BATTERY DANCE FESTIVAL to Return to Wagner Park for Free Performances
The 45th annual festival honors founder Jonathan Hollander's 50 years leading BATTERY DANCE.
This August, Battery Dance returns to the waterfront in spectacular fashion, transforming Wagner Park into a hub of movement, music, and cultural celebration in partnership with Battery Park City Authority.
The Festival begins on August 10 with dynamic community workshops led by selected local dance groups, inviting New Yorkers of all ages to connect directly with artists through shared movement and cultural exchange.
On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, the performances officially begin as the Festival proudly celebrates its legacy as New York City's longest-running free public dance festival-an unforgettable annual tradition that brings together extraordinary artists and audiences from around the world.
The 45th Annual Battery Dance Festival marks a milestone moment, honoring 50 years of Battery Dance and the visionary leadership of founder and Artistic Director Jonathan Hollander. This landmark edition showcases a dazzling, multicultural lineup of artists, featuring bold voices and movement traditions from across the globe-uniting genres, cultures, and creative perspectives in a powerful celebration of artistic expression.
Returning to the stunning waterfront at Wagner Park, the Festival unfolds over a full week of dynamic programming. Each evening offers two exhilarating hours of performances, including the beloved interactive segment Everybody Dance Now, where audiences are invited to move, connect, and celebrate together.
With a distinct theme each night, the Festival remains rooted in its core mission: to present an eclectic spectrum of dance to New York audiences, expand access to the arts for all, and uplift emerging New York-based companies as vital voices in today's dance landscape. This free, citywide celebration transforms the park into a vibrant hub of creativity-featuring performances, hands-on workshops at Battery Dance Studios, and immersive experiences designed to engage and inspire audiences of all ages.
On Saturday, July 25, 2026, Battery Dance presents America 250: Moving Together, a one-night-only performance commemorating the U.S. semi-quincentennial. Set against the backdrop of the Statue of Liberty, the evening honors the many histories, cultures, and communities that have shaped this land for generations-highlighting the Indigenous peoples who stewarded these territories long before the founding of the United States. Through the expressive power of dance, the performance invites audiences to reflect on the evolving story of identity, resilience, and belonging in America.
Presented in partnership with Battery Park City Authority.
Battery Dance Festival Outdoor Community Workshops at Wagner Park
Monday, August 10 at 4:00pm, 5:00pm, 6:00pm, and 7:00pm
Monday, August 10:
On August 10, the Festival launches with an exciting series of free community dance workshops led by selected local dance groups participating in this year's Festival, welcoming New Yorkers of all ages and experience levels to move, learn, and connect through dance. Designed especially for beginners, each 45-minute workshop will introduce participants to a different dance style and cultural tradition, creating an accessible and joyful space for discovery and community engagement. Workshops begin at 4:00pm and offer a unique opportunity to learn directly from artists while celebrating the diversity and energy of New York City's dance community.
