DURHAM, N.C. — For years, the American Dance Festival has been bringing together dancers, choreographers and audiences from all over. The festival's Footprints program, which features students from all over the world, will put on performances July 13-14.

The organization is recognized for its dance series, as well as educational and outreach programs.

What You Need To Know

  •  The American Dance Festival's Footprints program will put on performances July 13 and 14 

  •  The program features students from all over the world 

  •  This summer marks 47 years of the ADF at Duke University

In 1934, ADF started in Vermont. After some years, the festival was held at Connecticut College and in 1978, it moved to Duke University.

This summer marks 47 years of the festival being at Duke. Over the course of six and a half weeks, companies from all over the world come to perform a variety of dance styles, while students can take classes from renowned choreographers.

This year, there will be a performance from the ADF's Footprints program, which bridges performance series and education programs. Dianne McIntyre, Kate Weare and David Dorfman are the choreographers that will be helping dancers.

“There’s something about the chemistry of so many people that are so fervently dedicated to dance and dance practices congregating and being supported mutually, and seeing so much new work and new teaching methods all in a concentrated period of time that makes it like no other get-together, no other festival on Earth,” Dorfman said.

Students are from around the world and are in the early stages of their dance careers. During the program, the choreographers teach students new techniques and types of dances. There are scheduled rehearsals and they culminate with a shared program at the end of the summer dance intensive.

“I’m making new work on students here and they are in the process of development, and so it’s sort of meeting them where they are at technically and figuring out how to use them artistically,” Weare said.

All the choreographers have different stories connected to the ADF.

Dorfman has been dancing for over 40 years. He came as a student to the ADF in 1980 and 1981 and performed in 1982 and 1983. He said he took a break and came back as a faculty member in the mid-'90s.

“It’s a magical place,” Dorfman said. “This whole area as it’s grown, I think the idea of what dance can be as an exciting, communicative art form has also grown; and so, having been away for many years, it's really gratifying to see the art form that I adore being taken in by so many more people and on a deeper level, so that feels really good.”

Dorfman said the program has taught him a lot and he’s hoping students can learn things as well.

“I think the idea of lifelong learning and delving into forms and practices that you are not familiar with is highly encouraged here and having a talk with someone about something you just seen in the theater or in the field,” Dorfman said. “Bringing folks that I don’t get to see so often together is such a treat and I’ve learned to try to create those situations when I can and to come to the situations when I can, and I’m just really thrilled to be back here.”

McIntyre is also a former ADF student. She’s been dancing since she was a child and started teaching dance as a teenager in the dance studio she attended in Cleveland, Ohio. Later, she taught at the University of Wisconsin.

“Then, I got to really dive into being a teacher with giving the dancers all the technique and the emotional energy that needs to come through as a dancer, so that was a lot of education for myself,” McIntyre said.

After, she started her own dance company in New York City.

“My inspiration there was to help develop a style and that style would be what was the style of my dance company,” McIntyre said.

McIntyre first came to the ADF as a student at Ohio State University.

“I am a certain age that at that time some of the pioneers of modern dance were the teachers and their company members,” McIntyre said. “So that was something, it was special then and as I look back on it it’s even more special.”

She visited the American Dance Festival over time to watch concerts, and then, in 1992, she came as a faculty member. Since then, she’s taught for many years off and on. McIntyre said it’s a treasure to be a part of it.

“It’s just like the legacy continues; the legacy of American Dance Festival continues inspiring young people,” McIntyre said. “So the young people are inspired as I was. Not just in the dance class and taking so many classes, various classes, you can take classes in different styles, in different techniques. It makes you very open to many very different ways of moving.”

Meanwhile, Weare said her company work has been brought to the ADF in the past.

“ADF is also able to really reach out deeply into the professional world nationally, internationally and support artists all over the world,” Weare said.

This time around is different for Weare, though. She’s getting to work with students, while also getting more time to take in the works of other professionals.

“I think they are getting so much information, it’s probably like really overwhelming, and I think what students can do is really start to gravitate instinctively toward what moves them, what they care about,” Weare said.

“For me, it’s been such a pleasure to be around like Dianne McIntyre, David Dorfman, artists that I’ve admired for many years,” Weare said. “I’ve never had a chance to cross paths with Dianne McIntyre, but I’ve always looked up to her. I think there’s that kind of opportunity at every generational level here, and I know some of the younger ones feel that way about me; and I feel like that is sort of a beautiful aspect of ADF is that you’re actually meeting your heroes.”

Footprints shows will take place July 13 at 7:30 p.m. and July 14 at 3 p.m. at Reynolds Industries Theater.