The Alabama Dance Festival, the largest dance event in Alabama, exists to showcase the diverse talent and excellence of dance throughout Alabama, to bring the dance community together to promote good will and networking, and to provide high quality classes in technique, dance education, and choreography. The Festival celebrates the diversity of dance, unifies the Alabama dance community, and provides community engagement in the art of dance.

The Alabama Dance Council will make dance history by presenting the Merce Cunningham Dance Company with performances of XOVER, Crises, and BIPED at the 2011 Alabama Dance Festival scheduled January 27 – 30 in Birmingham. The residency will be part of the company's final Legacy Tour and their first and only performance in Alabama. Birmingham will be the first U.S. stop of the 2011 portion of the Legacy Tour.

Held annually since 1998, Festival attendance has grown from 180 who attended the first one-day event to over 4,000 who participated in the 2010 Festival. The Alabama Dance Festival features performances by internationally-renowned dance companies and showcases of Alabama dance companies, in addition to over 75 workshops and master classes featuring a diversity of dance styles for pre-professional students, professional artists, and the community. Previous guest companies have included Donald Byrd/The Group, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, North Carolina Dance Theatre, Philadanco, Rennie Harris Puremovement, River North Chicago, Bridgman Packer Dance, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Battleworks Dance Company.

Read the Press Release for the 2011 Festival!