The Built on Stilts Dance Festival is comprised of many short performances by members of the Vineyard community and beyond. Shows might also include live music, storytelling, theater, comedy, circus acts, drag, martial arts, fitness demos and more! All shows are appropriate for all ages and free to the public.

The festival's mission is to provide a forum for anyone and everyone to share their work with the Vineyard community and its myriad visitors, and to make these performances accessible to audiences for free. Built on Stilts aims to provide a life-affirming public exchange of art and energy by presenting a wide array of dance and other art forms from people representing diverse cultures, ages, backgrounds and levels of training.

Dance and performance is in all of us, for all of us!

The festival is a creative playground for children and adults, from beginners to professionals, representing diverse stylistic backgrounds. It has showcased ballet, modern, Hip Hop, jazz, tap, ballroom, breakdance, belly dance, line dancing, African dance, martial arts, comedy, movement theater, hula-hooping, circus arts, mime, improvisation, fitness, live music, storytelling, spoken word and, of course, a bit of stilting. Each performance opens with an improvisational drum circle open to all willing musicians. The rhythms bouncing down Circuit Avenue draw in passersby, who flood the gates of the historic Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs, which has housed the festival since its first season.

Order of pieces in each show subject to change.

FREE - No reservations or tickets necessary!

Schedule:

Work by:

Grace Hall & Andy Jacobs 

Hannah Burbidge 

Karam Belly Dance 

Jesse Jason

Hannah Burbidge 

The Yard Interns, facilitated by Claire Page 

Bad Dog David Mintz 

Jordan Muhammad 

Abby Bender/Camp Hippocampus 

Daniela Lynch

Morgan Brown Sanborn/Northeast Arts Alliance

Maggie Sabella-Orlando 

Jordan Muhammad

Laura Sargent Hall 
 
Time:
Doors open at 7:30pm. Shows start at 8pm