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.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s festival welcomed nine performances spanning a diverse range of dance styles:\u00a0GALLIM 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\u2019s 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;\u00a0Leggybones 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\u2019s theatricality.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Among the 494 organizations supported by Broadway Cares nationwide, 19 are local to the Hudson Valley region.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Inspired by the generosity of the festival\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Through its 13 iterations so far, Hudson Valley Dance Festival has raised more than $1.98 million.<\/p>\n