Lincoln Center’s BAAND Together Dance Festival Returns for Its Sixth Year

Lincoln Center’s summer-long celebration of dance continues in July as the BAAND Together Dance Festival returns for its sixth year, reuniting five of NYC’s most iconic dance companies—Ballet Hispánico New York, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem—on one stage from July 28-August 1, 2026 at the David H. Koch Theater as part of Lincoln Center’s https://www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city.

The BAAND Together Dance Festival is made possible by CHANEL, a supporter of the festival since its debut in 2021. Among Gabrielle Chanel’s core inspirations was flexibility of movement—an influence she expressed throughout all her creations, including her collaborations with legendary choreographers during her lifetime. This partnership reflects the House’s long-standing connection to and patronage within the world of dance, which has continued for over a century.

This beloved festival offers the rare chance to experience programming curated collaboratively by the artistic directors of each company, including repertory favorites. The Festival began when the performing arts were coming back after the height of the pandemic in 2021 as a new form of collaboration in celebration of the return to live performance.

Performances: Tue-Fri at 7:30pm, Sat at 4pm

All tickets are offered for Choose-What-You-Pay, reflecting Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts’ commitment to making world-class artistry as accessible as possible.

As a new major supporter of the Festival, Chase is proud to champion the world-class artistry of these iconic New York dance companies as they come together on one stage, building on its support of Summer for the City, now in its third year.

PROGRAM:

American Ballet Theatre – Zephyr pas de deux by Claire Davison

Dance Theatre of Harlem – Passage of Being by Jodie Gates

New York City Ballet – Each In Their Own Time pas de deux by Lar Lubovitch

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – A Case of You by Judith Jamison

Ballet Hispánico New York – Trança (Braid) by Cassi Abranches

For the second year, audiences will get an off-stage perspective of the extraordinary creative collaboration between these five renowned NYC dance companies during a free panel discussion on Tuesday, July 28 at 5:00pm in the David Rubenstein Atrium, featuring the artistic leaders of all five companies: Eduardo Vilaro, Ballet Hispánico New York; Alicia Graf Mack and Matthew Rushing, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; Susan Jaffe, American Ballet Theatre; Wendy Whelan and Jonathan Stafford, New York City Ballet; and Robert Garland, Dance Theatre of Harlem, moderated by Donald Borror, Director, Pasculano Collaborative for Contemporary Dance.

Each afternoon , one of the companies brings its unique teaching style to participants of all ages with free dance workshops in the David Geffen Hall lobby. The series will offer a variety of dance forms, appropriate for all ages and abilities.

Statement from the artistic directors of Ballet Hispánico New York (Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro), Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (Artistic Director Alicia Graf Mack), American Ballet Theatre (Artistic Director Susan Jaffe), New York City Ballet (Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford, Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan), and Dance Theatre of Harlem (Artistic Director Robert Garland):

“Dance and the arts are a haven for our collective soul, reminding us of our shared humanity. BAAND was created to foster resilience, strengthen community, and demonstrate the power of the arts to inspire change. As we enter our sixth year, we celebrate a city that continues to show the strength and possibility of coming together.” - BAAND Artistic Directors

To make the arts more accessible, tickets are available on a Choose-What-You-Pay basis starting at $5 here: https://www.lincolncenter.org/series/summer-for-the-city/s/BAAND%20Together%20Dance%20Festival.

Program Details:

American Ballet Theatre – Zephyr pas de deux by Claire Davison

Zephyr, meaning a gentle breeze, is taken from the lyrics of Jacques Offenbach’s Barcarolle. Choreographed by American Ballet Theatre corps de ballet dancer Claire Davison, Zephyr is a pas de deux inspired by the wind on a warm summer night, inciting dance and play in everything it touches. It celebrates a fleeting moment of magic, romance, and beauty.

Dance Theatre of Harlem – Passage of Being by Jodie Gates

Fall into the passage of time in Jodie Gates’ new ballet, Passage of Being, an exploration of life’s fleeting moments set on Dance Theatre of Harlem’s extraordinary dancers. This circular, and physical work unfolds in three cinematic movements set to the evocative music of Oscar-nominated composer Ryan Lott (Everything Everywhere All at Once). Shifting perspectives and the bittersweet beauty of time’s swift journey are brought to life through Gates’ expressive choreography and inventive lighting by Michael Korsch with elegant costumes by Martha Chamberlain. At the heart of this elliptic ballet is the majestic and haunting Son Lux song “Don't Say It's Too Late.” Gates weaves these elements into a poignant reflection on love, connection, and the power of the present. Don’t miss this visually deeply moving new work.

