Guide to the American Dance Festival in Durham, NC

For nearly five decades, Durham has been the home of one of the most significant performing arts institutions in the country. The American Dance Festival isn’t a festival in the pop-up tent sense; it’s a living, working hub where choreographers create, dancers train and audiences encounter the full range of what the human body can express. If you haven’t been, this is the summer to go.

The 2026 season runs May 27 through July 25, with performances at venues across Duke University’s campus, the Carolina Theatre in downtown Durham and a handful of other spaces that give each program its own character.

Tickets go on sale May 5

The American Dance Festival traces its origins to 1934, when the founding generation of American modern dance: Martha Graham, Hanya Holm, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman established the Bennington School of the Dance in Vermont. It was a place for choreographers to experiment, teach and present new work. After years at Connecticut College, the festival moved to Duke University in Durham in 1978 and has been here ever since.

Since then, The New York Times has called ADF “one of the nation’s most important institutions,” and the record backs it up: over 700 world premieres, more than 440 commissioned works and alumni including Merce Cunningham, Twyla Tharp, Alvin Ailey, Trisha Brown, Bill T. Jones and Mark Morris. ADF has also brought choreographers from 93 countries across 6 continents to Durham through its International Choreographers Residency program, making it a global gathering with a distinctly local home.

Beyond the performances, ADF runs summer intensives that draw dancers from around the world to train at the Samuel H. Scripps Dance Studios on Broad Street, alongside year-round classes, free community programs and a Parkinson’s movement initiative.

Getting Tickets

Most performances are ticketed through the Duke University Box Office, by email, or by phone at (919) 684-4444.

Venues

Performances are spread across Duke’s campus and a few off-campus locations. The main Duke venues are:

Reynolds Industries Theater — Bryan University Center, 125 Science Drive.
Page Auditorium — 402 Chapel Drive.
von der Heyden Studio Theater — Rubenstein Arts Center, 2020 Campus Drive. Free parking in the Campus Drive Lot across the street.
ADF’s Samuel H. Scripps Dance Studios — 721 Broad Street. Free parking on-site.

Off-campus venues:

The Carolina Theatre – 309 W. Morgan St., downtown Durham
Jewish for Good at the Levin JCC – 1937 W. Cornwallis Rd.
Mutual Tower – 411 W. Chapel Hill St
Parizade – 2200 W. Main St.

Parking

Most Duke venues use the Bryan Center Parking Deck (PG IV) at 135 Science Drive. Paid parking applies on weekdays; check the 2026 ADF Parking Guide for details on each venue before you go. Street parking in downtown Durham is free after 7 p.m. and all day on weekends near the Carolina Theatre.

Accessibility

ADF is committed to making performances accessible. Visit americandancefestival.org/accessibility for venue-specific information on accessible entrances, seating and parking.

Discounts

ADF offers ticket packages for multi-show attendees as well as discounts through programs like ADF Go (ages 18–30) and the Golden Ticket for local educators.

The 2026 lineup spans contemporary and modern dance, including intimate studio work, large-scale productions, free outdoor performances and programs specifically designed for families and first-timers. So, whether you’re a diehard dance fan or looking to experience something new, you can find your appropriate level of immersion.

Tickets go on sale May 5. Ticket packages and discounts are available for multi-show attendees.

Wally Cardona & Molly Lieber — May 27–30, ADF’s Scripps Dance Studios

See choreographer David Gordon’s rarely seen 1975 duet with his partner Valda Setterfield.

BODYTRAFFIC Unplugged — June 8, Reynolds Industries Theater

Rehearsal clothes, minimal lighting, no sets. Just the choreography and the dancers showing you exactly what contemporary dance performance is made of.

Jesse Factor / Opening Dance & Dessert Party — June 17

Factor’s The Marthaodyssey, a collision of Martha Graham and Madonna, is the kind of evening that ADF programmers relish: disciplined and completely unhinged at the same time. Stick around for the Opening Dance & Dessert Party at the JB Duke Hotel afterward for music and a free dessert bar.

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company — June 18–19, Page Auditorium

One of the defining companies of American modern dance returns to the stage where so much of its history was made.

