“a distinctly American choreographer” with “seemingly unstoppable creativity”
(The New York Times).

In October 2025, The Gerald Arpino Foundation partnered with The Joyce Theater to present the Arpino Dance Festival—which featured a rousing array of signature works by visionary choreographer Gerald Arpino, some unseen in New York for more than thirty years. From September 30 to October 12, the Arpino Dance Festival honored the choreographer’s distinct legacy and also marked an ambitious collaboration of major U.S. companies united by the enduring impact of his vision.

Program A—September 30–October 5, includes Confetti by AVID (Artistic Ventures in Dance), L’Air d’Esprit by San Francisco Ballet’s Misa Kuranaga and Houston Ballet’s Angelo Greco, Round of Angels by The Joffrey Ballet, and Birthday Variations by Oklahoma City Ballet.

Program B—October 7–12, features Confetti by AVID, Valentine by guest artists Fabrice Calmels and Emily Speed, Sea Shadow by Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the electric Light Rain by Ballet West.

Arpino, with Robert Joffrey, created a ballet company and a body of work that left a singular and enduring impact on American ballet. Throughout his 50-year career, Arpino created nearly 50 ballets for The Joffrey Ballet. He was a masterful artist and entertainer whose work brought audiences to their feet time and again. Together, these performances reaffirmed Arpino’s powerful range—from the lyrical to the exuberant— a new generation experienced the passion, musicality, and heart that defined his work.