The annual Hudson Valley Dance Festival, held October 10 at Historic Catskill Point in Catskill, New York, raised $236,189 for Dancers Responding to AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
This year’s festival welcomed nine performances spanning a diverse range of dance styles: GALLIM opened the festival with an excerpt of YEAR, a journey through the passage of time; Josephine Brunner and Lauren Capolino of LaHa Dance Group performed Mirage, a contemporary duet delving into themes of community and intimacy; Gibney Company shared Rain Dogs, a jazz-infused work by choreographer Johan Inger; Lloyd Knight of Martha Graham Dance Company presented To the Brink and Back, a solo choreographed by Jamar Roberts; Tade Biesinger and Zack Gonder presented an excerpt of Pontus Lidberg’s Brokeback Mountain, the ballet, an intimate duet inspired by the film; Tony-winning choreographer Arturo Lyons blended electro-orchestral beats with the energy of ballroom culture in The Vogue Orchestra; Leggybones Physical Theater founders Casey Bronwyn Howes and Jacob Michael Warren shared This for Now, a duet that explored the bounds of human connection; American Ballet Theatre corps de ballet dancer Luigi Crispino performed Turning to the Light, a romantic contemporary ballet solo choreographed by soloist Zhong-Jing Fang; and The Chase Brock Experience presented a world premiere of Speed Up the Renaissance, an ensemble work showcasing choreographer Brock’s theatricality.
The generosity of festival supporters provides nutritious meals, lifesaving medication, healthcare, housing and other essential services to people living with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses.
Among the 494 organizations supported by Broadway Cares nationwide, 19 are local to the Hudson Valley region.
The Hudson Valley-based organizations receiving support through the Festival include Albany Damien Center in Albany; Alliance for Positive Health in Albany; Animalkind in Hudson; Broadway Education Alliance in Rhinebeck; Catskill Food Pantry in Catskill; Columbia County Recovery Kitchen in Hudson; Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA in Hudson; The Community Hospice in Albany; Do Not Fear to Hope in Garrison; Dutchess Outreach in Poughkeepsie; Greenport Rescue Squad in Hudson; Hudson Valley LGBTQ Community Center in Kingston; Matthew 25 Food Pantry in Catskill; Open Door Family Medical Center in Ossining; People’s Place in Kingston; Rock Steady Farm in Millerton; Roe Jan Food Pantry in Hillsdale; TOUCH (Together Our Unity Can Heal) in Congers; and Troy Area United Ministries in Troy.
Inspired by the generosity of the festival’s supporters and artistry of the dancers and choreographers, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will provide additional grants of $2,500 each to the 19 local organizations.
Through its 13 iterations so far, Hudson Valley Dance Festival has raised more than $1.98 million.
Visit DRADdance.org.