Looking Ahead in 2026
By Miranda Wilde, Executive Director
Photo by Lauren Thomas, August 2023
As we move into 2026, I wanted to share where The Vanaver Caravan is headed, and how we’re thinking about the year ahead.
The past year has been one of reflection and renewed optimism. Thanks to generous grant funding and the steadfast support of our community, we’re feeling confident about the future, even as we navigate the broader challenges facing the arts sector.
After months of discussions with our artists, educators, board members, and community partners, a shared vision began to take shape. From these conversations, several clear goals for 2026 have emerged.
Deepening artistic quality and creative development
We are investing more intentionally in how our work is made, not just where it is presented. This includes prioritizing rehearsal, research, collaboration, and thoughtful process, so our performances continue to evolve with rigor, relevance, and depth. New and reimagined works, including America in Motion and other developing projects, will reflect this commitment.
Strengthening arts education and community programs
Our education and community programs remain the heart of our mission. In 2026, we aim to stabilize and support the teaching artists who make this work possible, expand access through scholarships and school partnerships, and continue offering culturally rooted, respectful dance education that builds connection and belonging across generations.
Carrying the organization forward after Bill Vanaver
We are also navigating an important transition following the passing of our founder, Bill Vanaver. Bill’s leadership shaped The Vanaver Caravan for over five decades, and his absence is deeply felt. In the months since his passing, we have focused on stewarding his legacy while moving toward shared leadership and stronger internal systems that reflect the values he and Livia have long held: collaboration, respect, and trust. In 2026, this work continues as we support the long-term health of the organization and the community Bill helped build.
Recommitting to relationship-based growth
Finally, we are recommitting to growth rooted in relationships. This means deepening partnerships with presenters, schools, artists, and local communities, and being transparent about what it takes to sustain this work. We’re focusing on doing our work with creativity and excellence, choosing projects that are meaningful, sustainable, and aligned with our mission.
The Vanaver Caravan has always been about more than performances. It’s about using dance and music as tools for empathy, understanding, and shared humanity. That purpose feels as vital now as it did when the organization began over fifty years ago, and it continues to guide us as we look ahead.
The Vanaver Caravan Awarded NYSCA Grant for 2026
The Vanaver Caravan is honored to be a grantee of New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), awarded $49,500 in FY 2026. “During these challenging times, the New York State Council on the Arts has been a stalwart and innovative funder. These grants will serve artists and organizations in every region and county, fueling our economy and serving our communities. We know this support isn’t just an investment in the arts; it’s an investment in New York’s future. Congratulations to The Vanaver Caravan and thank you for your perseverance, your creativity, and your tireless service to New York State.” - Erika Mallin, New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director
Through New York State’s continued investment in arts and culture, NYSCA has awarded $80.9 million in FY 2026 to arts and culture nonprofits across all 10 regions and a historic number of artists.
We are proud and honored awardees of NYSCA, awarded $49,500 in FY 2026.
“New York’s arts and culture sector is a cornerstone of the state’s identity, and we’re making bold investments to ensure it remains strong,” Governor Hochul said.
“These grants will lift up artists and organizations in every region, fueling local economies and expanding access to the arts. Congratulations to all the grantees — your talent and dedication help power New York’s future.”
Statements from NYSCA Leadership
New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director Erika Mallin said:
“During these challenging times, the New York State Council on the Arts has been a stalwart and innovative funder. These grants will serve artists and organizations in every region and county, fueling our economy and serving our communities. We know this support isn’t just an investment in the arts; it’s an investment in New York’s future. Congratulations to The Vanaver Caravan and thank you for your perseverance, your creativity, and your tireless service to New York State.”
New York State Council on the Arts Chair Patrick Willingham said:
“With the unwavering support of Governor Hochul and our Legislature, the Council is proud to congratulate this year’s grantees, whose collective efforts strengthen and benefit us all. I also want to recognize the work of NYSCA’s panelists, staff, and the entire Council, whose dedication has ensured that this critical support will reach every corner of New York State.”
