Continuing its support of creativity and craftsmanship in the world of contemporary dance, Van Cleef & Arpels’ next Dance Reflections festival is set to take place in New York in February and March of 2026.
An Artistic Universe
Van Cleef & Arpels’ Dance Reflections initiative began in 2020 as a way to support the art of dance. The program is “designed in collaboration with international partners, and epitomizes Van Cleef & Arpels’ commitment to supporting choreographic legacies, nourishing contemporary creations and popularizing this artistic universe among the broadest possible audience,” according to the brand. By providing a broad base of support for dance workshops, residencies and choreographic creation, and performances, the brand continues a long-held relationship with the art of dance.
Precious Jewels
“Since the beginning of the last century, dance has become an important source of inspiration for our high jewelry creations,” said Serge Laurent, Van Cleef & Arpels’ director of dance and culture programs. “It was also through the meeting between Claude Arpels in New York with the choreographer George Balanchine in the 1960s that the connection was further strengthened. In 1967, Balanchine created a magnificent piece entitled Jewels, which was inspired by the creations of the Maison. Since then, the name Van Cleef & Arpels has been associated with the history of dance.“
The maison revived its active involvement in dance over a decade ago, according to Laurent. “In 2012, Nicolas Bos, then CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, wished to support the choreographer Benjamin Millepied and his company L.A. Dance Project. Launched in 2020, Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels is now our way of continuing to write this story of passion between a High Jewelry Maison and the world of dance.”
Launched just five years ago, Dance Reflections works with a network of 70 partners in 17 countries, according to Laurent. The twice-yearly festivals have taken place in cities including London, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Kyoto. Now, the festival is set to return to the city where George Balanchine’s “Jewels” was performed for the first time.
Despite providing a great deal of financial support, Van Cleef never asks an artist or choreographer to create something specific, and no commercial expectations are involved. “We have our own universe of creation, and we simply wish to support choreographer artists in developing their work without any constraints,” Laurent said. “By launching Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels in 2020, we wanted to give back to an art that still brings us a lot today in terms of inspiration for our own creations. We are committed to dance by choosing to support dance companies for creation as well as institutions to present works around the world.”
Van Cleef’s core values of creation, transmission and education all come into play in Dance Reflections. “Contemporary dance creation is fundamental because it contributes to the natural evolution of an art form that has never stopped questioning itself,” according to Laurent. “By relying on these three values: creation, transmission and education, we also aim to contribute to the preservation of works that have marked history.“
Preserving works from the past and highlighting contemporary dance provides a creative connection between across time. “Contemporary dance is, of course, the result of a history that is important to pass on to future generations in order to better understand the art of today and preserve the memory of works from the past,” Laurent said. “As an example, “the next edition of our festival in New York with a work by [the late] Merce Cunningham, followed by that of the young choreographer Christos Papadopoulos in the second part. It is also this dialogue between generations that provides the audience with a magnificent insight into choreographic culture.”
The Transmission of Skills
Laurent sees many parallels between the arts of jewelry and watch creation and dance. Before he joined Van Cleef & Arpels, he had never visited a jewelry workshop and observed the craftspeople at work. “I remember the first time I went to the atelier at the Place Vendôme in the original Van Cleef & Arpels boutique. I didn’t know anything about fine jewelry and watches. But I was fascinated by the gestures, the transmission of the gestures as a way for a master to teach the apprentice. And it’s exactly the same in the studio. The only way to transmit a dance piece—and I’m not a choreographer, just witnessing—is physical, and there is also an intense communication through body language that fascinates me. That is so beautiful to watch, from one person to another.” In this way, “their whole practice is also about transmission, about learning, about the appreciation of the materials and what you can do with them.”
Next year’s Dance Reflections festival will mark the second in New York City, highlighting the city’s historical importance for the brand. “Holding a new festival in this city in 2026 illustrates our dedication to highlighting the importance of this art form in cultural expression and society at large. We hope that this new program will enable a growing audience to discover a universe whose richness, still often underrecognized, has captivated and inspired our Maison for over 80 years,” said Catherine Reiner, president and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels. It looks poised to do just that.