City Center Dance Festival

Dance

Mainstage

Mar 24 – Apr 10, 2022

Tickets start at $35

Overview

The first City Center Dance Festival showcases New York companies making their triumphant return to the City Center stage after more than two years away.

Paul Taylor Dance Company
Mar 24 – 27 & 29 – 31

Ballet Hispánico
Apr 1 – 3

Dance Theatre of Harlem
Apr 5 & 8 – 10

Martha Graham Dance Company
Apr 6, 7, 9 & 10

Paul Taylor Dance Company is one of the world’s most iconic modern dance companies. Three diverse programs showcase Taylor classics including Airs, Roses, Offenbach Overtures, and the masterpiece Esplanade, alongside works by the next generation of dance makers—Larry Keigwin’s Rush Hour and a world premiere by Lauren Lovette.

The nation’s renowned Latinx dance organization and one of America’s cultural treasures, Ballet Hispánico celebrates 50 years of dance, access, and innovation. In the full-length New York premiere Doña Perón, sought-after choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa presents an explosive portrait of Eva “Evita” Perón, whose ambition and conflicting desires fed her life as an activist and feminist leader.

The multi-ethnic Dance Theatre of Harlem delivers a powerful vision for ballet in the 21st century with a forward-thinking repertoire of treasured classics and innovative contemporary works. The company presents recent pieces including the New York premieres of Resident Choreographer Robert Garland’s Higher Ground and Claudia Schreier’s Passage; Company Artist Dylan Santos’ rendition of the Odalisques Variations from Le Corsaire; and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Balamouk.

Martha Graham Dance Company’s programs include Chronicle, a 1936 response to the global rise of fascism; a world premiere from Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter featuring guest star Daniil Simkin; and a new version of the 1952 mystery play Canticle for Innocent Comedians, reimagined by Tony winner Sonya Tayeh with eight other choreographers. Finally, Appalachian Spring and Ritual to the Sun from Acts of Light will dazzle audiences once again.

Vaccinations & Masks Required

To ensure the health and safety of everyone, at this time City Center will operate a fully vaccinated venue. Artists, crew, staff, and audience members (adults and children) must provide proof of full Covid-19 vaccination.

Approved masks must be worn by all audience members, staff, and crew.

To help you buy with confidence, please review our latest health, safety, and ticket policies.

Interested in VIP seats? Join the President’s Council starting at $2,500 and receive access to premium seats and other special benefits throughout the season. Please call 212.763.1257 or email PresidentsCouncil@NYCityCenter.org for more information.

Programming subject to change.

Photos: Ballet Hispanico, photo by Rachel Neville; Dance Theatre of Harlem, photo by Rachel Neville; Martha Graham Dance Company, photo by Melissa Sherwood; Paul Taylor Dance Company, photo by Paul B. Goode

Programs

Dance Theatre of Harlem

Apr 5 & 8 – 10
Tue 7pm, Fri 7:30pm, Sat 2pm, Sun 5pm

Gala | Apr 5
Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes with no intermission

Higher Ground | NY Premiere
Choreography by Robert Garland
Music by Stevie Wonder

Odalisques Variations from Le Corsaire
Staged by Dylan Santos after Marius Petipa
Music by Adolphe Adam, Cesare Pugni

Balamouk (Extended) | NY Premiere
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by René Aubry, Lisa Gerrard, and Les Yeux Noirs; performed live by The Klezmatics

Program A | Apr 8 & 10
Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes with two intermissions

Higher Ground | NY Premiere
Choreography by Robert Garland
Music by Stevie Wonder

Passage | NY Premiere
Choreography by Claudia Schreier
Music by Jesse Montgomery

Balamouk (Extended) | NY Premiere
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by René Aubry, Lisa Gerrard, and Les Yeux Noirs; performed live by The Klezmatics

Program B | Apr 9
Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with two intermissions

Higher Ground | NY Premiere
Choreography by Robert Garland
Music by Stevie Wonder

Odalisques Variations from Le Corsaire
Staged by Dylan Santos after Marius Petipa
Music by Adolphe Adam, Cesare Pugni

Balamouk (Extended) | NY Premiere
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by René Aubry, Lisa Gerrard, and Les Yeux Noirs; performed live by The Klezmatics

Martha Graham Dance Company

Apr 6, 7, 9 & 10
Wed 7:30pm, Thu 7pm, Sat 7:30pm, Sun 1pm

Program A | Apr 6 & 9
Approximately 2 hours with one intermission

Chronicle
Choreography by Martha Graham
Music by Wallingford Riegger

Canticle for Innocent Comedians | NY Premiere
Choreography by Sonya Tayeh (Lead Choreographer) with Alleyne Dance, Sir Robert Cohan, Jenn Freeman, Martha Graham, Juliano Nunes, Micaela Taylor, and Yin Yue
Music by Jason Moran

CAVE | World Premiere
Choreography by Hofesh Shechter
Co-produced by Studio Simkin

Gala | Apr 7
Approximately 1 hour with no intermission

Ritual to the Sun from Acts of Light
Choreography by Martha Graham
Music by Carl Nielsen

Canticle for Innocent Comedians (excerpts “Opening Dance” and “Sun”) | NY Premiere
Choreography by Sonya Tayeh
Music by Jason Moran

CAVE | World Premiere
Choreography by Hofesh Shechter
Co-produced by Studio Simkin

Program B | Apr 10
Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with one intermission

Appalachian Spring
Choreography by Martha Graham
Music by Aaron Copland

Paul Taylor Dance Company

Mar 24 – 27, 29 – 31
Week 1: Thu – Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Week 2: Tue – Thu 7:30pm

All programs feature live music performed by the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.

Program A | Mar 24, 26, 29
Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with two intermissions

Roses
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music by Richard Wagner / Heinrich Baermann

Pentimento | World Premiere
Choreography by Lauren Lovette
Music by Alberto Ginastera

Brandenburgs
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach

Program B | Mar 25, 27, 30
Approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes with two intermissions

Offenbach Overtures
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music by Jacques Offenbach

Airs
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music by George Frideric Handel

Rush Hour
Choreography by Larry Keigwin
Music by Adam Crystal

Program C | Mar 31
Approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes with two intermissions

Roses
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music by Richard Wagner / Heinrich Baermann

Offenbach Overtures
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music by Jacques Offenbach

Esplanade
Choreography by Paul Taylor
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach

Ballet Hispánico

Apr 1 – 3
Fri 7:30pm, Sat 2 & 7:30pm, Sun 2pm

Program | Apr 1 – 3
Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes with no intermission

Doña Perón | NY Premiere
Choreography by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
Music by Peter Salem

Tickets

Point of View

“

“[Higher Ground] is an intensely affecting response to [Stevie Wonder’s] music that could be done only by a ballet company—this ballet company.”
—The New York Times on Dance Theatre of Harlem

“

“A three-week feast of movement”
—TimeOut New York

The Artists

Ballet Hispánico; photo by Rachel Neville

Dance Theatre of Harlem; photo by Rachel Neville

Martha Graham Dance Company; photo by Chris Jones

Paul Taylor Dance Company; photo by Paul B. Goode

Your Support Makes This Possible

Our inaugural City Center Dance Festival would not be possible without the generosity of supporters like you. If you are able, we hope you will consider making a gift to help celebrate the return of these New York dance companies to the City Center stage.