50+ Local Artists Perform at 4th Annual Iowa Choreography Festival

Join more than 50 local artists for our fourth annual Iowa Choreography Festival (ICF) on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024 at Lauridsen Amphitheater at Waterworks Park! It's a free event and kicks off at 6 p.m. with art vendors, food trucks, live music and donation-based drinks. At 7 p.m., the show starts with 10 collaborative dance works incorporating live music and local costume designers, giving this festival a unique take and a must-see show!

You can learn more about Iowa Choreography Festival artists by visiting iowachoreographyfestival.org or the festival’s Instagram page. Iowa Choreography Festival is a nonprofit that depends on donors supporting all 50 artists and their visions. ICF is a residency program that takes the visions of the artist applicants and creates a space for them to collaborate to create work. It all culminates in a beautiful and energized showing that we hope you will come to see!

A Note from the Artistic Director

In my experience in both film and dance, my best work came when I had the support of a team. This inspired me to create the Iowa Choreography Festival. During this unique festival, choreographers can meet new dancers and get partnered with local musicians, designers and artists in a summer-long residency program. This includes space, materials and free classes from dancers and choreographers nationwide. As these artist applicants collaborate with others to create a piece in different artistic fields, not only are they getting inspired — but they inspire others. The intention of the festival is to create space for Greater Des Moines (DSM) artists to grow.

2024 Choreographers

• Ashley Sartell
• Bailey Thompson (Teens)
• Cody Brunell Potter
• Gayle Rocz (Midwest guest)
• Jenn Pray
• Joleen Gamez
• Nick Rice
• Tatum Vameer
• H3 - 2024 Artists
• Rachel Buse
• Dr. Miriam Rivera-Hokanson (Poetry)
• Arsema Berhone (Poetry)
• Mathew Corones
• Andrew Hokanson

2024 Designers

• Sal Ludwig
• Teddi Karnes
• Genevieve Lavalle
• Nora Hernandez-Landoeros
• Cody Brunell Potter
• Dora Novak
• Essivi Jaelie Noglo

2024 Musicians

• Pual Krogh (Live!)
• Curran Birdwell
• Seth Alexander
• Drew Steckelmann
• Ryan Lombard (Live!)
• Karla Scheiner
• Douglas Baker

2024 Dancers

• Anna Gass
• Arsema Berhone
• Cole Flickinger
• Curran Birdwell
• Danika Clayton
• Elizabeth (Liz) Grace Mullen
• Ella Nielsen
• Ellen Bogue
• Gabby Leonard
• Gayle Rocz
• Izzy Kelai
• Jenny Campbell
• Joleen Gamez
• Julie Betts
• Libby Mckenzie
• Manuela Chaves-Mejia
• Anna Gass
• Arsema Berhone
• Mia (Amina) Muhammad
• Mya Fisher
• Ren Mattson
• Sydne Archer

We hope you come to support these artists and have a fun time doing it!

The Greater Des Moines Partnership calendar of events is a one-stop resource for activities taking place throughout the region. Find networking information for Greater Des Moines (DSM) businesses, including Chamber luncheons, roundtables and ribbon cuttings. You can also find live music happening each week thanks to the “Live Music This Week in DSM” blog series.