Battery Dance Festival Performance Schedule at Wagner Park
Tuesday, August 11 - Sunday, August 16 at 7pm
Tuesday, August 11:
Battery Dance: then by Rosalind Newman (USA- World Premiere); Soles of Duende: excerpt of The Kitchen by Amanda Castro, Arielle Rosales, Brinda Guha (USA- World Premiere); Jessee Leigh Robinson: For Whom The Bell Tolls by Jessee Leigh Robinson (USA- originally premiered in 2026); BODYSONNET: Say I Am You by Moscelyne ParkeHarrison (USA- originally premiered in 2022); Movimiento em Foco: Voices that Echo Within Usby Lucas Mendes (Brazil - US Premiere); Battery Dance: newly commissioned work (USA - World Premiere)
Wednesday, August 12:
Battery Dance: newly commissioned work by former New York City Ballet Principal dancer, Jock Soto (USA - World Premiere) ; Cía Elías Aguirre: Flowerheads by Elías Aguirre (Spain- US Debut); Movimiento em Foco: Voices that Echo Within Us by Lucas Mendes (Brazil - US Premiere); Maria-Luiza Dimulescu & Camelia Neagoe: Maybe by 2301, We Won't Need Another Feminist Show by Maria-Luiza Dimulescu & Camelia Neagoe (Romania, US Debut); CRDANCE: excerpt of Alta Marea by Caterina Rago (USA - originally premiered in 2024)
Thursday, August 13:
Erik Debono/A Point 5 Co: Dots & Nets by Erik Debono; Cía Elías Aguirre: Flowerheads by Elías Aguirre (Spain- US Debut); Seyong Kim: The Moon reflected in East Sea by Seyong Kim; Maria-Luiza Dimulescu & Camelia Neagoe: Maybe by 2301, We Won't Need Another Feminist Show by Maria-Luiza Dimulescu & Camelia Neagoe (Romania, US Debut); Miguel Miranda: Se Va by Miguel Miranda (USA, originally premiered in 2024); Mailantia Dance Company: Mutual by Yun-Chi Lai (Taiwan, US Premiere)
Friday, August 14:
NANM, A Robenson Mathurin Dance Company: Legacy in Rhythm by Robenson Mathurin (US - NY Premiere); DPRdance: Creative Directoeb by Dougie Robbins (USA - originally premiered in 2018); Allpayana Ecuadorian Traditional Dance: Otavalo Wedding by Christian Perez (US - NY Premiere); Ashley Liang Dance Company: Silk Road by Ashley Liang (USA - originally premiered in 2021); Mailantia Dance Company: Mutual by Yun-Chi Lai (Taiwan, US Premiere); Ina Medhanet: Egungun - The Journey is the Medicine by Ina Kwayana (USA- originally premiered in 2024)
Saturday, August 15:
The Battery Dance Festival continues its tradition with a vibrant tribute to the beauty and depth of classical Indian dance, honoring the spirit of Indian Independence Day. This dynamic celebration brings together a rich tapestry of traditional forms-each performance a burst of color, rhythm, and storytelling-inviting audiences to experience the power, precision, and cultural legacy of India's dance heritage in an unforgettable, high-energy showcase.
Sunday, August 16:
Maxine Steinman & Dancers: A Measure of Quarantine by Maxine Steinman (USA - originally premiered in 2024); Half a Century: Between Us by Melanie Futorian (USA - World Premiere); Julia Weber: Ballade by Julia Weber (USA - originally premiered in 2025); Thomas/Ortiz Dance: Disclaimer by Ted Thomas and Frances Ortiz (USA - originally premiered in 2025); Nat Wilson: Someone Has to Leave First by Nat Wilson in collaboration with Grace Whitworth (USA - originally premiered in 2025); Jon Lehrer Dance Company: Murmur by Jon Lehrer (USA - originally premiered in 2012); Battery Dance: newly commissioned work (USA - World Premiere)
Program subject to change.
Festival Artists:
Allpayana Ecuadorian Traditional Dance
Allpayana, meaning "black earth" in the Kichwa language, was founded on January 11, 2024, in New York City under the artistic direction of Christian Perez and Gabriela Pizarro. The company is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the living cultural memory of Ecuadorian communities through the performance and sharing of traditional customs and practices that reflect the country's rich identity and diversity. Allpayana Ecuadorian Traditional Dance strives to embody the stories, traditions, and lived experiences of the communities it represents. Its work is deeply rooted in the spirit of Ecuador's festivities, honoring the rhythms, rituals, and cultural expressions that continue to shape and sustain these vibrant traditions. www.allpayana.com
Ashley Liang Dance Company
A dance organization dedicated to advancing both Chinese dance traditions and Western modern dance. The company promotes multicultural artistic exchange while building meaningful bridges for international cultural and creative collaboration. Its original choreographic works draw from a diverse range of styles, including Chinese dance, ballet, and modern dance, reflecting a dynamic fusion of cultural influences and contemporary expression.
