Heralded as “One of the nation’s most important institutions” by the New York Times and as “The world’s greatest dance festival” by the New York Post, the American Dance Festival’s sustained record of creative achievement is indivisible from the history of modern dance. Since 1934, ADF has remained committed to serving the needs of dance, dancers, choreographers, and professionals in dance-related fields. Remaining true to the goals of its founding artists, ADF’s programs are developed based on its mission: to encourage and support the creation and presentation of new modern dance work by both established and emerging choreographers, to preserve our modern dance heritage through continued presentation of classic works as well as through archival efforts, to build wider national and international audiences for modern dance, to enhance public understanding and appreciation of the art form and its cultural and historical significance, to provide a sound scientific and aesthetic base for professional education and training of young dancers, and to maintain a forum for integrating and disseminating information on dance education. For more information on the American Dance Festival, click here.

ADF's summer festival is located in Durham, NC and consists of a six-and-a-half week performance series, residencies by national and international established companies and emerging artists, and world-renowned educational programs for pre-professional and professional students. 

At the heart of ADF is the Six Week School (6WS), where dancers from around the country and around the world come to train and to create, to see and be seen. Over the course of the festival, students of all levels work each day with ADF’s diverse faculty, extraordinary musicians, and vibrant student body to create rewarding, life-changing experiences. The six-and-a-half week commitment results in the enduring, hard-won benefits that only long-term training can yield. 

 The curriculum at ADF is founded on the beliefs that dance training should cultivate artists who move, think, and create with ambition, sensitivity, and intelligence; and that dancers knowledgeable of dance’s enduring and current innovations are best equipped to create its future. To those ends, courses offered reflect the traditions of modern dance as well as the new and risky explorations that push the art form forward.  Possibilities abound with up to forty classes a day and a roster of seventy faculty members. Students create and personalize their own schedules, choosing from 6WS regular course offerings and flexible WFSS classes.  The foundation of consistent classes complemented by WFSS opportunities allows students to experience the many dance forms that ADF offers while also studying intensely with a core group of teachers. Click here for more info about the six week school.

ADF also offers a range of scholarships to help students attend their programs. More information can be found here.