American Dance Festival Reveals 2026 Season With 49 Performances In Durham

The American Dance Festival has announced its 2026 season, with performances scheduled from May 27 through July 25 in Durham, North Carolina. The season will include 49 performances by 26 companies and choreographers, alongside nine world premieres, 12 ADF commissions, and 13 company debuts.

The 2026 season will take place across venues including Page Auditorium, Reynolds Industries Theater, von der Heyden Studio Theater, the Carolina Theatre, Mutual Tower, and ADF’s Scripps Dance Studios. Educational programming will run from June 13 through July 25 alongside the performance schedule.

The festival will open with choreographer Jesse Factor, whose solo work draws inspiration from both Martha Graham and Madonna. Returning companies this season include Mark Morris Dance Group, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, Pilobolus, and Paul Taylor Dance Company. International collaboration remains a key focus, including a partnership between Shen Wei Dance Arts and the Guangdong Modern Dance Company.

Additional programming includes a site-specific work at Mutual Tower by Stephan Koplowitz, the annual Footprints program featuring ADF student performances, and the Made in NC series presenting world premieres by North Carolina-based artists.

WALLY CARDONA & MOLLY LIEBER

May 27–29 at 7 pm; May 30 at 2 pm & 7 pm
ADF’s Scripps Dance Studios

BODYTRAFFIC

June 8 at 7 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater

JESSE FACTOR

June 17 at 7:30 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater

BILL T. JONES/ARNIE ZANE COMPANY

June 18 & 19 at 7:30 pm
Page Auditorium

CAMILLE A. BROWN & DANCERS

June 20 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater

MADE IN NC

June 22 at 7:30 pm
Page Auditorium

I-LING LIU & STACY MATTHEW SPENCE

June 23 at 7:30 pm; June 24 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm
von der Heyden Studio Theater

PIONEER WINTER COLLECTIVE

June 25 at 7:30 pm
Carolina Theatre

CHARLOTTE BALLET

June 26 at 5:30 pm & 8 pm; June 27 & 28 at 1 pm & 4 pm
Jewish for Good

KIMBERLY BARTOSIK/DAELA

June 27 at 7:30 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater

TERE O’CONNOR DANCE

June 30 at 7:30 pm; July 1 at 2 pm & 7:30 pm
von der Heyden Studio Theater

MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP AND MUSIC ENSEMBLE

July 2 & 3 at 7:30 pm; July 4 at 5 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater

MONICA BILL BARNES & COMPANY

July 7–10 at 7:30 pm
von der Heyden Studio Theater

FOOTPRINTS

July 11 at 7:30 pm; July 12 at 3 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater

STEPHAN KOPLOWITZ

July 11 at 1 pm & 3 pm; July 12 at 11 am & 1 pm
Mutual Tower

PAUL TAYLOR DANCE COMPANY

July 15 & 16 at 7:30 pm
Page Auditorium

SHEN WEI DANCE ARTS & GUANGDONG MODERN DANCE COMPANY

July 17 at 7:30 pm; July 18 at 5 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater

LI CHIAO-PING DANCE

July 22 at 7:30 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater

PILOBOLUS

July 24 at 7:30 pm; July 25 at 5 pm
Page Auditorium

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