Dance Fest is returning to Milwaukee for its third year at the outdoor Peck Pavilion on Aug. 3. Host Nō Studios launched the event “kind of by accident” back in 2019. Since then, it’s evolved into a yearly showcase of Milwaukee’s extraordinary talent.
Lisa Caesar, Nō Studios chief operating officer, and her brother John Ridley, CEO, opened their doors as a hub for creative Milwaukeeans in 2018 and hosted an ‘informal combined dance program’ to celebrate. Caesar had unanticipated success holding a similar, but more organized event in 2019, and the tradition of Dance Fest was born.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
The first Dance Fest’s open call saw about 10 responses from performance companies. Caesar has kept this year’s lineup to a total of nine companies — not including the five in the free pre-show — with five from across the Midwest and four local to Wisconsin, but continues to receive calls from interested groups.
Performers range from The Madison Ballet to Chicago Dance Crash, an “athletic, current and cool” group Caesar says is her personal favorite.
The Milwaukee Irish Dance Company (in the pre-show) and African and Carribean Ko-Thi Dance Company will provide samples of Milwaukee’s rich array of cultures, communicated through music and movement. Milwaukee’s abundance of creatives inspired the festival’s inception in the first place, and representing the city’s wealth of originality remains its primary goal.
“We could have had 40 dance companies just from Wisconsin,” Caesar said.
Dance Fest is designed to be digestible for a broad audience that might not have previously taken the time to explore and investigate the art form.
“It’s like eating tapas, where you get a little taste of everything,” Caesar said. “You get a chance to explore different genres that you maybe had a proclivity not to like so much, and you end up really enjoying it.”
It’s Dance Fest’s second year in a row partnering with The Joyce Theater in New York City, with Programming Director Danni Gee flying in to serve as MC. Gee first connected Caesar and her brother Ridley with the Marcus Center last year. This began a partnership between Nō Studios and Marcus, which is sponsoring the event.
The two organizations are planning other community-oriented events throughout the year, Caesar said.
Food and live music will be available, along with tabling from local groups. Caesar welcomes anyone to attend the tech rehearsal beginning at noon. The free pre-show begins at 5:30 p.m., and the ticketed performance starts at 6:30 p.m.
Caesar hopes to see Dance Fest continue growing with each coming year, first within Milwaukee with multiple dance ‘campuses’ going simultaneously. Just as dance companies travel from all over the country to perform for Milwaukeeans, supporters are drawn in from different cities or states.
“Let me tell you, the dance companies were thrilled to come,” Caesar said. “I’m hoping that their excitement cascades over to a fantastic audience experience.”
