American Dance Guild to Host 70th Anniversary Festival at Ailey Theater
Guest companies including Ballet Tech and Limón2 will join established artists for an intergenerational celebration at the Ailey Citigroup Theater.
The American Dance Guild (ADG) will commemorate its 70th anniversary with Celebrating the Past. Inspiring the Future, a four-day Performance Festival taking place Thursday, October 22 through Sunday, October 25, 2026, at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 West 55th Street, New York City. The festival will bring together more than 30 works representing a wide range of aesthetic, cultural and generational perspectives in contemporary dance.
A special focus of this year's program is its intergenerational exchange, with invited guest companies Ballet Tech, LaGuardia Performing Arts School/Dance Department, Limón2, Murray Louis Foundation and Graham 2 joining artists from across generations. Their participation brings distinct histories, approaches and perspectives to the same stage, connecting the legacy of American dance with the artists shaping its future.
As part of the anniversary program, the Festival will pay tribute to four influential artists whose lives and work left an enduring mark on American dance: Nai-Ni Chen, Paul Sanasardo, Carla Maxwell and Janet Collins. The festival will also present two special awards: a Lifetime Achievement Award to choreographer, dancer, educator and writer Pat Catterson, and the American Dance Guild Award for Dance Scholarship in Journalism and Dance History to dance historian, critic, writer and filmmaker Sally Sommer.
“Dance enriches people and communities, transcending socio-political and cultural boundaries,” said Anabella Lenzu, president of the American Dance Guild. “It is important that we honor the legacy of the past and look for ways to serve the younger generation of dance makers, teachers, and dancers.”
Founded in 1956, the American Dance Guild is one of the nation's early dance service organizations. For 70 years, ADG has worked to strengthen the dance community by supporting artistic excellence, providing accessible performance and educational opportunities, and fostering exchange among dancers, choreographers, educators, scholars and the public. ADG is proud to have just been awarded the Outstanding Dance Organization Award by the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO). "The award recognizes meaningful social impact and a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community engagement, values that remain central to ADG's work," said Ms. Lenzu.
ADG's 70th Anniversary Festival reflects that mission by bringing together artists from across generations and disciplines. In addition to its invited guest companies, participating artists include Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble, H.T. Chen & Dancers, Douglas Dunn + Dancers, The Bang Group, Dances by Isadora, Dance Visions NY, Jody Oberfelder Projects, Moving Spirits, EMERGE125 and many others.
Four Nights Of Tributes And Performance
Opening night, Thursday, October 22 at 7:30pm, will feature a tribute to choreographer Nai-Ni Chen, whose work was deeply rooted in both Chinese and American dance traditions. The evening will include works by Mireille Nina Buisson, Beth Jucovy/Dance Visions NY, Lola Rose Jenkins, Dances We Dance/Performing Ensemble, Ishmael Konney, The Bang Group, West Devaney and the Murray Louis Foundation.
Friday, October 23 at 8pm, will honor the legacy of Paul Sanasardo, the American dancer, choreographer and teacher whose work influenced generations of performers and choreographers. The evening will include works by Claude C.J. Johnson, Jessica DiMauro Marks/DiMauro Dance, Lifedance/Gloria McLean & Dancers, Arthur Avilés Typical Theatre, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble and Graham 2, followed by the presentation of the Sally Sommer award and additional performances.
Saturday, October 24 at 8pm, will feature a tribute to Carla Maxwell, the celebrated dancer, choreographer and longtime leader of the José Limón Dance Company. The program will include performances by Limón2, LaGuardia Performing Arts School/Dance Department, Anabella Lenzu/DanceDrama, Isaak Iskra, Nefelaba Dance Theater and Becky Brown performing work by Alan Danielson. The evening will also include the presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to Pat Catterson, followed by performances by Tamara Williams|Moving Spirits and H.T. Chen & Dancers.
The festival concludes Sunday, October 25 at 7:00pm, with a tribute to legendary dancer and choreographer Janet Collins, one of the first African American ballerinas to achieve prominence at the Metropolitan Opera. The final evening will include performances by Ballet Tech, Racoco Productions, Leo Patel presenting work by Mireille Nina Buisson, Dancefusion, Jody Oberfelder Projects, Douglas Dunn + Dancers, Alex Christie and Renversons Dance.
Photo Credit: Stephanie Berger; Pat Catterson at MOMA
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