Founder, Ashley Liang and president of Ashley Dance Center, holds a Master's degree in Dance Education from New York University. She has been recognized with numerous honors, including Excellent Dance Choreographer, Distinguished Dancer, and Excellent Dance Educator. These awards were presented by notable leaders such as Grace Meng, Eric Adams, Brad Lander, John Liu, Sandra Ung, and Andy Lin. www.ashleyliangdance.com
Battery Dance
Founded by Jonathan Hollander in 1976 in lower Manhattan, Battery Dance now serves as one of America's leading cultural ambassadors, connecting the world through dance. With its exceptional team of dancers who also serve as teaching artists and choreographers, the Company pursues artistic excellence and social relevance, creating vibrant new works, performing on the world's stages, presenting dance in public spaces, serving the field of dance with low-cost studios in its home in Tribeca and teaching people of all ages with special attention to the disadvantaged and areas of conflict. Battery Dance is committed to enhancing the cultural vibrancy of its home community in New York City, extending programming throughout the U.S., and building bridges worldwide through international cultural exchange with programs in 75 countries to date www.batterydance.org
BODYSONNET
Founded in 2019, BODYSONNET is a company based in New York committed to making responsive site work on an international scale. Led by Co-Founders Moscelyne ParkeHarrison (Artistic Director), Mio Ishikawa (Associate Artistic Director), and Sean Lammer (Creative Consultant), BODYSONNET initiates projects that center dance to yield works that are highly physical and unique to the communities with which we engage. Our work demonstrates the intersection of movement with many mediums and enacts zero waste consciousness through collaboration with local artists and institutions. We redefine the viewer's experience by developing innovative work that reinforces our shared humanity.
Cía Elías Aguirre
The Elías Aguirre Company, based in Madrid, stands out for its extensive trajectory and a unique scenic perspective rooted in the exploration of "invisible nature." It blends techniques from contemporary dance, urban dance, and physical theater to create captivating and deeply immersive performance experiences. Founder and director, Elías Aguirre is a multidisciplinary artist with a distinguished career across various creative fields, recognized as a choreographer, dancer, photographer, and visual and plastic artist. He trained in dance at the Royal Professional Conservatory of Dance in Madrid and holds a degree in Fine Arts from the Complutense University of Madrid, as well as a Master's in Performing Arts from King Juan Carlos University. His education also includes studies in Graphic Design (TAI), Stage Photography (with Fernando Marcos), and Nature Documentary Filmmaking (with Luis Miguel Domínguez), complemented by training in urban dance, butoh, and clown. www.eliasaguirre.es
CRDANCE
CRDANCE was founded in 2007 by Caterina Rago, as a company dedicated to respect and continue to contribute to the history of modern dance. Rago, a native of San Lucido, Italy, joined the Martha Graham Dance Company in 2009 after completing its Professional Training Program, and has received commissions from Steffi Nossen Dance Foundation, Accademia Nazionale di Danza, Alvin Ailey/Fordham and PeridanceCapezio Dance Center. Rago has recently restaged Martha Graham's 1935 work, Panorama for Accademia Nazionale Di Danza at Rome's Soirees Dans and Karole Armitage's American Dream for the Ravello Festival, and has received recent commissions from Alvin Ailey/Fordham University and Marymount Manhattan College.
DPRdance
DPRdance is a theater jazz company, rooted in Jack Cole technique with an emphasis on storytelling. We have created and presented work at the LPAC, off Broadway at Ta-Da, Dixon Place, the MMAC, with Rhythmically speaking in Minneapolis and at Nazarerh Univeristy.
Erik Debono / A Point 5 Co
A Point 5 Co's director, Erik Debono was born in San Francisco, and trained with Alonzo King LINES Ballet, Joffrey Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and London Contemporary Dance School. Upon earning his BFA at Adelphi University, he performed works of Lar Lubovitch, Frank Augustyn, Earl Mosley, Manuel Vignoulle, and Orion Duckstein. His performance career continued with Life & Trust NYC, the Metropolitan Opera, Parsons Dance, dissonances, Post Ballet, SFDanceWorks. Debono is also an independent recording artist and producer, and has musically supported Yue Yin, AXIS Dance Company, Alexander Anderson.
