The following is a roster of dance companies that have participated in Battery Dance's annual Downtown Dance Festival since 1982:
Established by Battery Dance Company in 1982, the Downtown Dance Festival (DDF) is New York City’s longest-running free public dance festival. Audiences are traditionally drawn from the large downtown working population and residents, families, tourists, senior citizens and dance fans from the greater NYC metropolitan area. Last year, the Festival drew a combined audience of over 10,000 people.
The Downtown Dance Festival provides a unique opportunity for both professional and emerging dancers and choreographers to present original works of high artistic merit in a free public forum. The DDF revels in the panoply of dance that our city offers, with strong emphasis on the inclusion of diverse dance styles and an international roster of performers. American choreographers such as Paul Taylor, Mary Anthony, Elizabeth Streb and Darrell Moultrie have all presented their works alongside pre-eminent companies from Asia, Europe and the Caribbean.
2012
Press
"Indian Dance, Via Bollywood, By Way of Russia, Near Wall Street"
– THE NEW YORK TIMES - READ FULL ARTICLE
"Woodie Guthrie, Choreographer's Muse"
– THE NEW YORK TIMES - READ FULL ARTICLE
"Beneath the Dappled Light, There's Safety and Charm in Numbers"
— THE NEW YORK TIMES - READ FULL ARTICLE
"They'll Be There With Bells On"
– THE WALL STREET JOURNAL - READ FULL ARTICLE
"Erasing Boarders, Downtown Dance Festival, New York"
– FINANCIAL TIMES - read full article
"Beyond Boarders"
Redriff India Abroad - READ ARTICLE
"The Downtown Dance Festival: moving in a light of delight"
The Star-Ledger - read article
"HOT PICKS"
THE NEW YORK POST
"CRITIC'S PICKS"
TIME OUT NEW YORK
Participants:
Buglisi Dance Theatre
Dalia Carella Dance Collective
Dance Cat-alyst Company
Dancewave
Exit 12 Dance Company
Figures In Flight
Jamal Jackson Dance Company
Jaikishore & Padmavani Mosalikanti
Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers
Mayuri Dance Group
Morales Dance
Peridance Contemporary Dance Company
Phoenix Project Dance
Roschman Dance
Sonali Skandan & Jiva Dance
Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts Ltd
The Vanaver Caravan Dance & Music Company
Bageshree Vaze
The Trinetra Chhau Dance Company (India) |
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2011
Press
Hindu Mythology Comes to Life on the Streets of New York
“…every year I know I’m going to see companies new to me, often from other parts of the world, all playing against memorable settings in southernmost Manhattan.”
Battery Dance Company celebrates 30 years of leaps and turns
“For the 30th anniversary of its renowned (and free!) “Downtown Dance Festival,” Battery Dance Company will be celebrating alongside prestigious dance troupes from across the globe (including Silesian Dance Theatre of Poland and Sutra Dance Theatre of Malaysia).”
Downtown Dance Festival expands the audience
“We make dance accessible to people who wouldn’t have the means or curiosity to seek it out,” Hollander explains. “Festival philosophy has been to cross every possible niche.”
Sutra Dance Company triumphs in New York despite threats of inclement weather.
JustDance Magazine, Malaysia, 2011
Participants:
BALAM Dance Theater
Ballets With a Twist
Battery Dance Company
Dancewave
Jamal Jackson Dance Company*
Lydia Johnson Dance
Murray Spalding Mandalas
Silesian Dance Theatre (From Bytom, Poland)
Sutra Dance Theatre (From Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
Natya Academy*
Lakshmi Sriraman*
Mandakini Trivedi*
Aniruddhan Vasudevan*
Bageshree Vaze*
Rukmini Vijayakuar*
*Appeared as part of the IAAC’s Erasing Borders Festival of Indian Dance |
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2010
Press:
Cultures Converge on Battery Park – New York Times
“With singular generosity, the Battery Dance Company each summer presents a free outdoor festival, giving most of the attention to guest troupes. These Downtown Dance Festivals have included weekend performances under the trees in Battery Park. Few New York settings are lovelier: The stage and most of the audience are in shade, with marvelously dappled sunshine through the leaves; the audience sees the light over the Hudson shimmering behind the dancers.”
