As the summer sun casts its golden hues over the bustling streets of New York City, amidst the towering skyscrapers and the rhythmic pulse of urban life, BAAND Together Dance Festival comes alive this week to celebrate dance and the passionate, artistic spirit of their community.
Returning for its fourth outing, BAAND Together Dance Festival reunites five iconic New York City dance companies on one stage—Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Hispánico, Dance Theatre of Harlem, and New York City Ballet. Audiences will be treated to exceptional performances of beloved programming curated collaboratively by the artistic directors of the companies. Each afternoon, one company brings its unique teaching style to participants of all ages with dance workshops in the David Geffen Hall lobby. The festival is presented and hosted by the one and only Lincoln Center and made possible by CHANEL.
Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director and CEO of Ballet Hispánico, shared with us the origin story of the Festival, saying, “BAAND was born out of the pandemic and the need for the Artistic Directors of each of these companies to have an outlet for solidarity, support and creative solutions in order to keep our dancers healthy and our organizations vibrant. I was called by Jonathan Stafford of NYC Ballet who had a conversation about forming the group with Robert Battle of Alvin Ailey. The group came together and shared our collective experiences with the pandemic as well as hope and strength. Above all, we were concerned with our artists and how to keep them connected. The cohort met weekly and tackled all manner of issues. When the pandemic was finally ending, Virginia Johnson of DTH suggested we perform together and that idea went like wildfire as we planned for a celebration of dance for New Yorkers.”
Jonathan Stafford and Wendy Whelan, Artistic Director and Associate Artistic Director of New York City Ballet, also couldn’t help but fondly reminisce about the Festival’s beginnings, recalling, “This festival is a beautiful silver lining that was born out of a dark and difficult time, as we navigated the challenges and setbacks of the pandemic. We worked together as a unified dance community to bring our artform back to the stage. Since those early days, the festival has continued to blossom. It’s exciting to think of how it will continue to grow and evolve in the coming years.”
Eduardo went on to share that this spirit of collaborative and innovative problem solving continues among all five organizations today: “With festivals like this one, the most challenging aspects of organizing are scheduling and getting everyone on the same page in a timely manner. We are all so busy with our organizations that this adds more to our plates, but we do it lovingly and with great pride. Artistically we have always been in sync and supportive of each other’s suggestions and ideas. It’s hard enough to schedule one company; here we have five of the most busy and vibrant dance companies in our nation. For me, the main benefits have been connection and solidarity. With the social justice movement and the need to examine our organizations in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion, it was important that our voices came together and developed messaging, strategies and support.”
Artistic Director of American Ballet Theatre, Susan Jaffe, is thrilled to be a part of the Festival saying, “It has been a joy to collaborate with other companies and to have the chance to spend time with them.” And while the Festival has been presented outdoors in prior years, she is excited about this year’s new indoor setting so that the companies’ “ability to perform wouldn’t be affected by the weather. It will also be more exciting for our audiences to have the full indoor theater experience.”
The Festival features a wide array of works. Dance Theatre of Harlem Artistic Director Robert Garland is looking forward to his company’s offering, saying, “Blake Works IV (The Barre Project) is a masterful convergence of classical ballet technique and contemporary choreography, set to the soulful rhythms of James Blake’s music. It’s a vivid tapestry of dynamic movement, emotional depth, and artistic brilliance that showcases the Company’s unparalleled versatility and innovation.”
American Ballet Theatre will be presenting Night Falls by Brady Farrar, a pas de deux that reflects an atmosphere of intimacy, inspired by the tranquil light at dusk.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is thrilled to be taking Hans Van Manen’s Solo to the stage, showcasing three dancers in a tour de force that challenges the Ailey men’s daring agility and grace. This explosive display of virtuosity and wit will launch the performers into an exhilarating whirlwind of movement and musicality.
Ballet Hispánico is bringing Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte’s world to life with Sombrerísimo by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. Inspired by Magritte’s paintings of men in bowler hats, Sombrerísimo references the iconic sombreros (hats) found throughout the world that help to represent culture. Originally choreographed for an all-male cast, Sombrerísimo has evolved into a work that can also be performed by an all-female or mixed-gender cast.
New York City Ballet will be sharing Duo Concertant by George Balanchine, an animated dance for a neoclassical couple. The dancers periodically stop and listen to the onstage musicians before ending with a poignant scene in a pool of light on a dark stage. Stravinsky dedicated Duo Concertant to Samuel Dushkin, a violinist he met in 1931 and with whom he premiered the work in 1932. Balanchine first heard the piece performed soon after it was composed, but not until years later, when he was planning the 1972 Stravinsky Festival, did he decide to choreograph to it.
When asked about her favorite part of hosting and presenting the BAAND Together Dance Festival, Executive Vice President of the Lincoln Center, Shanta Thake said, “It’s an embarrassment of riches! Each one of these companies is an internationally renowned dance organization, and has each in their way redefined dance for the modern era. As New Yorkers, we are incredibly fortunate to have these icons of the performing arts in our own backyard, and on a stage together for us! I have to pinch myself sometimes.”
Thake is additionally delighted by how BAAND Together Festival opens up a whole new level of accessibility to the arts community, saying, “The ethos that drives all we do is to live up to our founding mission that the arts are for everyone. With that democratic ideal in mind, we are pleased to offer all BAAND Together Dance Festival events on a Choose-What-You-Pay basis. Additionally, during each afternoon of the festival, one of the companies will bring its unique teaching style to participants of all ages with free dance workshops in the David Geffen Hall lobby. The series will offer a variety of teaching styles and dance forms, appropriate for all ages and abilities.”
So if you’re anywhere near New York City July 30–August 3, don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to see five of the city’s most iconic dance companies—Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem—as they share the spotlight together and welcome all of their community to join in the experience.