Half Century Dance
Melanie Futorian is the founder of Half Century Dance, a company that features dancers over the age of 50 and celebrates the power of mature artistry while challenging perceptions of aging in dance. The company explores new ways of moving, demonstrating that emotional depth and expressive nuance only grow richer with experience. Its performers bring remarkable professional backgrounds, having appeared on Broadway, toured nationally, and performed with renowned companies such as Béjart Ballet, Bat-Dor Dance Company, and Alwin Nikolais.
www.melaniefutorian.com/half-century-dance
Ina Medhanet
Ina Kwayana is a first-generation American of Caribbean and African ancestry, born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. With a technical foundation in street dance styles-including house, hip hop, waacking, and locking-as well as modern, contemporary, and ballet, her work is grounded in the physical embodiment of Black care and the ways it lives and moves through the body. Her artistic practice centers rhythm, groove, and freedom as tools for repair, protest, renewal, and release. Through this lens, she uplifts the depth and resonance of the African diaspora while posing an essential question: where does the unknown arrive and escape within the body? Ina recently assisted Juel D. Lane on a new work for PHILADANCO! and served as Assistant Choreographer for the world premiere of Co-Founders, a hip hop musical in San Francisco. She has performed works by Shayla-Vie Jenkins, Kyle Clark and Dinita Clark, Sidra Bell, and Juel D. Lane. www.instagram.com/inamedhanet
Jessee Leigh Robinson
Jessee Leigh Robinson is a New York City-based dancer from Los Angeles, California. She is an alumna of The School at Jacob's Pillow and Dance Lab New York (2024-2025 Tap Dance Lab cycles). Jessee currently works with AM Dance Productions, led by Anthony Morigerato.
Her recent performance credits include ZAZ at New York City Center, Dance Africa Dallas with Sole Defined, and collaborations with Lisa Latouche and LaTasha Barnes. She has also contributed to pre-production for Encores! Wonderful Town (choreographed by Ayodele Casel) and Jelly's Last Jam (choreographed by Dormeshia). As a choreographer, her work has been presented at venues including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, 92NY, and Dixon Place. https://www.jesseeleighrobinson.com/home
Jon Lehrer Dance Company
Jon Lehrer Dance Company (JLDC), founded in 2007 in Buffalo, NY, and based in New York City since 2019, is led by choreographer Jon Lehrer. The company is known for its distinctive style, blending modern and jazz dance into work that is athletic, expressive, and often infused with humor-striking a compelling balance between artistry and entertainment. JLDC tours extensively worldwide, with performances across Europe and Russia, including four tours sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. In New York City, the company is a three-time recipient of the CUNY Dance Initiative Award (2022, 2023, 2025). www.jonlehrerdance.com
Julia Weber
Julia Weber is a Polish-born, New York-based choreographer and graduate of Juilliard School. She has performed works by leading choreographers including Aszure Barton, Shen Wei, and Sidra Bell, and appeared in R.O.S.E.with LEV Dance Company at the Park Avenue Armory.
Her choreography has been presented at Juilliard, the DUMBO Dance Festival, and the Traverse City Dance Project. In 2026, she was selected for the SoloDuo Dance Festival and the Young Choreographer's Festival at The Joyce Theater. She has also created work for New York City Ballet through its Choreographic Institute.
Mailantia Dance Company
Yun-Chi Lai (Mai) is the Artistic Director and choreographer of Mailantia Dance Company, as well as a freelance dancer. She previously performed with Hofesh Shechter Company (Shechter II) and collaborated with Humanhood. Mai is a graduate of National Taipei University of Arts, where she completed a rigorous seven-year integrated dance program, receiving comprehensive professional training from an early age. In her creative work, dance becomes more than expression-it is a meeting point for culture, history, and personal experience. Through precise movement and nuanced detail, Mai pushes the boundaries of the body while exploring identity and emotion, creating work that is both intellectually engaging and deeply sensorial.
