Elysia Dawn founded the Naples International Dance Festival last year. The Naples native and chief executive officer of United Arts Collier is a former professional dancer. Under her guidance, The Naples International Dance Festival has rapidly established itself as a distinctive cultural destination. At this year’s festival, attendees can enjoy live performances, community workshops and master classes, dance on film, original choreography integrating poetry, and discussions on the impact of dance on health and wellness.
The Naples International Dance Festival takes place April 15-19 at The Norris Center Theater, Opera Naples, Naples Botanical Garden, Dance Arts by Maria and the Naples Art District.
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United Arts Collier’s Naples International Dance Festival reflects a distinctly interdisciplinary curatorial philosophy.
The festival brings world-renowned dance artists to Naples, while encouraging the local community to contribute their talents and connect to the broader dance world.
Featuring both iconic and bold new works and bold new choreography, NIDF speaks to audiences who seek artistic excellence paired with meaningful cultural dialogue.
“This festival is an offering for our community to have numerous entry points to engage with and be inspired by the art of dance,” said Dawn. “It celebrates how dance intersects with film, photography, music, poetry, and the human experience itself. The Naples International Dance Festival was created to reflect that reality, and to bring world-class artistry to our world-class city, a truly beautiful setting where community access and curatorial excellence exist harmoniously side by side. We’re grateful that last year’s premier performance sold out and are thrilled to share in the excitement with our community again this year.”
Proceeds from the festival support ongoing arts education, community engagement initiatives, and expanded access to high-quality dance programming throughout the region.
Master and Original Works
The 2026 festival will feature:
- Repertory works choreographed by the legendary George Balanchine, courtesy of the George Balanchine Foundation;
- New York City Ballet Choreographer in Residence Justin Peck;
- Silas Farley whose work appeared at The Metropolitan Museum of Art; and
- The internationally acclaimed Annabelle Lopez Ochoa.
Among the festival’s interdisciplinary presentations is a new work by Susan Kirschbaum, who both choreographed and authored the accompanying poem for the work. Integrating literary composition with physical expression, the work exemplifies NIDF’s commitment to artists who expand the boundaries of contemporary performance, positioning dance not only as movement, but also as narrative, voice, and text.
Performances by San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer, Joseph Walsh, former New York City Ballet soloist Megan LeCrone and dancers who have performed with such companies as the Dutch National Ballet and the Scottish Ballet will bring the works to life with world-class artistry.
The festival will also feature one local youth choreographer and performer, Lily Harmic, whose talent dazzled audiences in the inaugural festival.
Community Engagement: The Revelations Celebration Community Workshop and Dance Education
A central pillar of NIDF is public access and participatory arts engagement.
The 2026 festival will offer a free community event rooted in one of the most significant works in modern dance history, Alvin Ailey’s master work, “Revelations.”
The program will also feature a dance and wellness talk before the premier performance on April 17 led by Dr. Jennifer Baxley Lee, Director of University of Florida Health Shands Arts in Medicine. Her discussion will explore the powerful ways dance transcends performance and influences health, healing, and human resilience.
Additionally, local students will have the extraordinary opportunity to take master classes with the NIDF artists while they are in town in a series of master classes on April 18 and 19.
Dance on Film: “Suspending Time” Featuring Tiler Peck
In another extension of dance beyond the stage, NIDF will also screen the dance film “Suspending Time,” featuring Tiler Peck, principal dancer with New York City Ballet. The film showcases the cinematic possibilities of choreography and reinforces the festival’s dedication to dance as a visual art form across mediums.
Photography Exhibition Featuring Gene Schiavone
In addition, the festival will present a photography exhibition featuring acclaimed photographer Gene Schiavone, whose images from the inaugural Naples International Dance Festival captured the architecture, intimacy, and kinetic power of live performance. The exhibition offers a visual archive of movement and highlights dance as both ephemeral experience and enduring artistic record.
About United Arts Collier
United Arts Collier (UAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization and the state-recognized Local Arts Agency for Collier County. UAC serves as the arts umbrella for Collier County, working to unite all arts disciplines and expand access to arts education, performance, and cultural experiences.
For festival details, tickets, and donations to the festival, visit: unitedartscollier.org/naples-international-dance-festival.
For more information on how you can support United Arts Collier and its initiatives, visit https://unitedartscollier.org, email info@unitedartscollier.org or telephone 239-254-8242.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.
