In 2008, the Laguna Dance Festival was honored with the Best Arts Program award from the Laguna Beach Arts Alliance, celebrating our commitment to dance excellence.

This year featured an impressive lineup of activities, including a Ballet and Repertory Master Class led by Trey McIntyre and a Modern and Repertory Master Class from Parson’s Dance. Pre-show talks offered insights from Artistic Directors of ABT II and Hubbard Street 2, along with Trey McIntyre, ballerina Tina LeBlanc, and dancer Miguel Quiniones. The event also included a free interactive Salsa Ballroom class on Main Beach and the Dancing Hands Children’s Workshop, making it a vibrant year for dance enthusiasts of all ages!

The festival brought dance companies and individual performers, master teachers and artistic collaborators to Southern California for fourteen days with four performances at the Artists’ Theatre, one free outdoor public performance, and dance installations in galleries throughout Laguna Beach. National dance companies that participated include: ABT II, Hubbard Street 2 and the Trey McIntyre Project. Local educational institutions that participated in the festival include: University of California, Irvine, California State University, Long Beach, and Laguna Dance Theater.