Chanel Unites 5 Iconic NYC Dance Companies for the BAAND Together Festival 2026
This week, five of New York City’s most notable dance companies reunite under the banner of the BAAND Together Dance Festival. The sixth iteration of the annual event runs from July 28 to August 1 at the David H. Koch Theater as part of Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City season-long dance celebration. Made possible by Chanel, the five-day festival will feature appearances from Ballet Hispánico New York, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem.
“What makes BAAND so unique is that it brings together companies with distinct artistic voices, histories, and traditions, while celebrating the shared language of dance,” Misty Copeland says. “It’s a rare opportunity for audiences to experience that range in one place.” The event also acts as a representation of “the best of New York’s dance community,” according to the former ABT principal ballerina. It’s a menu of sorts, which features the offerings across boroughs—available to enjoy in one convenient location for a brief period of time.
The event kicks off on Tuesday evening with a panel discussion featuring the artistic leaders of the five companies. The talk is another expression of the festival’s unique nature, which allows for programming curated collectively by these unique minds. “Collaboration on this scale invites new audiences into the art form and reminds us that dance is at its strongest when artists and institutions share their work,” Copeland says.
Every evening, the five companies will perform, each staging a repertory favorite. ABT will show Zephyr pas de deux by Claire Davison; DTH will put on Passage of Being by Jodie Gates; NYCB will do Each In Their Own Time pas de deux by Lar Lubovitch; Alvin Ailey is set to perform A Case of You by Judith Jamison; and finally, Ballet Hispánico New York will dance Trança (Braid) by Cassi Abranches.
A dancer from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
Those who want to learn from the dancers themselves can attend a class taught by one of the companies ahead of the performances each day. The workshops act as yet another opportunity within the festival’s programming for audiences to “take deep dives into specific works of art,” says Shanta Thake, the executive vice president and Ehrenkranz chief artistic officer of Lincoln Center.
“The incredible artistry of these dancers and choreographers offers us all deep connections to ourselves and to the experiences of those around us,” she continued, emphasizing Chanel’s role in the staging of the event (the maison has been a supporter of the festival since its debut in 2021). It’s a natural relationship, which pays homage to Gabrielle Chanel’s long appreciation for dance. “Gabrielle Chanel knew the inspiration found within movement, and collaborated with legendary choreographers during her lifetime,” Thake tells W.
A dancer from Ballet Hispánico New York.
The brand’s history with ballet begins in 1913, when Coco first experienced a performance of The Rights of Spring at Paris’s Ballets Russes. Years later, when Ballets Russes was struggling, Coco came to the aid of founder Serge Diaghilev and funded the restaging of the ballet that first moved her so deeply. From there, Coco acted as both a patron and participant of the art form, designing costumes for numerous performances across the world. Support of dance is a practice that has been honored by the Chanel creative directors who succeeded Coco, and continues with the ongoing patronage of the Festival. “These connections—across time, artistry, and audiences—are what make the BAAND Together Dance Festival so unique and special,” Thake adds.