Hindu Deities Conjure Magic in Movement Downtown – New York Times
“As surprising New York juxtapositions go, none surpass those provided each August by the Erasing Borders festival of Indian dance in its contributions to the Downtown Dance Festival. Here is a downtown plaza surrounded by skyscrapers, with people coming and going at lunchtime and a soundtrack that includes the harbor and city traffic; and here in the open air are dancers in full Indian costume performing traditional forms that derive from the opposite side of the world.”
New York Times Dance Listings
“The final day of this lively annual Lower Manhattan event, now in its 29th year, is Friday. If you haven’t been — or even if you have — don’t miss this lineup, which includes the marvelous Dusan Tynek Dance Theater as well as Amy Marshall Dance Company and Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet Dance Theater of Brooklyn.”
Moving Storytelling Takes Center Stage
Indian dance is a reliable component of the Downtown Dance Festival, the 29th edition of which runs from Saturday through Aug. 20 downtown in Battery Park and at One New York Plaza. This year is unusual, however, in that the Indian portion is in the tradition of Kathakali, a dance form from the southwestern Indian state of Kerala.
Dance By the Water – NY Press
“While the indoor dance scene is pretty quiet this month, you can still find plenty of intriguing outdoor dance events in many parts of the city. Making a generous contribution to this activity is the Downtown Dance Festival, presented by Battery Dance Company and now in its 29th year.”
Downtown Dance – Staten Island Advance
“The 29-year-old festival — a project of the 35-year-old Battery Dance Co. — is a little subversive. The idea is to ambush unsuspecting passers-by, area office workers, tourists and residents with open-air, day-lit performances that are as watchable as the standard, indoor, night-time experience.”
Participants:
Shobha Korambil*
Leena Mohanty*
Guru Radha Mohanan & Troupe* (From New Delhi, India)
Amy Marshall Dance Company
Battery Dance Company
binbinFactory
Blakeley White-McGuire
Buglisi Dance Theatre
C. Eule Dance
Classical Contemporary Ballet Theatre
Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre
Erica Essner Performance Co-Op
Figures in Flight
Jamel Gaines’ Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn
Lane & Co.
Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company
Yuko Takahashi Dance Company (From Sendai, Japan)
*Appeared as part of the IAAC’s Erasing Borders Festival of Indian Dance |
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2009
Press:
Just Try to Pass By Without Being Stunned – New York Times
“Of all the open-air programs I have seen in this city, nothing stops the casual pedestrian better than performers in full Indian dance attire, moving apparently every muscle from head to toe (not least those of the eye, the fingers and the toes).”
Amid the Towering Skyscrapers, Unexpected Bursts of Dance – New York Times
“During Tuesday’s lunchtime performance in the plaza it was a constant pleasure to see how the dancing stopped Chase workers in their tracks, both within the building and outside it, some holding their takeout lunches as they stared.”
Participants:
Aniruddhan Vasudevan*
Labyrinth Dance Company*
InDance*
Infin8*
Sakshi Productions*
Sa Dance Company*
Battery Dance Company
Buglisi Dance Theater
C3 Tap Cooperative
The Chase Brock Experience
Dance China NY
Eglevsky Ballet
Figures in Flight
isadoraNOW
Janaki Rangarajan
Jamal Jackson Dance Company
Naomi Goldberg Haas/Dances for a Variable Population
New Chamber Ballet
Rebecca Kelly Ballet
Stefanie Nelson Dance Group
Vissi Dance Theater
*Appeared as part of the IAAC’s Erasing Borders Festival of Indian Dance |
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2008
Press:
A Spirit of South Asia Is Moving in Manhattan – New York Times
A new event within an old one, “Erasing Borders” is a four-day festival of Indian dance under the aegis of the annual Downtown Dance Festival (the 27th of that ilk). “Borders” opened on Monday with the first of two varied and thronged lunchtime performances at 1 Chase Manhattan Plaza in Lower Manhattan.
Thanks to Chopin, Isadora Duncan’s Hop, Skip and a Jump to the Masters – New York Times
Surely Isadora (as she is still widely known) would have rejoiced in the setting. The trees, the light on the leaves, the boats that passed, the heroic presence of the Statue of Liberty across the water, the freedom with which members of the audience could come and go, the way other groups (some waiting for their turn, others resting after theirs) watched the spectacle: all this was a glorious picture.
