The Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Benefit Concert
You're Invited!
The 2026 Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Benefit Concert
Monday, March 2, 2026 | Ailey Citigroup Theater
5:30 p.m. Reception
7 p.m. Performance
All proceeds benefit the Denise Jefferson Memorial Scholarship Fund, an artistic merit scholarship that supports students like Michelle for whom the opportunity to study in the BFA program may otherwise not be possible.
For more information about the Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Benefit Concert please contact the Office of University Events at [email protected].
Michelle Osanya ’27
Hometown: Ames, IA
2026 Denise Jefferson Scholar
Photo by Nir Aireli
The 2026 Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Benefit Concert
Every spring, undergraduate BFA students present a special performance for donors, family, and friends of the Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance program. The evening begins with a reception, followed by the performance.
The 2026 performance will pay tribute to Ana Marie Forsythe, Ailey Horton chair emerita of The Ailey School, celebrating her extraordinary dedication to teaching. Mrs. Forsythe is the former director of the Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance program at The Ailey School and served as the chair of the Ailey Horton department from 1979 to 2025. In 2023, she was named the Dance Teacher Magazine Awardee of Distinction.
TICKETS
All tickets include an invitation to the reception and performance.
VIP Ticket | $150
VIP ticket holders enjoy:
- Premium performance seating
- VIP event program listing
- Special invitation to an Ailey II Company rehearsal in Spring 2026
Patron Ticket | $100
BFA Young Alumni Ticket | $50
(reserved ONLY for BFA alumni or 2016-2025 Fordham University graduates)
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
$5,000 "Divining" Sponsorship ($4,000 tax-deductible)
- Public recognition as the "Divining" Sponsor of the 2026 Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Benefit Concert
- Premiere display of name and company logo (if applicable) on event website and in event media coverage
- Recognition as the "Divining" Sponsor in the printed event program
- 10 VIP tickets
$2,500 "Ascend" Sponsorship ($2,100 tax-deductible)
- Public recognition as an "Ascend" Sponsor of the 2026 Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Benefit Concert
- Premium display of name and company logo (if applicable) on event website and in event media coverage
- Recognition as an "Ascend" Sponsor in the printed event program
- 4 VIP tickets
$1,000 "Prelude" Sponsorship ($800 tax-deductible)
- Public recognition as a "Prelude" Sponsor of the 2026 Ailey/Fordham BFA in Dance Benefit Concert
- Display of name and company logo (if applicable) on event website and in event media coverage
- Recognition as a "Prelude" Sponsor in the printed event program
- 2 VIP tickets
Thank you to our 2026 Sponsors
"Prelude" Sponsor
Maura Harrington