Chanel Is Bringing Free Dance Performances To NYC

2023 might just be the year of Chanel. In May, the luxury house was spotlighted at the Met Gala — the fashion world’s biggest event of the year — through the theme, Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty. Celebrities like Margot Robbie, Lizzo and Dua Lipa showed up in Chanel finery to pay homage to the brand’s late designer — but it isn’t just celebrities the brand works with. For the third time, Chanel is partnering with the BAAND Together Dance Festival to highlight five of New York’s most iconic dance companies: Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. Chanel and dance might not seem like a natural pairing, but the truth is, the brand has a long-standing history with the art form.

Behind the “Coco” name represented by the house’s iconic double C’s — seen everywhere from handbags to fragrance bottles to tweed suits — was Gabrielle Chanel. A true free spirit, Gabrielle Chanel loved the art of dance. In 1913, after witnessing the performance of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, Chanel met Diaghilev, the founder of the Ballets Russes, and became his long-term friend, patron, and costume designer. Unlike traditional ballet costumes, Gabrielle Chanel’s designs prioritized movement, comfort and flexibility. (For fashion history nerds, we recommend you Google Karl Lagerfeld's collaboration with Elena Glurjidze's outfit for The Dying Swan in 2009. It's breathtaking.)

BAAND Together Dance Festival kicks off July 25th and lasts for five nights, with each evening’s performances starting at 7:30 pm. And did we mention that all of the performances are free? The program will be conducted on an outdoor stage as a part of Lincoln Center’s second annual Summer for the City event, located in Damrosch Park. There’s no need to reserve tickets — all you have to do is show up in the General Admission line, which is first come first serve. For more details and the schedule of performances, go to Lincoln Center’s website.