About the New York State Council on the Arts
The mission of the New York State Council on the Arts is to foster and advance the full breadth of New York State’s arts, culture, and creativity for all.
To support the ongoing recovery of the arts across New York State, the Council on the Arts will award over $161 million in FY 2026, serving organizations and artists across all 10 state regions. The Council further advances New York’s creative culture by convening leaders in the field and providing organizational and professional development opportunities and informational resources.
Created by Governor Nelson Rockefeller in 1960 and continued with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, the Council is an agency that is part of the Executive Branch.
For more information on NYSCA, please follow NYSCA on:
Facebook
X: @NYSCArts
Instagram: @NYSCouncilontheArts
And the World Just Got a Little Quieter
William “Bill” Vanaver
September 1, 1943 – June 15, 2025
William “Bill” Vanaver, visionary musician, composer, folklorist,and co-founder/ Music Director of The Vanaver Caravan, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Rosendale, NY. He was 81 years old. He died in the arms of his wife and lifelong creative partner, Livia Drapkin Vanaver.
And the world just got a little quieter.
Born on September 1, 1943 in Minneapolis and raised in Philadelphia, Bill showed an early passion for music. He became a lifelong student of folk music traditions from around the world—studying with master musicians, and dance and music culture carriers, collecting rare songs and instruments, and developing a musical voice that was both deeply rooted and wildly original.
In 1972, Bill and Livia co-founded The Vanaver Caravan, a groundbreaking company devoted to bringing world dance and music to stages and classrooms across the globe. Their work spanned continents, cultures, and generations. But more than that, it was an extension of the life they built together—equal parts visionary and joyful, sacred and playful. Bill was the musical soul of the Caravan: its arranger, composer, lead musician, and spirit-keeper of rhythm and song. He held a vast world of musical knowledge—an archive of rhythm, song, and feeling. His presence will continue to be felt in every future performance of the Vanaver Caravan, downstage right, in the spotlight.
Bill’s love for Livia was the constant chord beneath everything he did. From the moment he spotted her across the dance floor at the Balkan Dance & Music festival at Columbia University in 1971, he was transfixed. She became his muse, his partner, his co-conspirator in creativity and in life. Their marriage, their artistic collaborations, and their shared purpose formed the heartbeat of The Vanaver Caravan. Bill’s eyes always lit up when Livia entered the room—whether they were on stage together or sharing a rare quiet morning at home. That glimmer never faded. And in the final moments of his life, it was Livia’s arms that held him as he departed.
Bill’s musical range was vast. He played guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, oud, pipa , tambura, and many more instruments from a lifetime of exploration. His work wove together Appalachian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and American folk traditions with original compositions that brimmed with emotional depth and rhythmic complexity. His arrangements and performances reached audiences from Lincoln Center to village greens, each with the same intent: to connect, to uplift, to delight.
In recent years, Bill continued composing with boundless imagination—including a symphonic piece inspired by the nine Greek muses, a work he completed just before his final days. He believed in the sacred origins of creativity, and in music’s power to heal, transform, and bring peace.
Bill was known for his groan-worthy puns, his endless curiosity, and the way his mind lit up with questions. He could talk for hours about musical theory, historical nuance, obscure instruments, or the ways art could change people. He was a magnetic teacher, a collaborator, and an unrepentant romantic. He brought joy, chaos, wonder, and wisdom to every room he entered.
He is survived by his wife and partner of more than 50 years, Livia Vanaver, and by their three sons: Elijah, Shiloh, and Gabriel Vanaver and his brother, Warren. He also leaves behind a vast extended family of dancers, musicians, students, collaborators, and friends around the world—people whose lives he shaped through rhythm, imagination, and love.
There is no one in the world quite like Bill Vanaver. And there never will be. But if we listen closely—to a 7/8 time signature, the percussive downbeat of a basic step, the extended tuning of an old stringed instrument, or a well-placed pun that makes us groan and grin—we might just hear him. A twinkle of delight, somewhere just beyond—a head kn the clouds, chasing after a song.
