New York City Centerâs Fall for Dance Festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary with performances by 24 companies at the center, as well two evenings of free performances, hosted for the first time in the festivalâs history by the Public Theater at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park.
The performances at the Delacorte, on Sept. 16 and 17, are a kind of prelude to the main festival, which runs from Sept. 25 through Oct. 5 at City Center. They are also a tribute to the New York Dance Festival, which the Public Theater presented at the Delacorte from the 1960âs through the 1980âs, and which Arlene Shuler, the president and chief executive of City Center, described as âa model and inspiration for our festival.â The ensembles performing at the Delacorte, both nights, are New York City Ballet, the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Ronald K. Brown/Evidence and Elizabeth Strebâs Streb Extreme Action Company.
The schedule at City Center includes festival debuts by the Royal Ballet, Body Traffic, Doug Elkins Choreography, Etc., and the dancers Colin Dunne and Sara Mearns. Ms. Mearns, the Royal Ballet and Ballet Hisapnico will give the world premieres of works commissioned by the festival. And non-performance events include workshops, panel discussions and educational programs.
The festivalâs three commissions, which will each have two performances, are âSombrerÃsimo,â choreographed by Annabelle Lopez for the Ballet Hispanico; a work by Justin Peck for Ms. Mearns and an unannounced partner, and a pas de deux by Liam Scarlett for the Royal Ballet.
A Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo program includes the New York premiere of Sidi Larbi Cherkaouiâs âFaunâ (2009), and the Richard Alston Dance Company offers the New York premiere of Mr. Alstonâs âDevil in the Detailâ (2006), with music by Scott Joplin.
Other highlights of the festival include a program by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater that includes Rennie Harrisâs âHomeâ (2011); American Ballet Theaterâs revival of José Limónâs âMoorâs Pavaneâ (1949), and Mr. Elkinsâs companyâs presentation of a work inspired by that Limón piece, Mr. Elkinsâs âMo(or)town/Reduxâ (2012).