Palm Springs Dance Festival 2019

Let’s Dance!

Alden Blake Photography

The Palm Springs Dance Festival is back March 7-10, 2019, for its third annual program. The Festival kicks off with 32 master classes that span over all four days of the festival and a free public performance (“Diversity Showcase”) on an outdoor stage at the heart of the Village Festival in Downtown Palm Springs on Thursday night. “The evening features all types of dance, including some wonderful cultural pieces by well-trained students, semi-professionals and professional dancers,” said Darcy Carozza, one of the lead organizers of the festival. “It is also an opportunity to make sure our community is informed about other dance festival offerings that they may be interested in.” New to the Festival is the ‘Dance on Film’ screenings at the Palm Springs Cultural Center (formerly known as the Camelot Theater). From global to local, the documentary film series showcases the cross-cultural and intergenerational power of dance with three documentary features and one locally-produced documentary short.

Alex Budin Photography

On Saturday, March 9th, the Palm Springs Dance Festival presents its ‘Gala Night.’ A stunning program presenting a cross-section of professional dance performed by national and international dance companies at the Palm Springs Art Museum’s Annenberg Theater. Esteemed artists in this program include culturally significant dance companies that define the American experience and artists from the lineage of what the world considers profound and brilliant dance makers, such as: Jerome Robbins, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, Bill T. Jones and so many more.

Festival Artistic Director, Michael Nickerson-Rossi, tells us what to expect from the 2019 Gala: “Cultural acceptance! As an artist, I have a responsibility to my community, communities rather. The message here is accepting all forms of cultural diversity and celebrate those different and ever so unique lives. We are so fortunate to not only entertain, but deliver powerful messages through our work, and networks. High caliber artists will grace our stages, give empowerment, cause change in thinking, motivate, entertain, and leave a memorable experience to our festival attendees and dance family of Palm Springs. My hope for this coming year’s festival is to establish a relationship with our growing audience and designing a village who will carry our mission of promoting the joy and dynamism of dance through diversity. The cultural variety and differences that exist in the world are very important to understand and highlight. Our world is a much better place when we are given this gift. As an artist, it’s our responsibility to be a loud voice for other when they cannot.”

Tommy Wu Photography

This event is blithely emceed by local talk show celebrity, Conrad Corral. Tickets for shows, parties and special VIP events are available at palmspringsdancefest.com

“The dancing was of NYC or LA quality right here in Palm Springs. Thank you to Michael Nickerson-Rossi and Darcy Carozza for bringing this incredible Festival to Palm Springs. I can assure you I will be there for their third Gala Night performance next year [2019]!”
Palm Springs Mayor, Robert Moon

Model / Dancer : Chad Allen Ortiz @chadallenortiz
Female Model / Dancer : Brooklynn Reeves
Courtesy of Nickerson-Rossi Dance @nickersonrossidance
and the Palm Springs Dance Festival @palmspringsdancefest
(Nickerson-Rossi Dance is a dance company featured in the 2019 PSDF Gala who also produces the Palm Springs Dance Festival with Astonish Events LLC’s, Darcy Carozza).