Maxine Steinman & Dancers
Maxine Steinman is a choreographer, performer, and educator whose work has been presented at venues and festivals including Joyce SoHo, the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Festival, the Battery Dance Festival, and the American Dance Guild Festival. Her choreography has been performed internationally across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Praised as "ingenious" and "a jewel" by critics Jack Anderson and Jennifer Dunning, she has received multiple grants from the O'Donnell-Green Foundation for Music and Dance, with additional support from Dance New Jersey. Steinman has taught and choreographed at institutions including Montclair State University and The Ailey School. A former soloist with Eleo Pomare, she also performed with the José Limón Dance Company and currently serves as Associate Professor at Montclair State University. www.facebook.com/maxinesteinmananddancers
Miguel Miranda
Miguel Miranda is a Peruvian multidisciplinary dancer and choreographer based in New York City. He has performed as a freelance artist on acclaimed projects including Punchdrunk's Sleep No More NYC, Emursive's Life and Trust, and Company SBB. His choreographic work has been presented at 92nd Street Y, New York City Center, The Ailey Citigroup Theater, The Martha Graham Studio Theater, The Mark O'Donnell Theater at MICA, and the American College Dance Association (ACDA), among others. He earned his BFA in Dance Performance and Choreography from Montclair State University in 2023.In 2025, Miguel received commissions from McKoy Dance Project and The Limón Dance Company's Limón 2 and will premiere a new independent work at the World Bank Group in Washington, D.C. in Spring 2026. www.miguelmirandac.com
Movimiento em Foco
Lucas Mendes is a choreographer, dancer, and Artistic Director of Movimento em Foco, a dance company and school based in São Paulo, Brazil. A three-time champion at the Joinville Dance Festival (Jazz Ensemble), he is an award-winning performer recognized at major events across Brazil, earning multiple honors including Best Choreographer. Mendes is part of the Brazilian production of Wicked at Teatro Renault, performing as a swing dancer. His international career includes work in New York and Orlando, including appearances at the VKIBC. He has choreographed for the João Pessoa Municipal Dance Company and collaborated with the Brazilian Gymnastics Confederation during the Tokyo Olympics, as well as with artists such as Anitta. Since founding Movimento em Foco in 2018, he has expanded the company's reach through festivals, training programs, and international collaborations, serving as a judge, educator, and creative leader worldwide.www.estudiomovimentoemfoco.com.br
NANM, A Robenson Mathurin Dance Company
Robenson Mathurin is a New York-based performer, choreographer, and educator specializing in Haitian Folklore, Contemporary, Modern, Jazz, Konpa, and Afro-diasporic dance forms. He began his training under mentor Jean René Delsoin and served as a principal dancer with Compagnie de Danse Jean René Delsoin in Port-au-Prince from 2012-2021, touring internationally across the U.S., Trinidad, and Taiwan. Since relocating to New York City, he has collaborated with Sidra Bell and Derek Fordjour, among others, and has taught at The Ailey Extension and Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance. He has also completed the Mark Morris Dance Group Teaching Artist Training Program and trained at The Taylor School. He is the Artistic Director of NANM Dance Company, founded in 2022, which explores identity, migration, and social justice through a contemporary lens rooted in Haitian tradition.
Nat Wilson
Nat Wilson is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in Brooklyn, New York, whose work focuses on cross-cultural communication and a passion for expansive physicality. In 2016, they joined Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, giving them the opportunity to perform and teach around the world, including China, Peru, South Korea, and India. Across their career, they have traveled around the world and throughout the United States, sharing their craft on stage and in the studio, inspiring others to indulge in being as thoughtful as they are bold.
