The Jamestown Dance Festival is set for September 9 through 13 in Jamestown.
The five-day festival celebrates dance as a global, interdisciplinary and community-centered art form through performances, workshops, film screenings, artist talks and community engagement events at venues throughout Jamestown.
At Jamestown Community College, Troy Lingelbach‘s solo performance, “International Lover,” will be presented at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, September 10, and 2:00 p.m. Sunday, September 13.
“Contemporary Voices,” featuring contemporary and postmodern dance by three acclaimed artists and companies, is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, September 12.
In “International Lover,” Lingelbach blends aerial trapeze, dance, burlesque and performance art to tell the story of their journey toward self-acceptance. The autobiographical performance explores identity, gender, sexuality, and self-doubt while following Lingelbach’s search for authenticity. Through vulnerability and resilience, the work celebrates embracing one’s true self and personal power.
“Contemporary Voices” features TwinHead Dance, Rik Daniels and legendary choreographer Jim Self, whose performances explore movement, identity, accessibility and creativity. The program offers audiences an intimate look at innovative contemporary dance through a variety of artistic perspectives.
Admission to each JCC performance is free for JCC students with a valid college ID. Seating is limited.
At the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts at 6:00 p.m., Friday, September 11 is an evening of contemporary dance by New York City’s Music From The Sole and Sun Kim Dance Theatre.
Music From The Sole is an acclaimed tap dance and live music company co-founded by Brazilian choreographer and dancer Leonardo Sandoval and bassist/composer Gregory Richardson. Rooted in tap dance’s Afro-diasporic lineage, the company seamlessly blends virtuosic tap, live music, Afro-Brazilian traditions, house dance, passinho, improvisation, and communal energy to create performances that are both electrifying and deeply human. Their work has been presented at major venues and festivals including Jacob’s Pillow, The Joyce Theater, New York City Center, Caramoor, and Works & Process at the Guggenheim.
At the Jamestown Dance Festival, Music From The Sole will present excerpts from “House Is Open, Going Dark,” a major new work exploring rhythm, gathering, and collective experience through an exhilarating fusion of movement and live music.
Sun Kim Dance Theatre, which was founded by South Korean-born choreographer and Artistic Director Sun Kim, is known for expanding the possibilities of Popping and street dance within theatrical and contemporary performance. The company creates powerful works that explore identity, migration, belonging, and resilience.
The company will present “Alien of Extraordinary,” a dance theater work inspired by Kim’s experiences navigating the U.S. artist visa system. Through the movement language of popping, street dance, and physical theater, the work examines bureaucracy, immigration, identity, and belonging with equal measures of humor, vulnerability, and humanity. Featuring original music by acclaimed klezmer musician and composer Michael Winograd, “Alien of Extraordinary” invites audiences into a deeply personal and timely story of resilience and perseverance.
Additional festival events include workshops led by featured artists, film screenings, artist talks, and community engagement events.
Founded by Sukanya Burman Dance, the Jamestown Dance Festival was created from a simple belief: that communities of all sizes deserve access to world-class artistic experiences. The festival brings nationally and internationally recognized artists to Western New York while creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue, cultural exchange, education, and community connection through movement.
As a partner of the Arts Access program, Arts Access pass holders are eligible for free tickets to performances at the festival. To reserve, please send your Arts Access info to info@sukanyaburman.com, or for the September 11 show at the Reg, to stephanie@reglenna.com. To apply for Arts Access, visit: https://www.arts-access.org/
Additionally, active artists, students, veterans, individuals with disabilities, retirees/senior citizens, and anyone experiencing financial hardship are eligible for a 50% discount on festival tickets. Use code DANCE4ALL2026 at checkout. No questions asked.
To view the full schedule and purchase tickets for other festival events, visit sukanyaburman.com/jamestown-dance-festival.
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