American Dance Festival Announces 80th Season Schedule

At 80, most are just happy to be mobile and active, let alone planning on dancing for six and a half weeks straight. But that's exactly what Durham's most well-known dance festival plans to do.

The American Dance Festival (ADF) is back for its 80th season and has announced its 2013 schedule June 13- July 27, 2013. The Schedule includes 47 captivating performances by 25 companies and choreographers from around the word.This year's season will feature 11 ADF debuts, 9 commissioned world premieres 2 reconstructions and 1 US premiere.  The season also includes four collaborations including the ADF and Lincoln Center Out of Doors co-commission of a new site specific performance by Mark Dendy. The work will premiere in New York City during ADF’s season and will feature 80 dancers in honor of the Festival’s anniversary.

Founded in 1934 in Bennington, Vermont by four modern dance legends—Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, Doris Humphrey, and Charles Weidman—ADF continues to be the premiere service organization of modern dance: from performances, to educational programs, to outreach activities, and more. Audiences continue to flock from around the world to see the breathtaking performances that happen each year by companies and artists of the highest caliber.

“During our 80th anniversary season we will celebrate the critical role ADF has played in the
development of one of our indigenous American art forms, modern dance. Additionally, we will
continue to embrace the role we play in supporting talented artists of the field,” said
ADF Director Jodee Nimerichter.

The anniversary season is packed with a breadth of performances including nine ADF commissioned world premieres by both newcomers to the ADF stage including LeeSaar The Company, Adele Myers, and Vanessa Voskuil, as well as by ADF favorites Twyla Tharp, Shen Wei Dance Arts, and Rosie Herrera. Iconic dance troupe Pilobolus will present two commissioned world premieres in collaboration masterful illusionists Penn and Teller and with Trish Sie and Tijuana’s Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich & Fussible

The season will also feature Paul Taylor Dance Company, Trisha Brown Dance Company, Argentina’s Brenda Angiel Ariel Dance Company, Mark Haim, Kyle Abraham/Abraham.In.Motion, and Faye Driscoll, as well as the ADF debuts of Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Canada’s The 605 Collective, Ireland’s ponydance, and four North Carolina artists that were chosen by a national panel of judges to present their work in a special shared-program in collaboration with the NC Dance Festival.

The 2013 Festival performances will take place at the Durham Performing Arts Center, Reynolds Industries Theater and Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, and Motorco Music Hall and Lincoln Center in New York City. All performances begin at 8:00pm unless otherwise noted. Single tickets and subscriptions go on sale Monday, May 13th and prices range from $15 to $54 with many savings options available. Tickets can be purchased through the ADF website. More detailed information about ticket prices and performing companies, including photos, videos, and press reviews are also available online.

For more information about how to get to the American Dance Festival or where to stay in Durham, visit online.