Nat works closely with Yue Yin as a dancer in YY Dance Company, certified FoCo Technique instructor, and repetiteur for Yue Yin's choreography. Nat is also a valued member of kNoname Artist | Roderick George and Boca Tuya, among other freelance work. As a choreographer, they blend the movement language of FoCo Technique with their own idiosyncrasies and a dramaturgical voice inspired by their time in Israel. www.natwilsondance.com
Seyong Kim
Seyong Kim is Associate Professor of Dance at Western Michigan University and holds an MA in Dance Education from New York University. He is a Certified Movement Analyst, Registered Somatic Dance Educator, and an ABT Certified Teacher (Primary-Level 7). He has taught at institutions including University of Georgia, Rutgers University, Johns Hopkins University, and with organizations such as American College Dance Association and Grand Rapids Ballet.
As a performer, he has appeared with the Metropolitan Opera, Albania National Ballet Theatre, TAKE Dance, and Oakland Ballet Company. His choreography has been presented internationally across Europe, Asia, and North America. He is currently a resident choreographer with Wise Ballet Theater and an International Visiting Professor at Sung-shin Women's University in Seoul.
Soles de Duende
Soles of Duende is a New York-based ensemble founded by Amanda Castro (Tap), Arielle Rosales (Flamenco), and Brinda Guha (Kathak). Rooted in three distinct percussive dance traditions, the group centers collaboration, musicality, and cultural exchange across disciplines.
A Bessie-nominated company, Soles of Duende has performed at major venues including The Joyce Theater, Joe's Pub, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Museum, NYU Skirball Center, and Danspace Project. Their work has been featured on the cover of Dance Magazine and recognized by The New York Times as a Critics' Pick and one of the Best Dance Performances of 2022.
Originally formed as an a cappella trio, the group has expanded into a multidisciplinary ensemble of dancers and musicians. Soles has lit floors on fire since their inception showcasing the power of three women conversing in distinct percussive dance traditions. www.solesofduende.com
Thomas/Ortiz Dance
Thomas/Ortiz Dance, founded in 2001 by Ted Thomas and Frances Ortiz, brings a fresh and emotionally engaging vision to contemporary dance. Blending Thomas's urban, athletic movement style with Ortiz's Latin-influenced sensibility, the company creates work that reflects a dynamic fusion of choreographic and musical approaches. Comprising twelve dancers from diverse cultural backgrounds, the company performs a repertory that explores a wide range of thought-provoking and socially relevant themes, offering audiences both powerful storytelling and high-energy performance. Thomas and Ortiz are co-owners and directors of the New England Academy of Dance and New England Dance Theater in New Canaan, CT.
BATTERY DANCE FESTIVAL, New York City's longest-running free public dance festival, was established by Battery Dance as the Downtown Dance Festival in 1982. Originally envisioned and conducted as an "art in the workplace" series, the festival brought hundreds of free noontime dance performances to lower Manhattan public spaces including South Street Seaport, One Chase Plaza, City Hall and for many years, the World Trade Center Plaza. Gratefully in partnership with Battery Park City Authority, the Festival will present the 45th iteration at the stunning waterfront at Wagner Park, offering exhilarating performances, and building community where audiences are invited to enjoy, move, connect, and celebrate together. https://batterydance.org/battery-dance-festival/
ABOUT BATTERY DANCE
Founded by Jonathan Hollander in 1976 in lower Manhattan, Battery Dance now serves as one of America's leading cultural ambassadors, connecting the world through dance. With its exceptional team of dancers who also serve as teaching artists and choreographers, the Company pursues artistic excellence and social relevance, creating vibrant new works, performing on the world's stages, presenting dance in public spaces, serving the field of dance with low-cost studios in its home in Tribeca and teaching people of all ages with special attention to the disadvantaged and areas of conflict. Battery Dance is committed to enhancing the cultural vibrancy of its home community in New York City, extending programming throughout the U.S., and building bridges worldwide through international cultural exchange with programs in 75 countries to date https://batterydance.org/
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