About
Nantucket Dance Festival
Bringing Dance to Nantucket
The Nantucket Dance Festival is week-long celebration of dance with fundraising events that bring renowned dance and music artists from around the world to Nantucket for performance, education and cultural events. Our fundraising efforts directly support year-round dance as part of Nantucket Dance Theater's annual programming, with classes at the Boys and Girls Club of Nantucket, residencies and performances that inspire cultural appreciation in young people. Educational workshops and classes that are part of the Festival and continued throughout the year expand on how dance is integrated into the community and offer important lessons of self-awareness, physicality and artistic expression to the next generation.
The Festival includes programming that emphasizes diverse styles of dance to bring together professionals and students while creating unexpected collaborations with musicians and visual artists. We thank you for being a part of the Festival and our future!
2023 Inaugural Festival
Our 2023 Festival was a whirlwind, culminating in a sold-out performance featuring 14 incredible dancers in three world premiere works and diverse styles not before seen on Nantucket. Most importantly, 17 local students from the island participated in the final number alongside Festival artists. In 2024, the Festival grew to include more free classes, new incredible artists and live music!
Successfully surpassing our fundraising goal – with endless gratitude to our generous community's support – the ongoing impact of the Festival has allowed for year-round dance classes at the Nantucket Boys & Girls Club and expanded dance and arts collaborations through Nantucket Dance Theater's programming.
Community Events
Our programming offers events that brings in new audiences and reaches the community in vibrant locations across Nantucket. With community events at local spots like Cisco Brewers, collaborations with artist organizations like Nantucket Design of School and the Arts and free dance classes at multiple locations throughout the island, the Festival has something for everyone.
The main event of the Festival is our Benefit Performance, featuring professional dancers from around the world.
Building on a 15 year history
From 2007-2022, the Dance Festival served as the annual fundraiser for the Nantucket Atheneum. Under the direction of Tyler Angle since 2013, the Festival commissioned 17 new choreographic works, featured 145 dancers and musicians from professional dance companies and music ensembles around the world, and fostered a deeper connection between dance, music, culture, history and education.
Truly widening the breadth and caliber of dance available on the island, the Festival featured works by 48 different choreographers with over 60 different composers and 2 newly commissioned pieces of music. As a true community-focused endeavor, the Festival offered lectures and screenings that provided insights into the works, as well as educational events for children led by Jared Angle. We are grateful to have an inspiring history to build on.
Contact us
For any inquiries or to support the Festival, please get in touch.