The Bates Dance Festival is an international destination for dance located in Lewiston, Maine. BDF provides rigorous training for dancers, offers residencies for practicing dance artists, and presents performances by a renown roster of local, national, and international dancemakers. Serving Maine, as well as a diverse community of dance audiences and arts lovers, BDF offers unprecedented access to and fosters deep appreciation for contemporary dance. BDF supports approximately 100 artists each summer and 300 students, ages 6-74. Curatorial priorities include contemporary practice, transparent process, diverse dancing bodies, collaboration, and community-designed and engaged work.