Downtown Dance Festival Brings Global Dance Closer to Home – New York Sun
During nine months every year, Mr. Hollander's Battery Dance is more than just a performing dance company; it takes on the role of presenter, seeking sponsorship, culling companies, and searching for sites in preparation for the annual festival, which begins its 27th incarnation this Saturday. Mr. Hollander takes it upon himself to bring dance to the people with post-performance opportunities for audiences to learn excerpts from the choreographies they've just seen.
Participants:
Amy Marshall Dance Company
Axis Danz
Ballet Noir
Battery Dance Company
Battleworks Dance Company
BODYART
Dance China NY
Dancewave's Kids Company
Dances By Isadora
Eidolon Ballet
Figures in Flight
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana
Genesis Dance Company
I -danse
isadoraNOW
Kotchenga
Lane & Co.
Lydia Johnson Dance
Naganuma Dance
Naomi Goldberg Haas/Dances For A Variable Population
Rainy Welch
Riedel Dance Theater
Sachiyo Ito
Spinnin Ronin Martial Arts Theater
Stefanie Nelson Dance Group
Undertoe Dance Project
Valentina Kozlova's Dance Conservatory of New York
Vissi Dance Theater
Xodus Dance Collective
Yaa Samar! Dance Theater |
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2007
Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company
Angahara Dance Ensemble/Ramaa & Swetha Bharadvaj
Ashley Browne/Kinetic Project
Battery Dance Company
Christopher Caines Dance Company
Darshana Jhaveri Manipuri Dance
Figures in Flight Dance Company
Gallim Dance Group
HUNTERDance Theater
Isabel Gotzkowsky and Friends
Jamal Jackson Dance Company
Janis Brenner & Dancers
Naganuma Dance
Parijat Desai Dance Company
Quorum Ballet
Spinnin Ronin Martial Arts Theater
Surico
Take Dance Company
Vissi Dance Theater |
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2006
Ballet Neo
Battery Dance Company
Cara Surico and Dancers
Dance China NY
Dzul Dance
Figures in Flight
Kathak Ensemble
Lazar Ballet NYC
Naganuma Dance
New Generation Dance Company
Ocean of Light
Peridance Ensemble
Rebudal Dance
Rumba Tap
Slamfest
Vissi Dance Theater |
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2005
Battery Dance Company
Laurent Bortolotti
DV Dance
Freespance Dance
Lazar Ballet NYC
NOA Dance
Oriki Omi Oddara
Sandhya Purecha
Sonali Skandan |
 |
2004
Battery Dance Company
Blue Muse Dance
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company
Mary Seidman & Dancers
Randy James Dance Works |
2003
Amy Marshall Dance Company
Battery Dance Company
Chinese Folk Dance Company &
Students from the New York Chinese Cultural Center
Notario Dance Company
Swapnasundari & Ensemble, Kuchipudi Dance of India |
2002
Ballet Folklorico Mexicano
Battery Dance Company
Chinese Folk Dance Company
H.T. Chen & Dancers
Jane Goldberg's Changing Times Tap with Roxane Butterfly and Omar Edwards
Lori Belilove and the Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation
Tokounou All Ability African Dance |
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2001
Amy Marshall Dance Company
Battery Dance Company
Freespace Dance
Heather Harrington
Isabel Gotzkowsky & Friends
Janavak National Folk Dance Ensemble of India
John Passafiume Dancers
Kids Café Festival with Young Dancemakers Company
Ramos Dance
Ring O' Bells Morris |
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2000
Battery Dance Company with Ethos Percussion Group
and guest musicians Samir Chatterjee and Ramesh Misra
Gabriel Masson Dance
Incidents Physical Theater
Lê Minh Tâm Dance
The Vanaver Caravan
Zig Zag Ballet (New York Premiere) |
1999
Battery Dance Company with Frank Carlberg & Christine Correa
Chhaya Academy of Dance (Bombay, India)
Mary Anthony Dance Theatre with Kun Yang Lin
Morales Dance
Perks Dance Music Theatre
Skeleton Dance Project
