The third annual North Coast Dance Festival will be held July 24-26 at Northern Michigan University. It will feature a free master class and two performances by professionals from across the country, along with NMU's CO/LAB Dance Company. Ballet dancers Mate Szentes, Julia Feldman and Ava Chatterson will return to the event. Giordano Dance Chicago, “America's original jazz dance company,” will make its first appearance at the festival, performing a new work, Gershwin in B, by Emmy-winning choreographer Al Blackstone.
Company Artistic Director Nan Giordano will offer the master class and talk back from 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, July 24, in Forest Roberts Theatre. Participants must be at least 13 years old and have four or more years of dance training. Register by noon July 23 at https://nmu.edu/theatreanddance/north-coast-dance-festival-2024.
The professional dancers will join NMU's CO/LAB company for public performances Thursday and Friday, July 25-26. Students from the Wildcat Performing Arts Academy Dance Intensive will perform a piece during the Friday evening show.
Tickets are $20 for the general public; $15 for NMU employees, seniors and military; $12 for youth; and $5 for NMU students. They can be purchased at nmu.universitytickets.com. An opening night party with complementary food and beverages will follow Thursday's show in the Forest Roberts Theatre lobby.
The North Coast Dance Festival is supported by the Siril Endowment for the Arts.