New York City Ballet – Each In Their Own Time pas de deux by Lar Lubovitch

Lar Lubovitch’s Each In Their Own Time is set to selections from Brahms’ Eight Piano Pieces (Op 76), performed by an onstage pianist. The duet was created for New York City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival in 2021 and is the second work by Lubovitch to enter New York City Ballet's repertory.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – A Case of You by Judith Jamison

A Case of You is an emotional and sensual duet by Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison (1943-2024), performed to Diana Krall’s version of Joni Mitchell’s song of the same title. The duet premiered publicly in 2005 as part of Ms. Jamison’s larger work, Reminiscin’, inspired by Edward Hopper’s famous painting Nighthawks and great female jazz artists.

Ballet Hispánico New York – Trança (Braid) by Cassi Abranches

In Trança, a recent world premiere, individuality and collectivity meet to explore human relationships. Inspired by the ancestral art of braiding, it weaves Brazil’s unique cultural references, creating a living fabric of movement, identity, and community.

Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 4:00 pm - Audio Description, Relaxed Performance

Ballet Hispánico New York is the nation’s leading American Latino dance company and the largest cultural institution of its kind in the United States. Founded in 1970, it celebrates the richness of Latinidad through performance, training, and community programs. Recognized by the Ford Foundation as one of America’s Cultural Treasures, under Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro, the organization fosters unity by exploring the shared connections that bind us as humans.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by US Congressional resolution as a vital American “Cultural Ambassador to the World,” grew from a now-fabled March 1958 performance in New York. The company has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on six continents, uplifting all in a universal celebration of the human spirit through the African American cultural experience and the American modern dance tradition. Before his untimely death in 1989, Mr. Ailey named Judith Jamison as his successor, and for 21 years she brought the company to unprecedented success. Alicia Graf Mack, widely celebrated for her dance artistry during her years with the company, was appointed Artistic Director of AILEY as of July 1, 2025.

American Ballet Theatre is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 U.S. states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT’s repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT was designated America's National Ballet Company®.

New York City Ballet, one of the foremost ballet companies in the world, was founded in 1948by the legendary choreographer George Balanchine and arts patron Lincoln Kirstein and quickly became world-renowned for its athletic and contemporary style. Jerome Robbins joined NYCB the following year and, with Balanchine, helped to build its extraordinary repertory. Today NYCB continues to be inspired by its founders who envisioned an authentically American expression of ballet with a company that reflects the rich cultural diversity of our city and nation. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford, Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, and Executive Director Katherine Brown, NYCB is deeply committed to creating and sustaining an organizational culture that values diversity, inclusion, and equity, promoting creative excellence, and nurturing a new generation of dancers and choreographers.

Dance Theatre of Harlem stands as a dynamic force in the ballet world, captivating audiences both nationally and internationally. Our repertoire is a thrilling blend of treasured classics, neoclassical masterpieces by George Balanchine and artistic director Robert Garland, and cutting-edge contemporary works that embody founder Arthur Mitchell's belief that ballet is for everyone. Through electrifying performances, community engagement, and arts education programs, Dance Theatre of Harlem champions the power of the arts to inspire and empower.

About Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center is a premier performing arts center and iconic civic cultural campus. A beacon for the arts in New York City and around the world, Lincoln Center believes the arts are fundamental to our humanity and should be accessible to all — connecting us to one another, expanding our individual and collective imaginations, and elevating our spirit. Opened in 1962, the 16-acre campus is home to eleven resident arts organizations dedicated to uplifting the role of art and artists in our society, providing a destination for global artistic voices, training the next generation of great artists, and creating unforgettable experiences for all New Yorkers: The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Film at Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Juilliard School, Lincoln Center Theater, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, New York Philharmonic, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, and School of American Ballet. Lincoln Center welcomes millions of people for thousands of performances each year, anchoring New York City’s legendary creative life and greatly impacting its civic and economic wellbeing.

About Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts 

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring the Lincoln Center campus is a destination that welcomes all — where every visitor, whether a native New Yorker or New Yorker for a day, can find inspiration, artistic innovation, and community in the creative achievements realized on campus. Year-round, we offer robust seasons of programming, representing a broad spectrum of performing arts disciplines and complementing the artistic and educational activities of the 10 fellow resident arts organizations with whom we share a home. LCPA presents hundreds of programs each year, offered primarily for free and Choose-What-You-Pay, helping ensure that the arts are at the center of civic life for all.