"In the Fire" at Hudson Hall
June 15This one certainly sounds like a "sure-fire" family hit. Performed by Toronto-based circus and contemporary dance company Femmes du Feu, "In the Fire" is artistic director Holly Treddenick's deeply personal homage to her late father George, a former firefighter who served for 37 years with the Winnipeg Fire Department. The multidisciplinary aerial and dance show combines circus, movement, music, and storytelling as it "exploring the evolution of a father/daughter relationship and themes of memory, trauma, self-discovery, aging, and love."
Jacob's Pillow
June 26-August 25The living landmark (est. 1931) presents nine weeks of performances. Up first is the Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlos (June 26-30), followed by the UK's Royal Ballet (July 3-7), the Ballet Du Grande Theater de Geneve (July 10-14), street dancers the MasterZ at Work Family (July 13), Miguel Guiterrez's trans/queer troupe (July 17), modernists MOMIX (July 24-28), mambo greats Sekou McMiller and Friends (July 25), Indigenous ensemble Dancers of Damelahamid (July 26-27), Parsons Dance (August 7-11), Soledad Barrios and Noche Flamenco (August 14-18), Princess Lockeroo and the Fabulous Waack Dancers (August 24), and more.
"SCAT!" at Bard SummerScape
June 28-30
Dance troupe Urban Bush Women mark their 40th anniversary with "SCAT!," which is modeled on the Black floor shows that were part of founder and leader Jawole Willa Jo Zollar's childhood in segregated Kansas City, Missouri. Performed with a live band to an original jazz score by trombonist Craig Harris, this world premiere at the Fisher Center's Sosnoff Theater powerfully chronicles the journey of Zollar's family and the intersection of their dreams and the harsh realities of American life in the 1940s and 1950s.
Mark Morris Dance Group at Caramoor
August 1Called "the pre-eminent modern dance organization of our time" by Yo-Yo Ma, the Mark Morris Dance Group was conceived in 1980 and is led by the groundbreaking choreographer Mark Morris and headquartered in Brooklyn. For this rare upstate engagement, which blends extraordinary dance and gripping storytelling, the company will perform at Caramoor's Venetian Theater to music by Bach, Stravinsky, Barber, and Mendelssohn as played by its resident violin-and-piano outfit, the MMDG Ensemble.
Paul Taylor Dance at PS21
August 2-3
One of the world's most revered modern dance ensembles, the Paul Taylor Dance Company was established in 1954 by former Merce Cunningham, Martha Graham, and George Balanchine dancer Taylor. This much-anticipated return by the New York group to PS21's Pavilion Theater comprises three of the namesake choreographer's signature works: "Brandenburgs" (1988) and "Promethean Fire" (2002), with music by J. S. Bach, and "Runes" (1975), with music by Gerald Busby.
New York City Ballet at SPAC
July 9-13Founded in 1948 by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein, New York City Ballet is one of the world's foremost dance companies, with a roster of spectacular dancers and an unparalleled repertory. NYCB performed at the opening ceremony for the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in 1966 and returns each year for its summer residency, bringing world-class dance to SPAC's open-air stage. This year, it perfroms "Jewels" (July 10-11), "Contemporary Choreography" (July 11, July 13) and "Swan Lake" (July 12-13).
