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Virtual Fire Island Dance Festival
to Stream Friday, July 17
Online festival
to feature world premieres
and favorites
from past festivals
Produced by and
benefiting Dancers Responding to AIDS,
a program of
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
The charitable event of the Fire Island summer goes digital
when
the Virtual Fire Island Dance Festival
streams an evening of celebrated dance at 7 pm Eastern
on July 17, 2020. The first-ever stream in the event’s
26-year history will feature world premieres of three new
pieces and three beloved festival favorites.
The festival is produced by and benefits Dancers Responding to
AIDS, a program of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights
AIDS.
Advance registration is required for the free stream.
Sign up at dradance.org/fidanceregister.
This year’s virtual festival will include world premieres by
modern tap dancer Ayodele Casel, one of The
New York Times’ “Biggest Breakout Stars of 2019”;
KEIGWIN + COMPANY Artistic Director Larry Kiegwin; and Stephen
Petronio, artistic director of Stephen Petronio Company.
The stream also will feature past festival performances by
Emmy Award nominee Al Blackstone; MacArthur
“Genius Grant” Fellow Kyle Abraham and
acclaimed dancer
and choreographer Garrett Smith.
“Although we can’t gather together in The Pines, we’re
thrilled to be able to invite our community to enjoy
world-class dance performances online through the Virtual
Fire Island Dance Festival,” said Denise
Roberts Hurlin, founding director of Dancers Responding
to AIDS. “While it won’t quite be the same as watching on
the shores of the Great South Bay, our virtual festival will
help rekindle the beauty of the festival for us all. And we
welcome the opportunity to do good for those in crisis and
need.”
The in-person event, traditionally held in
July in Fire Island Pines, has raised more than
$6.7 million since the festival began in 1995. Through
their support, Fire Island Dance Festival attendees
have helped ensure that those living with HIV/AIDS, COVID-19
and other critical illnesses in all 50 states, Puerto Rico
and Washington, D.C., receive lifesaving medications,
nutritious meals, counseling and emergency financial
assistance. The generosity also supports organizations
working toward social justice and anti-racism.
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS also continues its annual
support of the Pines Care Center, helping to provide a
wide range of medical-related services to the residents and
visitors of the Fire Island Pines and neighboring
communities.
More information about this year’s performances will be
announced in the coming weeks. Dancers Responding to AIDS
relies on the extraordinary compassion and efforts of the
performing arts community to fund a safety net of social
services for those in need. As a program of Broadway
Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, DRA supports the essential
programs of The Actors Fund, including the HIV/AIDS
Initiative and The Dancers' Resource, as well as more than
450 AIDS and family service organizations nationwide.
For more information, please visit Dancers Responding to
AIDS at
www.drdance.org
at facebook.com/DRAdance,
at instagram.com/DRAdance,
at twitter.com/DRAdance
and at youtube.com/DRAdance
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