Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival in Akron, Ohio

Sponsored by the City of Akron, The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival has been established to honor the legacy of the legendary founding Artistic Director of Ohio Ballet, and continues the tradition of free public performances by respected dance companies, each presenting a unique dance experience, but all sharing the common thread of Poll's commitment to the highest artistic standards.

This Festival is a tribute to Poll's legacy and a gift of the performing arts to the people of Greater Akron.

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What is the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival?

Watch this short video detailing Heinz Poll and his legacy as it pertains to dance in North East Ohio.

The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival

A gift of the arts, and dance in particular, from the City of Akron, to the Greater Akron area.

Overseeing the Summer Dance Festival

OUR STAFF

Akron Dance Festival 2023 Schedule

Continuing Akron's unique 49 year tradition of presenting free dance performances in the parks during the summer, The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival has been established to honor the legacy of the legendary founding Artistic Director of Ohio Ballet. Free public performances by respected Ohio dance companies, each presenting a unique dance experience, reflect the common thread of Poll's commitment to the highest artistic standards.

Since the 2006 demise of Ohio Ballet's Summer Festival that was founded in 1974 and supported by the City of Akron since 1975, there was no ready outlet for dance in Akron. The Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival presents as many as 18-20 separate dance pieces offered each summer. Attendance averages about ten thousand per season.

ALL DANCE PROGRAMS BEGIN AT 8:45 PM ~ CHILDREN'S INTERACTIVE PROGRAM 7:45 PM

  • Verb, "Ohio Contemporary Ballet"
    July 28, 29
    Forest Lodge Park
    (by the ball-field on Jefferson Ave.)
    https://verbballets.org/
  • GroundWorks Dance Theater
    August 4, 5
    Firestone Park
    (between N. and S. Firestone Blvd. – Firestone neighborhood)
    https://groundworksdance.org/
  • Dayton Contemporary Dance Co.
    Aug 11,12
    Goodyear Heights Metro Park
    (2077 Newton St., Akron, Ohio 44305)
    https://www.dcdc.org/


NEW!
Inlet Dance Theatre
August 3 at 6:30 pm
Akron Art Museum
(1 S. High St., Akron, Ohio)
330-376-9186
https://www.inletdance.org/


SPECIAL PROGRAMS – Free Admission

Inlet Dance Theatre's narrated performances will include selections of Inlet's repertory along with a new work centered on Keith Haring's work (in celebration of the Keith Haring exhibit at the Akron Art Museum), a new all-male work collaboratively created with Ghanaian dancers/choreographers, and Polynesian dancers from Pacific Paradise Entertainment who will share traditional Polynesian dances.

EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCES (Open to the public)
August 1 – 10:30am - PATTERSON PARK COMMUNITY CENTER
(800 Patterson Ave., Akron, OH 44310/330-375-2819)

August 1 – 1:30pm - JOY PARK COMMUNITY CENTER
(824 James Ingram Way, Akron, OH 44306/330-375-2805)

COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE (Open to the public) August 9 – 2:00pm - SHAW JCC
(750 White Pond Dr., Akron, Ohio 44320/330-867-7850)

DANCE STAGE TO BE SHARED WITH AKRON SYMPHONY ENSEMBLE ON SUNDAYS

The City of Akron will extend the use of its weekend dance stage to Sunday nights again this summer for a series of three free admission concerts by the Akron Symphony Ensemble, under the direction of Christopher Wilkins and Eric Benjamin. Each ensemble performance begins at 7:30pm.

July 30 - Forest Lodge Park
August 6 - Firestone Park
August 13 - Goodyear Hts. Metro Park

Master Classes

Local residents can take advantage of Master Classes...

Special Programs

As part of its outreach program to neighborhoods in which the performances occur each week, the City presents free “Beginners Dance”...