American Dance Festival

With a legacy spanning 93 years, the American Dance Festival has served as a premier institution for modern dance, attracting artists, audiences, and thousands of students worldwide. ADF fosters innovation by nurturing new works, offering intensive training, and supporting artists at all career stages. ADF has served as a laboratory for experimentation and innovation by promoting the creation of new works and collaborations, educating generations of dancers through intensive training programs, presenting live and screen dance to the public, and developing humanities and international exchange programs. Originating in 1934 at the Bennington School of Dance, ADF relocated to Connecticut College in 1948 and has called Duke University and Durham home for the past 49 years. Since 2012, ADF has offered year-round programming at Samuel H. Scripps Dance Studios, including movement classes for all ages and experience levels, Parkinson’s Movement Initiative, choreographic residencies, and informal showings and performances. ADF also values community engagement, notably through ADF Project Dance, established in 1998, which partners with local organizations to bring dance to youth in the Triangle area.