Cady Huffman Tapped as Host for Fire Island Dance Festival

Two internationally acclaimed dance companies, a celebrated choreographer and a Tony Award-winning host have just been added to the already stellar lineup of Fire Island Dance Festival, which takes the stage July 14-16, 2017, in Fire Island, NY.

Fire Island Dance Festival (#fidance) brings established and emerging dance companies and choreographers to a stunning waterfront stage in the heart of Fire Island Pines. The annual event is produced by and benefits Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The newly announced additions to the festival are:

- Cuba-based company Acosta Danza, performing a duet that explores the splendors and frustrations of a couple in love. The Fire Island Dance Festival appearance marks the company's first performance in the United States.

- Choreographer Al Blackstone, premiering a piece that paints the portrait of a man who will go to great lengths to get what he wants. The number features James Whiteside, American Ballet Theatre principal dancer.

- Miami City Ballet, sharing an excerpt of Justin Peck's lauded pas de deux "Chutes and Ladders," featuring principals Jeanette Delgado and Kleber Rebello.

These performers join the previously announced lineup of Caleb Teicher & Company; EVIDENCE, A Dance Company; Peridance Contemporary Dance Company and Pontus Lidberg Dance, as well choreography from Broadway's Lorin Latarro (Waitress) and Manuel Vignoulle.

Cady Huffman will host the weekend-long event. The charming and multi-talented Huffman won the Tony for her unforgettable performance as Ulla in The Producers and also was nominated for The Will Rogers Follies. She is a favorite judge on Food Network's Iron Chef America and has regularly been seen on television in such shows as Blue Bloods, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Frasier, The Good Wife, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and more.

Last year's Fire Island Dance Festival raised a record-breaking $560,133, with more than $4.8 million raised since the festival began in 1995. Through their generous support, 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.

Also previously announced, Monica Bill Barnes & Company will kick-off Fire Island Dance Festival at the Fridaynight Leadership Event at Whyte Hall, reserved exclusively for Leadership Supporters. The weekend continues with three Fire Island Dance Festival performances: the opening performance on Saturday, July 15, at 5 pm (cocktails starting at4 pm); the sunset performance on Saturday, July 15, at 7 pm (cocktails following); and the closing performance on Sunday, July 16 at 5 pm (cocktails following). Leadership Supporters enjoy tickets to the highly coveted sunset performance on Saturday or the best seats in the house at the 5 pm performances on Saturday or Sunday, along with the Friday night event and prominent recognition in the harbor and throughout the Pines. Leadership tickets start at $350. Individual tickets for the 5 pm performances are $150. Free round-trip water taxi service is generously available for all attendees.

A hassle-free daytrip package features round-trip luxury transportation from New York City, a champagne luncheon and tickets to the 5 pm performance on Sunday, July 16. A Sunday VIP option, which includes the champagne luncheon and tickets to the Sunday show, is also available. The daytrip package is $275; the Sunday VIP option is $225.

Tickets for Fire Island Dance Festival are on sale at dradance.org or by phone at 212.840.0770, ext. 229. Tickets are also available in person on weekends in the Fire Island Pines harbor from 10 am - 1 pm. Fire Island Dance Festival is generously sponsored by The New York Times, United Airlines, DIRECTV, Sayville Ferry and Tony's Barge, Inc.

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, on Facebook at facebook.com/DRAdance, on Instagram at instagram.com/DRAdance, on Twitter at twitter.com/DRAdance, and on YouTube at youtube.com/DRAdance.