SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL
Santa Barbara International Dance Festival
Founded by Benjamin Millepied and Jennifer Smith, the Santa Barbara International Dance Festival is a week-long celebration of dance, bringing exceptional artists from around the world to Santa Barbara each August. Millepied’s L.A. Dance Project serves as the Festival’s annual artistic anchor, bringing together its own work with an international program that gives audiences the opportunity to discover artists and work rarely seen in the United States.
At the heart of the Festival is a commitment to community and access. Throughout the week, performances, workshops, classes, and conversations will unfold across the city, bringing dance into different spaces and inviting the community not simply to attend the Festival, but to participate in it. With accessible ticket prices and free and low-cost community programs, the Festival welcomes everyone.
Rooted in Santa Barbara, the Festival will partner with local organizations to bring visiting artists into studios, classrooms, and community spaces.
Each year, L.A. Dance Project will create and premiere a new work for Santa Barbara before it travels nationally and internationally, carrying the city’s name and commitment to artistic creation beyond the region.
Our vision is for Santa Barbara to become an international destination for dance—a place where exceptional artists, new ideas, and community come together for one extraordinary week each summer.
An Evening to Celebrate The Santa Barbara Fund for New Choreography
On July 16, 2026, an intimate evening at Bellosguardo Estate marked the launch of the Santa Barbara Fund for New Choreography—and the beginning of what would become the Santa Barbara International Dance Festival. Hosted by Belle Hahn, Cindy Robinson Mullen, Lily Hahn Shining, and Jennifer Smith, the evening brought together supporters of dance and artistic creation for a performance by L.A. Dance Project, followed by a chef-driven dinner at the historic Montecito estate.
Developed in collaboration with renowned dancer, choreographer, and L.A. Dance Project Artistic Director Benjamin Millepied, the Festival has grown from the Fund’s original vision: to support new choreographic work premiered in Santa Barbara before being shared with audiences nationally and internationally. Each commission will carry with it the spirit of Santa Barbara’s creativity and generosity wherever the work travels.
We are extremely grateful to the following donors, recognized below by giving levels:
VISIONARY — $25,000 and above
Belle Hahn
Cindy Robinson Mullen
Lily and Stewart Shining
PREMIERE CIRCLE — $10,000 – 24,999
Connie Callan
Dina Cantin
Quinn Ezralow
Bob and Tamar Manoukian
Tracy and Brian Robbins
Bui Simon
Jennifer Smith
PATRON — $5,000-9,999
Anne Crawford
MAISON K
Susan McCaw
Jill Mazursky
Angie Ruiz and Mark Terbeek
Anne S. Towbes
SUPPORTER — $2,500-4,999
Dara K. Barker
Alexandra Berar
Tracy and Michael Bollag
Rob and Rebecca DeSantis
Jennifer Drucker
Kathryne Garland
Jessica Graham
Sima Morrison
Jane Ross
Kate Kim Shah
Michael and Nati Smith
Sue Tsao
Korynne Wright
As we build toward the Santa Barbara International Dance Festival’s inaugural edition, we are inviting a founding circle of supporters to join us in bringing this new cultural institution to life.
For more information about supporting the Festival, please contact peter@ladanceproject.org.