American Dance Guild Festival returns to Ailey Citigroup

The AMERICAN DANCE GUILD Performance Festival will return to the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 West 55th Street (NYC), February 22 through February 25 with Leaps Beyond Bounds, a four-night program celebrating the Guild’s 68th anniversary. Thirty new and historical dance works will be shown, with this year’s honors celebrating the late choreographer Joan Miller (Lifetime Achievement Award), Ron K. Brown/Evidence (Lifetime Achievement Award), and Celia Ipiotis/Eye on Dance (Distinguished Service in Dance – Lifetime Achievement Award).

Opening night, February 22, features all three ADG honorees and includes an awards ceremony and reception. Joan Miller, known for her bold and sometimes political statements will be represented by three solo works, courtesy of Sheila Kaminsky. Ron K. Brown will show work with his company Evidence on opening night and on Sunday. Celia Ipiotis will share her rich innovative history of bringing dance to television and other media. Each honoree will show their work more than once over the Festival weekend.

There will also be a special in-studio remembrance event Sunday, Feb. 25 at 3pm honoring Stephen Vendola, life-time and board member of ADG, dancer with Hadassah, New Dance Group, Alwyn Nikolais, Murray Louis and Mary Anthony, who died this year at 91.

The ADG Festival participating artists represent a wide variety of aesthetic and cultural voices, reflecting the broad spectrum of American dance life and the diverse character of dance today. Works by both mature and emerging artists will be shown, including veterans Claire Porter, Chen Dance Theater, Douglas Dunn, and recent Bessie (New York Dance and Performance Awards) winner Young Soon Kim. 

“This year’s Festival is looking at this leap year with a fresh jump into the relevant work of dancers. Politics, women’s rights, personal issues, men’s ability to relate to each other… the production will run the gamut. A special highlight is the Sunday 3pm Commemorative Event for Stephen Vendola, and the 7pm performance of Mary Anthony’s “Threnody” in Steve’s honor,” said Gloria McLean, ADG President. “The 2024 Festival program offers a vibrant blend of old and new.”

Tickets are available now at https://adgfest.ticketleap.com/.Opening Night Gala tickets are $25-$30, and general Festival tickets are $20-$25.