Trio Sisters (Madras, India)
Urban Impact |
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1998
Barry Blumenfeld and Cintia Chamecki
Battery Dance Company
Beth Leonard and Linda Seifert
Chris Ramos/Soundance
Dancing Crane Folk Ballet with the Kartuli Ensemble
Feets of Rhythm Dance Company
Kathy Kroll Dance and Paper Theatre
Lumiere Ballet
Teri Steele and Oliver Steele/Steeledance
Young Dancemakers Company |
1997
Ananya
Balasarawati Ensemble (India)
Battery Dance Company
Jaan Freeman
Krishna Leela Dance Drama
Nrityagram Dance Ensemble of India
Rupa Vishvanath
Shakti Bhangra Dance Group
Sita Mani & Uttara Coorlawalla |
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1996
Castanets in Concert
Folk Dance Theatre
Kerala Kalamandalam (India)
Soundance Repertory Company |
1995
Anahid Sofian Dance (Middle East)
Battery Dance Company
Lori Belilove & Company
Olivier Heuts & Marcy Simon
Taylor 2
The Kathak Ensemble |
1994
Badal Roy & Ken Wessel (Music)
Battery Dance Company
Ernesta Corvino's Dance Circle
George Washington High School Dancers
Mallika Sarabhai and the Darpana Dance Troupe of India
Pascal Rioult Dance Theatre
Sanza Nemo Collective Dance Company
Tap Express
Vanaver Caravan with Vanaver Caravan Youth Dance Company
and Vanaver Caravan Kids |
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1993
Battery Dance Company with Badal Roy
Jhaveri Sisters Manipuri Dance Troupe
Nrityashree of Vadodara |
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1992
Balinese-American Fusion Dance
Battery Dance Company
Christensen/Heuts/Crofton
George Washington High School
Janaki Patrik
New American Ballet Ensemble
Parul Shah (India)
Swati Bhise |
1991
Anahi Galante (Argentina)
Carlota Santana Spanish Dance
Estelle Eichenberger (Switzerland)
Neta Pulvermacher (Israel)
New American Ballet Ensemble
New York Theatre Ballet
Oravan (Slovakia)
Peggy Spina & Tap Dancers
Sam Keany (Australia)
Yukie Okuyama (Japan) |
1990
Battery Dance Company with the Wave Hill Trio and Melanie Helton
Denishawn Repertory Dancers with Lyudmila Melerud (Piano)
She-Bops and Scats |
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1989
Battery Dance Company
Chinese Folk Dance Company
Virginia Repertory Dance Company |
1988
Forces of Nature
Jodie Oberfelder-Riehm Dance Co.
Lillo Way
Manhattan Tap
Mark DeGarmo
Moving Pictures |
1987
Battery Dance Company with
New York Chamber Orchestra
DanceCompass (New Jersey)
Dance Through Time (California)
Hortense Kooluris and Dancers-Isadora Duncan Repertory
Matthew Nash Music & Dance
NYC Tapworks
The American Spanish Dance Theatre |
1986
Dance Circle
David Dorfman
Footworks: Rachel List, Janaki Patrik, David Parker/Kathryn Tufano
Glenn/Lund
Ithaca Ballet
Kathryn Posin Dance Company
Mary Anthony Dance Company
New Dance: Nancy Alfaro, Novensemble, McLaughlin |
|
1985
Anahid Sofian Dance Company
Battery Dance Company
Dance Circle Company
Debra Weiss & Company
Elizabeth Streb
Jane Comfort
Kathy Kroll & Company
Mary Anthony Dance Theatre
Rachel List
Ruby Shang
Terry Creach & Stephen Koester |
|
1984
Albert Reid & Dancers
Andrea Levine & Charles "Cookie" Cook
Anita Feldman/Body and Sole
Balletfore
Battery Dance Company
Jane Goldberg/Changing Times Tap Co.
Spanish Dance Arts Company |
|
1983
Battery Dance Company
David Woodberry Running & Rolling (Virginia)
Gail Conrad Tap Dance Theatre
Janet Smith & Dancers (U.K.)
Lightning Dance Company (Boston)
New York City Dance Exchange
New York Theatre Ballet
Rebecca Kelly Dance Company
Vanaver Caravan |
|
1982
Battery Dance Company & Apple Brass Quintet
Conway & Geary Clown Troupe
Martha Karess & Dancers
Nina Wiener & Dancers
New York City Dance Exchange
New York Theatre Ballet
Pool Dance Company
Zenith Breakers |
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