A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17, at the Rosendale Cemetery’s Natural Burial Ground in the woods, for close friends and family. A larger memorial and celebration of Bill’s life will take place later this year.
William “Bill” Vanaver
September 1, 1943 – June 15, 2025
William “Bill” Vanaver, visionary musician, composer, folklorist,and co-founder/ Music Director of The Vanaver Caravan, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 15, 2025, in Rosendale, NY. He was 81 years old. He died in the arms of his wife and lifelong creative partner, Livia Drapkin Vanaver.
And the world just got a little quieter.
Born on September 1, 1943 in Minneapolis and raised in Philadelphia, Bill showed an early passion for music. He became a lifelong student of folk music traditions from around the world—studying with master musicians, and dance and music culture carriers, collecting rare songs and instruments, and developing a musical voice that was both deeply rooted and wildly original.
In 1972, Bill and Livia co-founded The Vanaver Caravan, a groundbreaking company devoted to bringing world dance and music to stages and classrooms across the globe. Their work spanned continents, cultures, and generations. But more than that, it was an extension of the life they built together—equal parts visionary and joyful, sacred and playful. Bill was the musical soul of the Caravan: its arranger, composer, lead musician, and spirit-keeper of rhythm and song. He held a vast world of musical knowledge—an archive of rhythm, song, and feeling. His presence will continue to be felt in every future performance of the Vanaver Caravan, downstage right, in the spotlight.
Bill’s love for Livia was the constant chord beneath everything he did. From the moment he spotted her across the dance floor at the Balkan Dance & Music festival at Columbia University in 1971, he was transfixed. She became his muse, his partner, his co-conspirator in creativity and in life. Their marriage, their artistic collaborations, and their shared purpose formed the heartbeat of The Vanaver Caravan. Bill’s eyes always lit up when Livia entered the room—whether they were on stage together or sharing a rare quiet morning at home. That glimmer never faded. And in the final moments of his life, it was Livia’s arms that held him as he departed.
Bill’s musical range was vast. He played guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, oud, pipa , tambura, and many more instruments from a lifetime of exploration. His work wove together Appalachian, Balkan, Middle Eastern, and American folk traditions with original compositions that brimmed with emotional depth and rhythmic complexity. His arrangements and performances reached audiences from Lincoln Center to village greens, each with the same intent: to connect, to uplift, to delight.
In recent years, Bill continued composing with boundless imagination—including a symphonic piece inspired by the nine Greek muses, a work he completed just before his final days. He believed in the sacred origins of creativity, and in music’s power to heal, transform, and bring peace.
Bill was known for his groan-worthy puns, his endless curiosity, and the way his mind lit up with questions. He could talk for hours about musical theory, historical nuance, obscure instruments, or the ways art could change people. He was a magnetic teacher, a collaborator, and an unrepentant romantic. He brought joy, chaos, wonder, and wisdom to every room he entered.
He is survived by his wife and partner of more than 50 years, Livia Vanaver, and by their three sons: Elijah, Shiloh, and Gabriel Vanaver and his brother, Warren. He also leaves behind a vast extended family of dancers, musicians, students, collaborators, and friends around the world—people whose lives he shaped through rhythm, imagination, and love.
There is no one in the world quite like Bill Vanaver. And there never will be. But if we listen closely—to a 7/8 time signature, the percussive downbeat of a basic step, the extended tuning of an old stringed instrument, or a well-placed pun that makes us groan and grin—we might just hear him. A twinkle of delight, somewhere just beyond—a head kn the clouds, chasing after a song.
A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, June 17, at the Rosendale Cemetery’s Natural Burial Ground in the woods, for close friends and family. A larger memorial and celebration of Bill’s life will take place later this year.
New Works: America in Motion
The Vanaver Caravan is thrilled to announce its newest production, a dynamic exploration of America’s cultural and social heritage, directed by Brian T. Lawton. This groundbreaking project weaves together the music, stories, and movements that have shaped the nation. Guided by our newly-formed Artistic Re-Visioning Committee—a collective of next-generation Caravan dancers and musicians working in close collaboration with our founding members, Livia and Bill Vanaver—this performance breathes fresh perspectives and renewed energy into our creative legacy. READ ON . . .