Camille A. Brown & Dancers — June 20, Reynolds Industries Theater

Brown’s work centering Black Joy and the dance traditions of the African Diaspora is among the most celebrated choreography being made today. Saturday’s matinee includes a post-performance discussion.

Made in NC — June 22, Page Auditorium

Four world premieres by North Carolina choreographers in an evening: modern, tap, ballet and contemporary.

Charlotte Ballet: Kamuyot — June 26–28, Jewish for Good

Ohad Naharin’s Kamuyot is performed outside a traditional theater setting, drawing audiences into the piece rather than placing them across from it.

Footprints + Free Site-Specific Work — July 11–12

ADF’s signature program pairing commissioned premieres with the festival’s student dancers performed by Stephan Koplowitz at Mutual Tower in downtown Durham. No ticket required.

Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble — July 2–4, Reynolds Industries Theater

Celebrating its 45th anniversary with Dances to American Music, Mark Morris’s company brings a July 4th children’s matinee.

Pilobolus — July 24–25, Page Auditorium

Pilobolus’s acrobatic, formally inventive work has been a festival favorite for decades.

Closing Dance Party — July 17, Parizade

A buffet, two drink tickets and dancing with the artists of Shen Wei Dance Arts and Guangdong Modern Dance Company.

See the full 2026 season calendar and brochure.

Many festival performances happen in the evening, leaving plenty of time to explore the city. Durham’s renowned restaurant scene, walkable neighborhoods and arts and culture scene will give you plenty of reasons to extend your trip.

Where to Stay

Hotels on or adjacent to Duke’s campus:

JB Duke Hotel, 230 Science Dr. — walkable to Reynolds Industries Theater and Page Auditorium

Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, 3001 Cameron Blvd — a longtime Durham institution with a golf course and proximity to all the Duke venues.

If you prefer staying downtown, the Durham Hotel, Unscripted Durham and 21c Museum Hotel put you within easy reach of the Carolina Theatre and the rest of downtown’s dining and nightlife. Morehead Manor Bed & Breakfast offers a more intimate stay in a historic, Black-owned property with genuine Southern hospitality.

Search all Durham hotels and inns

Durham has earned a national culinary reputation that goes well beyond its size. Here are some places to eat based on where your evening takes you.

Near Duke’s campus / West Durham:

Parizade — Mediterranean flavors in Erwin Square; also hosting ADF’s closing party
Vin Rouge – French classics served for dinner and weekend brunch
Monuts – Doughnuts and sandwiches made with local ingredients
Sol House Wines – A relaxed wine bar in Brightleaf with a well-curated

Downtown / Near the Carolina Theatre:

Pizzeria Toro — wood-fired pizza and one of Durham’s best neighborhood bars
Queeny’s — elevated bar food in a friendly, unhurried room, open late
Seraphine — Louisiana-inspired, MICHELIN Guide-recognized in American Tobacco Campus

Coffee and a slow morning:

Cloche Coffee – a quiet coffee shop just off of Duke’s East Campus Parker and Otis — a Durham institution on American Tobacco Campus for coffee, biscuits, lunch sandwiches and browsing
The Daily Beer Bar — equal parts coffee shop, beer bar and gallery
Cheeni — Indian small plates rooted in family recipes
The Roof at The Durham — sunset views and pre- or post-show drinks

Things to Do Between Performances

Nasher Museum of Art at Duke — A world-class collection on Duke’s campus and a five-minute walk from Reynolds Industries Theater. Totally free with a can’t miss café and museum shop.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens — 55 acres of curated gardens at the center of Duke’s campus, free and open to the public daily.

21c Museum Hotel — The contemporary art museum inside this downtown boutique hotel is free and open 24 hours a day

Durham Distillery — Tours, tastings and a cocktail bar in the warehouse district. Order your drink to-go for a stroll within The Bullpen.

Stop by the Discover Durham Visitor Info Center at 212 W. Main St. for maps, guides and local expertise. Download the Discover Durham app to discover the full range of what Durham has to offer while you’re here.