Dance Legend Desmond Richardson Just Added to Fire Island Dance Festival's 20th Anniversary Lineup, 7/18-20

Watch & Share the 20th Anniversary Fire Island Dance Festival Video: http://dradance.org/fidf2014#video

Dance legend Desmond Richardson, one of the seven dancers who performed at the first Fire Island Dance Festival in 1995, returns to the festival stage for the 20th anniversary July 18-20, 2014, on the shores of the Great South Bay.

In his first festival appearance Richardson performed the dynamic and emotional solo Growth, choreographed by Dwight Rhoden. This summer Richardson will make his fourth festival appearance with Moonlight Solo, showcasing his keen understanding of musical phrasing and unmatched technique.

Richardson was a principal dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater from 1987-1994 and is currently appearing in the Tony-nominated best musical After Midnight on Broadway. He is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, which also will perform at this year's event.

Richardson joins the previously announced diverse lineup featuring:

Ailey II, presenting the beloved "Wade in the Water" from Revelations, an exciting return after the piece was performed at Fire Island Dance Festival in 2003

BalletCollective, displaying the collaborative vision of artists from different genres in an intriguing new work choreographed by Troy Schumacher, a member of the corps de ballet for New York City Ballet

Kristine Bendul, David Elder & Ryan Worsing, performing "In the Garden," an elegant pas de trois originally choreographed and performed for Broadway Bares VII by Arte Phillips

Complexions Contemporary Ballet, known for its aesthetically dynamic multicultural style, premiering a piece choreographed by Marcelo Gomes with an original score by Ian Ng

Marcelo Gomes, renowned principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre, performing the romantic balcony pas de deux from Romeo and Juliet with Luciana Paris, a member of the corps de ballet

Nick Kenkel, a gifted Broadway veteran-turned-choreographer and director, premiering an energetic, Afropop-infused group number

Sara Mearns, principal dancer for New York City Ballet, starring with eight male dancers in a new work created by Emmy Award-winning choreographer Josh Bergasse

MOMIX, the consistently inventive dance company, presenting the visually stunning "Man Fan," a male solo using a 22-foot-tall fan in a duet with the wind

N? Lei Hulu I Ka W?kiu, a San Francisco-based company sharing the cultural richness of Hawaii through hula dance, featuring a male trio with innovative hula choreographer Patrick Makuak?ne

This year's host will be announced later this summer. Leadership Supporter tickets start at $325. Individual tickets for the 5 pm performances are $125.

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

At this year's Leadership Event sponsored by Movmnt Magazine, Mark Stuart Dance Theatre will perform excerpts from its Broadway-bound dance musical Standard Time. A celebration of love's power to defy social barriers, Standard Time features hit standards from the 1930s, 1960s and 2000s performed by 14 dancers, 4 vocalists and a 6-piece band.

The celebration continues throughout the weekend with three Fire Island Dance Festival performances: the opening performance on Saturday, July 19 at 5 pm (open bar starting at 4 pm); sunset performance on Saturday, July 19 at 7 pm (open bar following); and closing performance on Sunday, July 20 at 5 pm (open bar following).

Tickets for Fire Island Dance Festival are on sale now at dradance.org, by phone at 212.840.0770, ext. 268, or in person in the Fire Island Pines harbor on weekends 10 am - 1 pm.

Fire Island Dance Festival is generously sponsored by The New York Times, United Airlines, DIRECTV, Movmnt Magazine and Tony's Barge, Inc.

Dancers Responding to AIDS, founded in 1991 by former Paul Taylor Dance Company members Denise Roberts Hurlin and Hernando Cortez, 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 more than 450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide as well as the essential programs of The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS Initiative and The Dancers' Resource.

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

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