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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline AUGUST 07, 2026 | The Indian Eye 25

Battery Dance Presents The 45th Annual

Battery Dance Festival on August 10 - 16, 2026

OUR BUREAU Company: Mutual by Yun-Chi Lai
(Taiwan, US Premiere)
New York, NY
his August, Battery Dance Friday, August 14:
returns to the waterfront in NANM, A Robenson Mathurin
Tspectacular fashion, trans- Dance Company: Legacy in Rhythm
forming Wagner Park into a vibrant by Robenson Mathurin (US – NY
hub of movement, music, and cul- Premiere); DPRdance: Scat Cats by
tural celebration in partnership with Dougie Robbins (USA - originally
Battery Park City Authority. The premiered in 2018); Allpayana Ec-
Festival begins on August 10 with dy- uadorian Traditional Dance: Otavalo
namic community workshops led by Wedding by Christian Perez (US –
selected local dance groups, inviting NY Premiere); Ashley Liang Dance
New Yorkers of all ages to connect Company: Silk Road by Ashley Liang
directly with artists through shared (USA - originally premiered in 2021);
movement and cultural exchange. On Mailantia Dance Company: Mutual by
Tuesday, August 11, 2026, the perfor- Yun-Chi Lai (Taiwan, US Premiere);
mances officially begin as the Festival Battery Park City Authority. For Whom The Bell Tolls by Jessee Ina Medhanet: Egungun - The Jour-
proudly celebrates its legacy as New Leigh Robinson (USA- originally ney is the Medicine by Ina Kwayana
York City’s longest-running free pub- Battery Dance Festival Outdoor premiered in 2026); BODYSON- (USA- originally premiered in 2024)
Free Community Workshops at
lic dance festival—an unforgettable Wagner Park NET: Say I Am You by Moscelyne Saturday, August 15:
annual tradition that brings together ParkeHarrison (USA- originally pre-
extraordinary artists and audiences Monday, August 10 miered in 2022); konverjdans: We The Battery Dance Festival con-
from around the world. On August 10, the Festival Tell Ourselves Stories (USAoriginally tinues its tradition with a vibrant
The 45th Annual Battery Dance premiered in 2022); Movimento em tribute to the beauty and depth of
Festival marks a milestone moment, launches with an exciting series of Foco: Voices that Echo Within Us by Indian dance, honoring the spir-
free community dance workshops led
honoring 50 years of Battery Dance by selected local dance groups par- Lucas Mendes (Brazil – US Premiere) it of Indian Independence Day.
and the visionary leadership of found- ticipating in this year’s Festival, wel- Wednesday, August 12: Sindhoor Natya – Navarasa: Ex-
er and Artistic Director Jonathan coming New Yorkers of all ages and cerpts from ENCOUNTER by Apar-
Hollander. This landmark edition experience levels to move, learn, and Battery Dance: Heloha, a newly na Sindhoor and Anil Natyaveda
showcases a dazzling, multicultural commissioned work by former New (US– NYC Premiere); Tanveer Alam:
lineup of artists, featuring bold voices connect through dance. Designed es- York City Ballet principal dancer Jock Zikr by Tanveer Alam (Canada – US
pecially for beginners, each 45-min-
and movement traditions from across ute workshop will introduce partici- Soto (USA - World Premiere); Cía Premiere); Nava Dance Theatre:
the globe—uniting genres, cultures, pants to a different dance style and Elías Aguirre: Flowerheads by Elías Rogue Gestures/Foreign Bodies by
and creative perspectives in a power- cultural tradition, creating an accessi- Aguirre (Spain- US Premiere); Mov- Nadhi Thekkek (US – NY Premiere)
ful celebration of artistic expression. ble and joyful space for discovery and imiento em Foco: Voices that Echo ; Mesma Belsaré: SIREN by Mesma
Returning to the stunning water- Within Us by Lucas Mendes (Brazil – Belsaré (US – NY Premiere); Jeevi-
front at Wagner Park, the Festival un- community engagement. Workshops US Premiere); Maria-Luiza Dimules- ka Bhat: Clothesline by Jeevika Bhat
begin at 4:00pm and offer a unique
folds over a full week of dynamic pro- opportunity to learn directly from cu & Camelia Neagoe: Maybe by (US - originally premiered in 2025)
gramming. Each evening offers two artists while celebrating the diversity 2301, We Won’t Need Another Fem- Sunday, August 16:
exhilarating hours of performances, and energy of New York City’s dance inist Show by Maria-Luiza Dimules-
including the beloved interactive seg- community. cu & Camelia Neagoe (Romania, Maxine Steinman & Dancers:
ment Everybody Dance Now, where • 4:00pm – 4:45pm: Ashley Liang US Premiere); CRDANCE: excerpt A Measure of Quarantine by Max-
audiences are invited to move, con- Dance Company of Alta Marea by Caterina Rago ine Steinman (USA – originally pre-
nect, and celebrate together. • 5:00pm – 5:45pm: Battery Dance (USA - originally premiered in 2024) miered in 2024); Half a Century: Be-
With a distinct theme each night, tween Us by Melanie Futorian (USA
the Festival remains rooted in its core • 6:00pm – 6:45pm: Ina Medhanet Thursday, August 13: – World Premiere); Julia Weber: Bal-
• 7:00pm – 7:45pm: Allpayana Dan-
mission: to present an eclectic spec- za Tradicional Ecuatoriana Erik Debono/A Point 5 Co: Dots lade by Julia Weber (USA - original-
trum of dance to New York audienc- & Nets by Erik Debono; Cía Elías ly premiered in 2025); Thomas/Ortiz
es, expand access to the arts for all, Battery Dance Festival Performance Aguirre: Flowerheads by Elías Agu- Dance: Disclaimer by Ted Thomas and
and uplift emerging New York-based Schedule at Wagner Park • August irre (Spain-US Debut); Seyong Kim: Frances Ortiz (USA - originally pre-
companies as vital voices in today’s 11 – August 16 at 7pm The Moon reflected in East Sea by miered in 2025); Nat Wilson: Some-
dance landscape. This free, citywide Tuesday, August 11: Seyong Kim; Maria-Luiza Dimulescu one Has to Leave First by Nat Wilson
celebration transforms the park into & Camelia Neagoe: Maybe by 2301, in collaboration with Grace Whit-
a vibrant hub of creativity—featuring Battery Dance: then by Rosalind We Won’t Need Another Feminist worth (USA - originally premiered in
performances, hands-on workshops Newman (USA- NYC Premiere); Show by Maria-Luiza Dimulescu 2025); Jon Lehrer Dance Company:
at Battery Dance Studios, and im- Soles of Duende: excerpt of The & Camelia Neagoe (Romania, US Murmur by Jon Lehrer (USA - orig-
mersive experiences designed to en- Kitchen by Amanda Castro, Arielle Debut); Miguel Miranda: Se Va by inally premiered in 2012); Battery
gage and inspire audiences of all ages. Rosales, Brinda Guha (USA- World Miguel Miranda (USA, originally Dance: newly commissioned work by
Presented in partnership with Premiere); Jessee Leigh Robinson: premiered in 2024); Mailantia Dance Sidra Bell (USA – World Premiere).

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