hassle-free daytrip package is available, which features round-trip luxury transportation from New York City, a champagne luncheon and tickets to the 5 pm performance on Sunday, July 22. A Sunday VIP option, which includes the champagne luncheon and tickets to the Sunday show without the transportation, also is available. The daytrip package is $275; the Sunday VIP option is $225. Beginning May 26, tickets also will be available in person on weekends in the Fire Island Pines Harbor.

Dancers Responding to AIDS relies on the extraordinary compassion and efforts of the performing arts community to fund a safety net of social services for those in need. As a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, DRA supports the essential programs of The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative and The Dancers' Resource, as well as more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide.

For more information, please visit Dancers Responding to AIDS at dradance.org, at facebook.com/DRAdance, at instagram.com/DRAdance, at twitter.com/DRAdance and at youtube.com/DRAdance.