The Vanaver Caravan Announces New Production Exploring America's Cultural Heritage
The Vanaver Caravan is thrilled to announce its newest production, a dynamic exploration of America’s cultural and social heritage, directed by Brian T. Lawton. This groundbreaking project weaves together the music, stories, and movements that have shaped the nation. Guided by our newly-formed Artistic Re-Visioning Committee—a collective of next-generation Caravan dancers and musicians working in close collaboration with our founding members, Livia and Bill Vanaver—this performance breathes fresh perspectives and renewed energy into our creative legacy.
About the Show
Drawing inspiration from some of our most celebrated tributes—Pastures of Plenty (honoring Woody Guthrie), Turn, Turn, Turn (celebrating Pete Seeger), and Streets of Gold (evoking the immigrant experience)—this new production delves deeply into the essence of the American spirit. Through music and movement, it examines contemporary themes such as immigration, access, inclusivity, labor, and workers’ rights, reflecting on the struggles and triumphs that define the American experience.
As we approach the 250th Anniversary of the United States, this show serves as both a celebration and a conversation. It acknowledges the past, confronts the present, and imagines the future we wish to build together. With powerful choreography, stirring music, and a diverse cast of performers, this production invites audiences on a journey through time—illuminating the voices, rhythms, and stories that continue to shape our nation.
Brian T. Lawton: Artistic Director for the New Production
While Livia and Bill Vanaver remain the visionary founders and Artistic Directors of The Vanaver Caravan, we are delighted to welcome Brian T. Lawton as the Artistic Director for this exciting new project. Brian’s leadership, creativity, and vision are invaluable assets to this production, and his role marks an exciting step forward for our organization.
About Brian T. Lawton: Brian brings over two decades of experience in the performing arts, both on and off the stage. A seasoned choreographer and director, he has worked with esteemed dance companies and theaters across the United States. Brian’s work often explores themes of identity, community, and resilience, making him an ideal leader for this production. His dedication to fostering inclusivity and cultural dialogue through the arts aligns seamlessly with the mission of The Vanaver Caravan. Brian’s unique ability to merge tradition with innovation ensures that this new production will honor our roots while charting new creative territory.
Be a Part of the Journey
This production is more than a performance—it’s an invitation to reflect, engage, and envision the future of our shared American story. Whether as an audience member, collaborator, or supporter, you are an essential part of this journey.
Stay tuned for updates, including performance dates, locations, and ways to get involved. Together, let’s celebrate the rhythms, stories, and resilience that move us forward.
Shakti Caravan 2025
This month, The Vanaver Caravan is in India! Livia, Bill, Andy Teirstein, Jill Ann Schwartz, and Chelsea Needham are part of the Shakti Caravan, sharing dance and music in the streets and schools of Udaipur and Pondicherry.
In the Garden of Hope: Reflections from Livia on India
One blossom stands supreme,
With petals of potentiality.
In rainbow colors of pure delight,
My soul will yield its truth and beauty…
Hue by hue.
—Sri Aurobindo & The Mother
Some History: As many of you know, The Vanaver Caravan has been working in India since 2011, when Miranda, Marina, Ramona, and Gustavo—at the invitation of Rita and David Kubiak—went to Udaipur. In collaboration with their organization, Big Medicine Charitable Trust, we formed Shakti Caravan. That year, the Company worked with 108 children, as well as with Bharat Verma and his team of fabulous young street dancers. Bharat has been a member of The Vanaver Caravan ever since and still joins us on Zoom for a weekly dance class.
In 2014, Julian Lines (of Matagiri and Auroville International) brought Miranda, Bill, and me down to Auroville in Tamil Nadu. We fell in love with the community there, particularly with Aikiyam School, where 280 children attend daily. We have returned several times with various members of the Caravan to conduct ambitious and meaningful dance and music projects, including animating In the Heart of the Village (Barbara Bash's book about a day in the life of a banyan tree), performed in an actual banyan tree—the playground for the kindergarteners at Aikiyam.
