New York City Center’s Fall for Dance Festival is back for 2025, and if you’re anything like us, your pointe shoes are practically tying themselves in anticipation. This year’s lineup is a thrilling mix of established icons and boundary-pushing newcomers, making it one of the most diverse and exciting programs in the festival’s history.
Let’s talk highlights. The return of American Ballet Theatre in a specially curated piece is, of course, huge—but don’t sleep on the international companies making their debut. Compañía Nacional de Danza from Spain is bringing a fiery, flamenco-infused contemporary work that promises to bring down the house. And then there’s the wild card: a collaboration between an electronic music producer and a ballet ensemble. Yes, you read that right.
What makes Fall for Dance so special is its fearless curation. Where else can you see classical ballet sharing a stage with avant-garde movement and cultural dance forms, all for the price of a movie ticket? It’s a reminder that dance isn’t meant to be put in a box—it’s living, evolving, and relentlessly creative.
My take? This festival is more than a series of performances. It’s a statement. In a world that often tries to silo art forms, Fall for Dance screams, loudly and beautifully, that movement is a universal language. It doesn’t matter if you’re a lifelong bunhead or someone who’s never set foot in a theater—there’s something here that will make you feel something.
So mark your calendars, set those reminders, and get ready to be moved. Fall for Dance 2025 is shaping up to be unmissable.
