Fire Island Dance Festival to Return This July for Dancers Responding to AIDS

Fire Island Dance Festival, one of the most talked-about summer events on Fire Island, will return to dazzle, excite and captivate audiences on July 15-17, 2016. Featuring some of the country's top contemporary, modern and ballet companies, the festival is produced by and benefits Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Again, for the festival's 22nd edition, the dancers will perform outdoors against the picturesque backdrop of the Great South Bay in Fire Island Pines. Tickets for the festival are on sale now atdradance.org or by phone at 212.840.0770, ext. 268.

This can't-miss cultural and charitable event has raised more than $4.3 million since its first installment in 1995 Through their generous support, Fire Island Dance Festival attendees have helped ensure that those in need throughout the New York area and in all 50 states receive lifesaving medications and health care, nutritious meals, counseling and emergency financial assistance.

Known for its eclectic lineup, the festival will again present a mix of the most sought-after dance companies and emerging voices in the American dance scene. This year's performers, choreographers and host will be announced this spring.

Past festivals have welcomed some of the country's most famous dance companies including Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, American Ballet Theatre, Ballet Hispanico, KEIGWIN + COMPANY and Pontus Lidberg Dance, and featured choreography by Kyle Abraham, Joshua Beamish, Al Blackstone, Marcelo Gomes, Paul Taylor, Charlie Williams and Tony Award winners Rob Ashford and Jerry Mitchell.

The weekend kicks off with the Friday night Leadership Event, an intimate evening of cocktails and a special performance reserved for Leadership Supporters. The fun continues throughout the weekend with three Fire Island Dance Festival performances: the opening performance on Saturday, July 16 at 5 pm(cocktails starting at 4 pm); Leadership Sunset Performance on Saturday, July 16 at 7 pm (cocktails following); and closing performance on Sunday, July 17 at 5 pm (cocktails following).

Leadership Supporters enjoy an elevated festival experience including the Leadership Event with cocktails on Friday, highly coveted tickets to the sunset performance on Saturday or priority seating at either 5 pm performance and prominent recognition in the harbor and throughout the Pines.

Beginning May 28, tickets also will be available in person on weekends in the Fire Island Pines Harbor. Leadership tickets start at $350. Individual tickets for the 5 pm performances are $150.

Dancers Responding to AIDS relies on the extraordinary compassion and efforts of the performing arts community to fund a safety net of social services for those in need. As a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, DRA supports the essential programs of The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative and The Dancers' Resource, as well as more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide.

For more information, visit Dancers Responding to AIDS at dradance.org, on Facebook at facebook.com/DRAdance, on Twitter at twitter.com/DRAdance, on Instagram at instagram.com/DRAdance and on YouTube at youtube.com/DRAdance.