NY City Center Announces Lineup for 15th Fall for Dance Festival

New York City Center announced today full programming for the 15th Fall for Dance Festival (Oct 1 - 13). Opening the landmark 75th Anniversary Season, the Festival showcases an international array of dance artists and companies in five unique programs. In keeping with City Center's founding mission to make the arts accessible to everyone, all tickets are $15.

The inaugural Fall for Dance Festival was held in 2004 with the goal of building a new audience for dance. In his closing night review of that season, Jack Anderson wrote in The New York Times, "Fall for Dance has proved to be the brightest idea to light up the New York dance scene in a long time."

"When we launched the first Fall for Dance, I could not have imagined it would still be a thriving institution fifteen seasons later," said Shuler. "We're so grateful to the community of dance artists, enthusiastic audiences, and generous supporters who make it all possible year after year."

Since its inception, Fall for Dance has received international recognition for its quality and innovation, and successfully engaging new and younger dance audiences. The Festival has presented over 220 companies, 118 premieres, and introduced more than 300,000 newcomers and dance enthusiasts to an eclectic mix of choreographers and performers, all for the price of less than a movie ticket.

In celebration of the 15th anniversary, the ten-day festival will feature six world premiere commissions from Gemma Bond, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Justin Peck, Sonya Tayeh,Caleb Teicher, and Jennifer Weber; and performances by Acosta Danza, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Hispánico, Boston Ballet, Caleb Teicher & Company,Cie Hervé KOUBI, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Gemma Bond Dance, Herman Cornejo & Alina Cojocaru, INTRODANS, Junior Cervila & Guadalupe Garcia, Justin Peck & Patricia Delgado, National Ballet of China, Nederlands Dans Theater 2, Pam Tanowitz Dance, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Rennie Harris Puremovement, Sara Mearns,Tayeh Dance with Heather Christian, and Tiler Peck, Lil Buck & Amar Ramasar.

Additionally, City Center will kick off the 75th Anniversary Season by opening its doors early on October 1 at 6:30 pm-inviting the public for a champagne toast while viewing the life-size portraits of City Center artists by Nina Robinson on display in the through-block passage adjacent to City Center (between 55th and 56th streets). The Robinson portraits are one of three special visual art commissions being presented in honor of the 75th Anniversary. Ticket holders for the opening performance will also be able to tour the new duration of the season and the second visual art commission-an installation by Lawrence Weiner mounted in the east and west stair landings connecting the Orchestra-level and Grand Tier lobbies. This special pre-performance event will also feature pop-up dance performances by MOVE(NYC) and Caleb Teicher & Friends throughout the through-block passage and theater lobbies.

Fall for Dance ticket holders on October 2 - 6, 10, 12, and 13 are invited to free, pre-show dance lessons taught by Festival artists from 6:45 - 7:30 pm in the Grand Tier Lobby.

The 2018 Fall for Dance Festival runs October 1 - 13 at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues). All tickets are $15 and go on sale Sunday, September 9, at 11am. Tickets can be purchased online at NYCityCenter.org, by calling 212.581.1212, or in person at the box office.

Photo Credit: Frédéric de Favernay