Dance Theatre of Harlem and Gateways Festival Orchestra team up for “Firebird”

DTH Company Artist Alexandra Hutchinson in Firebird Credit: Nir Arieli

DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM’S SIGNATURE CLASSIC, FIREBIRD, COMES TO LIFE WITH STRAVINSKY’S MASTERPIECE PERFORMED LIVE BY THE GATEWAYS FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

THE NY SEASON RUNS APRIL 16-19, 2026, WITH DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM’S ANNUAL VISION GALA ON APRIL 17 HONORING SCOTT MILLS AND FATIMA ROBINSON

The world-renowned dance institution, Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH), announces Stravinsky’s iconic score for FIREBIRD will be performed by the Gateways Festival Orchestra, the flagship ensemble of Gateways Music Festival during its New York Season April 16-19 at New York City Center — bringing two leading organizations together for the first time.

The Gateways Festival Orchestra will be comprised of 58 Black professional classical musicians drawn from leading symphony orchestras, elite conservatory faculties, and the international freelance community. The collaboration marks a rare and significant artistic convergence between two legacy institutions, while the presence of a full live orchestra distinguishes this production of FIREBIRD within the New York dance landscape. The musicians’ collective artistry will elevate Stravinsky’s masterpiece with cultural resonance and depth, amplifying the power and brilliance of DTH’s dancers. Renowned award-winning conductor Jeri Lynne Johnson will conduct the Orchestra on April 16, 18, and 19. Tania León, Pulitzer Prize-winning conductor, composer and first music director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, will conduct the Orchestra on Vision Gala Night on April 17.

“To perform FIREBIRD in collaboration with Dance Theatre of Harlem—a fellow legacy institution we’ve long admired—is a historic cultural moment. That Gateways can partner in this pivotal way is living history in motion, and a testament to the power of Black artistry across generations.” 

– Alex Laing, President and Artistic Director – Gateways Music Festival

“At Dance Theatre of Harlem, we have so much to honor and uplift as we revive our beloved FIREBIRD. I trust Mr. Mitchell would’ve been proud to see how far we’ve come, expanding the rich foundation he’s built and doing so with Gateways Festival Orchestra – a mission-aligned institution rooted in legacy much like our own. On behalf of the entire Dance Theatre of Harlem family, we are proud to revive our signature performance of FIREBIRD and share its magic with generations old and new.”

– Robert Garland, Artistic Director – Dance Theatre of Harlem

Dance Theatre of Harlem’s 2026 New York season highlights the organization’s dynamic repertory that bridges tradition and innovation. See more details on the New York season below:

Thursday, April 16 | 7:30PM – Dance Community Night

Blake Works IV (The Barre Project) – Choreography by William Forsythe

Passage of Being – Choreography by Jodie Gates

New Bach – Choreography by Robert Garland

Firebird – Choreography by John Taras

Saturday, April 18 | 7:30PM – Divine Nine/HBCU Night

(All Are Welcome Regardless of Affiliation)

Higher Ground – Choreography by Robert Garland

The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude – Choreography by William Forsythe

Nyman String Quartet No. 2 – Choreography by Robert Garland

Firebird – Choreography by John Taras

Sunday, April 19 | 3PM – Meet the Ballerina Matinee

Blake Works IV (The Barre Project) – Choreography by William Forsythe

Nyman String Quartet No. 2 – Choreography by Robert Garland

Passage of Being – Choreography by Jodie Gates

Firebird – Choreography by John Taras

On Friday, April 17, 2026, Dance Theatre of Harlem will host the Vision Gala – a signature fundraising event supporting Dance Theatre of Harlem’s artistic season and the Dance Theatre of Harlem School. The evening will be hosted by a distinguished host committee spanning art, film, fashion and cultural criticism including Isolde Brielmaier, Sandrine Charles, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Antwaun Sargent, Bevy Smith and Mickalene Thomas.

Each year, DTH honors a visionary with the Arthur Mitchell Vision Award – a testament to that individual’s work which reflects the legacy and mission of DTH’s co-founder Arthur Mitchell. For the 2026 Vision Gala, Dance Theatre of Harlem will honor Fatima Robinson, the groundbreaking choreographer and creative director whose influence across music, film, fashion, and culture has challenged the status quo of contemporary visual storytelling. Additionally, DTH is proud to acknowledge and honor media executive and philanthropist, Scott Mills with the Virtuoso Award.

