Gold Coast Dance Festival returns to Morgan Park

Glen Cove’s Morgan Memorial Park will serve as the picturesque backdrop for the fourth annual Gold Coast Dance Festival on Aug. 3. As the sun sets over the stage, residents and visitors alike will gather, spread blankets, sit in camping chairs and lean against trees to enjoy an evening of dance that promises to be both diverse and deeply moving.
One of the performers this year is 21-year-old Lola Haven, a senior dance major at LIU Post. Haven, who is both a choreographer and performer, will present an interpretive dance she created titled “Found.” It explores the complexities of human relationships and the concept of self-worth within love and friendships.
“I think that’s something that you really take a dive into in college,” Haven said. “You try to figure out what kind of people you want to have in your life, and especially in terms of relationships, you start to figure out who you want to love. It’s an exploration piece, very much interpretive, and I’m leaving it up to the audience to find what it means to them. For me it’s about the journey of the friends I’ve made and the relationships I’ve formed.”
Judith Rivera, a board member of New York Dance Theatre and a retired professional dancer, spoke about the universal appeal of dance and its power to bring people together — including in Glen Cove.
“Dance is a universal language that can touch people’s hearts and inspire them to see beyond their own barriers and boundaries,” Rivera said. “This festival brings so much diversity and exposes our community to a high level of professionalism. Our kids need to see that you don’t have to be a certain color, height or weight to be a ballerina or a modern dancer.”

The festival was conceived by Glen Cove resident Nicole Loizides Albruzzese, who is now its executive producer. During the 2020 pandemic lockdown, Albruzzese invited a small group of dancers to the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, where they shook off the stress of the pandemic in an unstructured, free-spirited setting. Inspired by the experience, Albruzzese decided in 2021 to reinvigorate the community’s artistic atmosphere through dance. She successfully raised money and generated publicity for the first Gold Coast Dance Festival.
“This festival is a wonderful opportunity to bring dance right to the center of our communities,” Albruzzese said. “Making dance accessible — which is an extremely expensive art form — directly into the heart of families, regardless of socioeconomic boundaries or what have you.”
Albruzzese, a professional dancer and teacher, has been immersed in dance since she was 5 years old. Her career includes contributions to performances such as “Le Reve” at the Wynn Casino in Las Vegas, and coaching performers for Cirque Du Soleil’s “Love.” She has performed on “Live with Regis and Kelly,” with Ballet Hispanico, and with the Momix dance company for 25 years. Additionally, Albruzzese choreographed part of the opening ceremony for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and worked on performances for Abu Dhabi’s 44th National Day.
The New York Dance Theatre, which is overseeing the festival, is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and features artists from Broadway and the big screen, New York City Ballet, Alvin Ailey, the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet Nepantla, FJK Dance and more, including a selection of Dance Magazine’s Top 25 to Watch. The NYDT will also provide scholarships, offering two $2,000 awards to help alleviate financial burdens for the dancers’ families, covering expenses such as travel and dance attire.
In addition to classical and contemporary ballet, the festival features a dance showcasing movement inspired by Japanese sword fighting. Huntington Station dancer Wendi Weng often blends belly dancing with traditional Chinese dance in her performances. Choreographer Fadi Khoury will introduce a contemporary ballet infused with Latin ballroom and Middle Eastern elements. Other highlights include Skyla Schreter’s duet featuring Kyle Halford and Piper Makenzie Dye, from Twyla Tharp Keerati Jinakunwiphat’s “Interstate,” set to Led Zeppelin’s music; and the festival’s centerpiece, Albruzzese’s own creation, “Dance for Peace.”
Albruzzese has crafted a multicultural, family-friendly event that is free to the public, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to experience dance at a high level. Albruzzese and her husband, Technical Director Lou Albruzzese, aim to expand the festival to two Long Island stages next year, making dance even more accessible to North and South shore communities.
The rain date for the event is Aug. 10.