This year was different. Very different. Thanks to the Foundation for World Education, we were able to bring Company members Andy Teirstein, Jill Ann Schwartz, Chelsea Needham, Bharat Verma, Bill, and myself back to Auroville to dance The Mother's Symbol.
I had wanted to do this project for years, and this was the time. Being older and journeying deeper into the questions of who we are and why we are here on this earth led me to bring alive Sri Aurobindo and The Mother's Symbol through dance and music. In a rainbow of color and intention, the symbol depicts qualities of humanity that are more vital than ever and yearning to be expressed.
Collaborating with the teachers of grades 1–9, each class chose an aspect/color: Gratitude, Perseverance, Aspiration, Receptivity, Progress, Courage, Generosity, Equality, and Peace. The teachers chose Goodness. Usha, the dance teacher at Aikiyam, choreographed Sincerity for eight of her dancers. Our Company chose Humility. The dances were choreographed by Jill Ann, Bharat, and myself.
We were joined by Ian and Radha from the Auroville Theatre Group, who spoke Tamil and translated beautifully for the students and teachers. Together, we deep-dived into these aspects of humanity. They are still shining brightly in each of us, even though we returned three weeks ago.
What we experienced was the most heartfelt sense of community, commitment, and collaboration. Each group created their dances separately for two weeks. Then we came together in the Sports Center—a giant basketball stadium within walking distance of Aikiyam School. It was the only sheltered space large enough to hold the 260 performers plus an audience.
Sharon Sassaman, a lecturer on The Mother's Symbol (and an Isadora Duncan dancer), dyed 15 yards of silk fabric for each of the 12 attributes, which we incorporated into our dances. In the end, after the first graders danced Peace, all 12 fabrics were lifted and woven together in the center to the tune of Jay Ungar and Molly Mason's Ashokan Farewell. Andy and Chelsea, in collaboration with a wonderful local Tamil drummer, carried the music. It was perfect.
The experience is still resonating within our Company. Truly, there are no words that can fully express the impact this project had on our lives and on everyone who participated in and witnessed the performance.
I am filled with gratitude for our beautiful community. As we build lasting and ever-growing relationships in India, the world feels smaller and more connected. We look forward to continuing this rich connection with our beloved community in India. Act locally and globally.
Yatra is still working on the video, which will be available on our website when it's ready.
Jan-Feb 2025
The Vanaver Caravan is in India! Livia, Bill, Andy Teirstein, Jill Ann Schwartz, and Chelsea Needham are part of the Shakti Caravan, sharing dance and music in the streets and schools of Udaipur and Pondicherry. For Livia and Bill, Chelsea and Livia, this trip is a homecoming; for Andy, it’s a fresh adventure.
The Shakti Caravan, an initiative of The Vanaver Caravan since 2012, is all about cultural exchange—building bridges from Ulster to Udaipur and New Paltz to Auroville, connecting communities through the joy of dance and music.
In Udaipur, the City of Lakes, cobblestone streets come alive with spontaneous contra dances. Bharat Verma, India’s first body percussionist, transforms everyday movements into captivating rhythms. The Caravan also collaborates with Shikshantar, The People's Institute for Re-thinking Education and Development, enriching the exchange with innovative learning and green entrepreneurship.
Just outside Pondicherry lies Auroville, a global community rooted in unity. Every Thursday at dawn, Chelsea and Livia Zoom in from New York, Bharat joins from Udaipur, and together they lead dance classes with the Malarchi kids at Aikiyam School—a celebration of movement across time zones. This month, they all get to dance together!
The Shakti Caravan’s programs are as varied as its dance steps: bringing dance to schools, sharing rhythms with local dancers, and performing in theaters, streets, and festivals. Each step and song weaves a tapestry of shared stories.
Follow their journey on our Instagram: @Vanavercaravan.