Previous Vision Gala honorees include Darren Walker, Debbie Allen, Misty Copeland, Jessye Norman, and other luminaries whose work has advanced the arts and expanded access to creative expression.

The Vision Gala will begin with a 6:30PM performance at New York City Center, featuring tribute performances by the Dance Theatre of Harlem. Following the performance, guests will gather for dinner and dancing at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, continuing the celebration of artistic excellence and cultural vision. Entertainment for the evening will be led by DJ D-Nice and Kenny Burns, who will handle music and MC duties, respectively.

For Vision Gala tickets and additional information, please contact events@dancetheatreofharlem.org.

ABOUT DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM

Dance Theatre of Harlem is a leading dance institution of unparalleled global acclaim, encompassing a world-class company, a professional studio school, a leading arts education program—Dancing Through Barriers®—and community engagement initiatives. Founded in 1969 by Arthur Mitchell and Karel Shook, Dance Theatre of Harlem has been celebrated as “one of ballet’s most exciting undertakings” (The New York Times) and continues to set standards for artistic excellence, access, and innovation in the performing arts.

For more information about Dance Theatre of Harlem, visit www.dancetheatreofharlem.org. Follow Dance Theatre of Harlem on Instagram and Facebook @DanceTheatreOfHarlem and on YouTube: Dance Theatre of Harlem.

ABOUT THE GATEWAY FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

The Gateways Festival Orchestra is the flagship ensemble of the Gateways Music Festival in association with the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music. Convening professional Black classical musicians from the nation’s leading symphony orchestras, conservatory faculties, and the international freelance community, each presentation of the Gateways Festival Orchestra is shaped by the unique constellation of musicians who come together—creating performances marked by celebration, artistic excellence, and collective energy.

Founded in 1993 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, by concert pianist Armenta Hummings Dumisani, Gateways Music Festival was established as a space where Black classical musicians could gather in affirmation, artistry, and fellowship. What began as a local convening has grown into a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating Black artistry in classical music and inspiring communities through the power of performance.

For more than thirty years, Gateways has created opportunities for Black classical artists to connect, collaborate, and perform at the highest artistic level while welcoming audiences of all backgrounds into meaningful cultural exchange. Through festivals, residencies, ensembles, education initiatives, and national broadcasts, Gateways uplifts excellence, sustains the living tradition of Black classical artistry, and affirms the essential contributions of Black artists across the classical music landscape.

For more information about Gateways, visit www.gatewaysmusicfestival.org. Follow Gateways Music Festival on Instagram @Gateways_Music_Festival and Facebook @GatewaysMusicFestival.

SUPPORT

Generous support for Dance Theatre of Harlem is provided by Alliance Bernstein Foundation; Alphadyne Foundation; Arnhold Foundation; BET Networks; Bloomberg LP; Bloomberg Philanthropies; Booth Ferris Foundation; CIVITAS; Con Edison; COFRA Foundation; Aaron Copland Fund for Music; Dance/NYC; Davis/Dauray Family Fund; Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation; Ford Foundation; Howard Gilman Foundation; GCM Grosvenor; GEICO; Google; The Harkness Foundation for Dance; DuBose & Dorothy Heyward Memorial Fund; Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation; The Jockey Hollow Foundation; Hyde and Watson Foundation; IQVIA; JPMorgan Chase; Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts; Klein Family Foundation, Legal Defense Fund; The Lenat Foundation; The Reginald F. Lewis Foundation; MacMillan Family Foundation; Madison Square Garden; The Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation; Mellon Foundation; Meta; Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation; Morgan Stanley; Margaret T. Morris Foundation; Henry and Lucy Moses Fund; The New York Community Trust; Nike; Paramount; Tatiana Piankova Foundation; Polar Foundation; Jerome Robbins Foundation; The Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; The SHS Foundation; Sony Music Group; The Thompson Family Foundation; Venable Foundation; Warner Music Group & Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund, a sponsored project of Moore Impact; Wealthspire, Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP; West Harlem Development Corporation; and one anonymous donor.

Visionary support for Firebird provided by Jody and John Arnhold and the Virginia Arts Festival.

Additional support provided by the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts as part of a multi-year

partnership between Dance Theatre of Harlem and UNSCA.

Dance Theatre of Harlem is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and the National Endowment for the Arts.