JAMESTOWN DANCE FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER 4-7, 2025
JDF Promo Video (30 Sec version - CC-lossless - lower res)
9-2-2024 Jamestown Dance Festival - Channel 4 / Erie News Now
Anoushka Shankar - Dancing in Madness | Barkha Patel Choreography
Can We Dance Here? | 2024 Trailer, Soles of Duende
“WOW! I left feeling empowered, entertained, uplifted... and proud. Proud that an event like this is in Jamestown...” -Suzanne F.
Last year, we launched the inaugural Jamestown Dance Festival, a celebration of diverse dance forms and cultural expressions. The festival featured captivating performances from award-winning dance companies, engaging workshops, and community events that showcased the rich tapestry of movement and artistry. Building on that success, this year’s festival will continue to elevate underrepresented voices in dance, bringing together renowned performers, emerging choreographers, and dynamic cultural programming to further establish Jamestown as a growing hub for dance in Western New York.
Stay tuned! We will be announcing this year’s featured artists, workshops, and special events soon—you won’t want to miss what’s in store for Jamestown Dance Festival 2025! Here are some videos from last year!
“Mesmerizing, captivating, exciting, interesting, and fun! I felt invigorated afterwards... I’m so glad I went!” -J.G.
The Jamestown Dance Festival (JDF), spearheaded by Sukanya Burman Dance, debuted as a landmark event in Chautauqua County, featuring a weekend of performances, workshops, film screenings, and panel discussions that celebrated the global diversity of dance. In its second year, the festival continues to expand its reach and impact, introducing new performance locations while returning to The Reg Lenna Center for the Arts as a mainstage venue.
This year’s festival will showcase an even broader spectrum of dance genres, including House, Vogue, West African, Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Modern dance, reflecting JDF’s mission to highlight underrepresented voices and cultural traditions. In addition to performances at The Reg Lenna, the festival will now include events at Jamestown Community College and a special performance at Torn Space Theater in Buffalo, further elevating JDF’s presence across Western New York.
JDF remains committed to pay equity in the arts, accessibility, and affordability, ensuring that artists and audiences alike can engage with dance in a meaningful and inclusive way. With a continued focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, the festival proudly highlights artists of color, a wide range of cultural dance forms, and a growing geographic footprint, solidifying its role as a catalyst for artistic exchange and community enrichment.
What others have been saying about the Jamestown Dance Festival...
“Very much enjoyed it! never attended anything like it before... extremely impressed with not only the physical talent of the dancers, but also the storytelling and the use of sound, light, and music to complement and enhance the experience.”
-Zach A.
“Loved the variety and the way that they each played on the theme of Indian classical but brought different experiences of the genre. I had no idea what to expect coming in, since my own experience with dance is so limited, but I was blown away by the evocative, immersive creativity on display.”
-Noah G.
“Sukanya is a gifted curator, looking at dance through a filter of classical Indian dance, illuminating connections that are otherwise invisible, in Jamestown New York! Are you kidding?! just keep going!”
-Lois W.
“Enjoyed the narration during the Sukanya Burman dance performances. Sandip Mallick had incredible footwork and left me in awe. Soles of Duende was beautiful, joyful, and powerful.”
-Kristin W.
“I left thinking after Barkha Patel’s Performance was just what my soul needed and was thirsting for. Bringing the spirit and artistic level to stage was perfect.”
-Rebecca Y.
Jamestown Dance Festival last year wouldn't have been possible without the generous support of our community, regional and state partners
