LIVE ON STAGE | WATCH ONLINE
Program 1 & 2 are now available to view on demand through Nov 1
Digital access $15 per program
On Sale Now
A New York Times Critic’s Pick
“City Center made it happen: moments of fresh dance magic.”
—The New York Times
The 17th Fall for Dance Festival invites audiences around the world to experience this “worthy substitute for live dance” (The New York Times) in our first-ever digital dance celebration—with all the palpable energy of a live performance right from our stage to your home. Alicia Graf Mack and David Hallberg host two stunning programs showcasing the resiliency of extraordinary New York City artists coming together—as we take the first crucial steps to returning to our stage.
Program 1 features two world premiere City Center commissions, including a solo piece from Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s first Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts titled Morani/Mungu (Black Warrior/Black God) that explores his identity as a Black man, and a duet by Christopher Wheeldon called The Two of Us for New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Mearns and American Ballet Theatre principal and incoming Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet David Hallberg in their first-ever performance together. The program also includes Ballet Hispánico in a New York premiere of excerpts from 18+1, an electric, mambo-driven piece celebrating Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s 19 years as a choreographer. Martha Graham Dance Company’s Natasha M. Diamond-Walker performs Lamentation, one of the Company’s quintessential solos, presenting a timeless message about the essence of grief.
In Program 2, acclaimed tap artist Dormeshia performs Lady Swings the Blues, a world premiere City Center commission that honors the legacy of Black women in dance, accompanied by musicians Noah Garabedian, Winard Harper, and Gabriel Roxbury. Calvin Royal III, principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, also dances a world premiere commission solo from choreographer Kyle Abraham titled to be seen. Lar Lubovitch Dance Company featuring guests Joseph Gordon and Adrian Danchig-Waring perform the iconic male duet from Concerto Six Twenty-Two.And Ashley Bouder, Tiler Peck, and Brittany Pollack perform excerpts from George Balanchine’s Who Cares?, an exuberant response to George Gershwin’s classic tunes.
Join the conversation #FallforDance
Safety for our artists, staff, and crew is our first priority. All rehearsals and performances are executed in strict adherence to rigorous health and safety protocols under guidance from medical consultants and in accordance with all government and union guidelines.
Produced by New York City Center and Nel Shelby Productions in association with the Jerome Robbins Dance Division, The New York Public Library.
For more insights on this year’s Festival, read the full review in The New York Times for Program 1 here and Program 2 here.
PROGRAM 1
View on demand through Sun Nov 1
Ballet Hispánico
Excerpts from 18+1 | New York Premiere
Choreography by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano
Performed by Ballet Hispánico Company Dancers: Shelby Colona, Dandara Veiga, & Lenai Wilkerson
Jamar Roberts of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Morani/Mungu (Black Warrior/Black God)
Choreography by Jamar Roberts
Martha Graham Dance Company
Lamentation
Choreography by Martha Graham
Featuring Natasha M. Diamond-Walker
Sara Mearns & David Hallberg
The Two of Us
Choreography by Christopher Wheeldon
PROGRAM 2
View on demand through Sun Nov 1
Ashley Bouder, Tiler Peck, & Brittany Pollack
Excerpts from Who Cares?
Choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust
Calvin Royal III of American Ballet Theatre
to be seen
World Premiere City Center Commission
Choreography by Kyle Abraham
Lar Lubovitch Dance Company
Duet from Concerto Six Twenty-Two
Choreography by Lar Lubovitch
With guest artists Adrian Danchig-Waring & Joseph Gordon
Dormeshia
Lady Swings the Blues
Choreography by Dormeshia
Accompanied by Noah Garabedian, Winard Harper, & Gabriel Roxbury
The performance of Who Cares?, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the Balanchine Style® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.
All programming and casting subject to change.
After six months of darkness, we’ve turned the lights back on in our beloved theater to bring you the first-ever digital 2020 Fall for Dance Festival. Please consider making a gift today to help us continue to our digital programs and expand opportunities for artists to get back on stage where they belong.
Fall for Dance has presented over 200 companies and artists to a cumulative audience of over 350,000 newcomers and dance buffs. In 2013, City Center began commissioning new works for Fall for Dance. Recent seasons have featured world premieres from some of today’s leading choreographers, including Lil Buck, Michelle Dorrance, Mark Morris, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Justin Peck.
LEAD SPONSOR
MAJOR SUPPORT FOR FALL FOR DANCE
Jody and John Arnhold
ADDITIONAL MAJOR SUPPORT
Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation
Lisa and Richard Witten
ARTS ACCESS FUND
Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund
William and Dewey Edelman Charitable Trust
PRESENTING PARTNERS
Denise R. Sobel
Barbara and David Zalaznick
Perry and Marty Granoff
Caroline Howard Hyman
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR FALL FOR DANCE IS PROVIDED BY
The Shubert Foundation
Joyce F. Menschel
The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc.
The SHS Foundation
LEADERSHIP SUPPORT FOR DANCE AT NEW YORK CITY CENTER
Top photo: Ballet Hispánico’s Shelby Colona; photo by Rachel Neville Photography
Encores! Inside the Revival
Starting Nov 18 at 2pm
Go behind the scenes with this new digital five-part mini documentary series that takes you inside the next chapter of the beloved Tony-honored Encores! where the unique creative process of musical theater productions in development is led by Encores! Artistic Director Lear deBessonet and newly announced Producing Creative Director Clint Ramos. Enjoy live performances and hear one-on-one conversations with directors and artists like Kenny Leon, Ashley Park, and Billy Porter who are invested in bringing these productions to you as soon as it is safe to do so. Learn More.