Acadia Dance Festival Returns to Mount Desert IslandJuly 28 – August 2, 2025 celebrating the newly reopened 1932 Criterion Theatre
PLUS: Summer Intensive for Dancers Aged 14–22
BAR HARBOR—The Acadia Dance Festival returns to Mount Desert Island for its sixth season, presenting acclaimed contemporary dance company Nimbus Dance in collaboration with musicians from the Bar Harbor Music Festival. This annual celebration of movement and music brings world-class performance and dance education to Downeast Maine.
Nimbus Dance takes the stage at the historic 1932 Criterion Theatre for two performances: a full evening show on Friday, August 1, and a Family Matinee on Saturday, August 2.
The Friday evening program features Artistic Director Samuel Pott’s newest work, Dark Water—a striking collaboration with composer Qasim Naqvi and visual artist Nicola López. Commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony with support from the O’Donnell Green Music & Dance Foundation, Dark Water explores the mystery and power of water as both natural force and human metaphor. López’s responsive set of fabric and projected video enhances the choreography’s fluidity and sense of immersion, while Naqvi’s ambient score deepens the emotional terrain. Also on the program is the return of Dawn Marie Bazemore’s powerful The After Party, set to music by Nina Simone and Nancy Wilson, and Nimbus’s signature 2006 work Memo, choreographed by Pott.
On Saturday at 11 a.m., Nimbus presents a Family Matinee, a relaxed and engaging program suited for children ages 3 and up. This colorful performance features narrative dances and includes appearances by local youth from Camp Beech Cliff and the Acadia Dance Festival Intensive.
Local students ages 14–22 can take part in the Acadia Dance Festival Intensive, held at ArtWaves MDI from July 28 to August 2. Participants train with Nimbus faculty in ballet and contemporary dance and engage in workshops covering improvisation, injury prevention, and more. Younger dancers can join the Nimbus Dance Specialty Camp at Camp Beech Cliff. Students from both programs will perform at the Criterion Theatre alongside Nimbus’s professional company.
Nimbus arrives in Bar Harbor following spring appearances at Walton Arts Center (AR) and the Montclair Dance Festival (NJ) as part of its 20th Anniversary Season.
Performance:
Friday, August 1, 7 p.m.
Saturday, August 2, 11 a.m. (Family Matinee)
Criterion Theatre, 35 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Tickets Available at www.criteriontheatre.org
Performance Ticket: $35 Adult, $15 Student, $15 Matinee
Intensive:
Monday, July 28 – Saturday, August 2, 2025
$450 – Merit and need-based scholarships available
Location:
ArtWaves MDI, 1345-A State Highway 102, Bar Harbor, Maine
Registration and more information available at:
www.acadiadancefestival.org
About Acadia Dance Festival
Now in its sixth season, the Acadia Dance Festival was launched in 2018 by Nimbus Dance and the 1932 Criterion Theatre. In recent years, the Festival has expanded to include community classes, artist talks, and school-year performance events, in collaboration with Camp Beech Cliff, ArtWaves, and other local partners. The Festival brings professional dance artists to Mount Desert Island each year and creates opportunities for local residents and young dancers to engage meaningfully with the world of contemporary dance.
About Nimbus Dance
Nimbus Dance bridges the gap between world-class performances and community engagement by presenting work that challenges, speaks to, and elevates the core beliefs of its diverse audience. Founded in 2005 by Artistic Director Samuel Pott and based in Jersey City, Nimbus presents nationally and regionally, reaching over 16,000 people annually through performance, touring, and education programs.
About the 1932 Criterion Theatre
The 1932 Criterion Theatre is a historic performing arts venue located in downtown Bar Harbor, Maine. The Theatre presents film, live performance, and community events year-round, fostering cultural vitality across Mount Desert Island and beyond.