Nigel Lythgoe & Debbie Allen Announce Los Angeles International Dance Festival

With National Dance Day approaching on September 21, 2019, Nigel Lythgoe O.B.E., Executive Producer of FOX's EMMY Award-winning So You Think You Can Dance, and Debbie Allen, EMMY Award-winning choreographer, Director of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy and Executive Producer/Director of Grey's Anatomy, today announced that the inaugural Los Angeles International Dance Festival (LAIDF) is set to take place in April 2020. LAIDF will be a 16-day dance experience that will entertain, educate and inspire audiences of all ages with performances, films, workshops and master-classes in both traditional and alternative venues around Los Angeles.

The festival will run from April 11, 2020 through April 26, 2020, showcasing the talents of Angeleno dancers and choreographers, while bringing internationally acclaimed dancers and dance companies to Los Angeles venues.

LAIDF will shine a light on the achievements of both the local and international dance community. Embracing the spirit of National Dance Day, LAIDF aims to unite artistic and creative forces that have made Los Angeles the entertainment capital of the world. The program of the week will include performances, workshops, opportunities for non-profit arts organizations and students, dance access for all, and community mixers.

"Dance has the unparalleled ability to bring people together and reach across cultures and communities to connect us with a common language and central understanding," said Nigel Lythgoe O.B.E., co-founder of LAIDF. "It is our hope with the Los Angeles International Dance Festival to shine a light on the brilliance of the Los Angeles creative communities and - over the course of 16 days - create spaces throughout the city for people to experience the wealth of culture and dynamism this city holds, through the power of dance."

"I am so excited to partner with Nigel Lythgoe and the entire LA Dance Community to create a Festival that will excite, inspire and inform the world how vibrant our artists and companies are. We are working tirelessly to create dynamic experiences for all ages, all ethnicities and a landscape of styles and techniques," said Debbie Allen, co-founder of LAIDF.