A spokesperson describes the event as follows:
“...On Saturday, August 9, the Company celebrates the re-opening of Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park, following a two-year pause during which it was rebuilt as part of a coastal resiliency effort to protect Battery Park City and lower Manhattan from storm surge and sea level rise. A medley of dance companies will present a 1-hour program opened by Indigenous performer Marie Poncé, followed by tap-dancer John Manzari with a live band. Battery Dance presents Frontiers by Turkish-Dutch choreographer Rutkay Özpinar and Limón Dance Company caps off the evening with the classic work A Choreographic Offering created by José Limón in 1964.
The following week brings the 44th Annual Battery Dance Festival enlivening Rockefeller Park from August 12-16, 2025, with a rain date on August 17. New York City’s longest-running free public dance festival brings together eight diverse dance companies from around the world coupled with a dynamic roster of eight New York-based companies. The free series of events celebrates the universal language of dance with a mix of performances, workshops, and immersive experiences for audiences of all ages.
The five-night performance line-up features a plethora of premieres and several performances featuring live music. Crowds of over 12,000 in-person and over 35,000 virtual viewers typically flock to the Festival each summer, with audiences glorying in the opportunity to experience dance against the spectacular water, sky and cityscape backdrop..."
