Battery Dance has announced its 50th Anniversary Gala, scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, at The Rooftop at Edison Ballroom in Manhattan.
The event marks five decades of the organization’s work in choreography, cultural diplomacy, and community engagement since its founding in Lower Manhattan in 1976. The evening will feature a three-course dinner and performances by the professional company along with students from its “Dancing to Connect” program.
The gala will honor Battery Dance founder and artistic director Jonathan Hollander and Dr. Victoria Phillips, an author and historian specializing in Cold War cultural diplomacy.
Hollander, a trailblazer in the field of dance, established the Battery Dance Festival in 1982, which has become New York City’s longest-running public dance festival. His work has been presented on five continents, and he was recently named a finalist for the 2025 Social Innovation Award from the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.
“Hollander regularly lectures at the university level in the U.S. and overseas on Arts Management and Arts Education,” the organization stated, noting his extensive history of bringing young people together across borders through cultural exchange.
Dr. Phillips is the author of Martha Graham’s Cold War: The Dance of American Diplomacy and serves as a Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics. Her research explores how the United States used various cultural forms, including dance, to promote ideology internationally during the 20th century.
Based in Lower Manhattan, Battery Dance has produced more than 125 original works and has served as a cultural ambassador in 70 countries. The company also provides subsidized rehearsal space for over 400 choreographers annually and operates arts-in-education residencies throughout the New York City public school system.
The gala will begin with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and performances at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the event start at $500. Click here to purchase tickets.
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