Two of New York’s most prominent dance philanthropists are donating $15 million to the Joyce Theater, a leading dance stage in Manhattan, helping to assure the theater’s long-term financial stability at a time when dance organizations are struggling with declining financial support and audiences.
The gift is from the late Anupam Puri, a former partner with McKinsey & Company, and his wife, Rajika Puri, an acclaimed dancer. The two of them agreed to make the donation shortly before he died in July. It is one of the largest in the history of the Joyce, which operates out of a former movie theater in Chelsea.
“This extraordinary gift will transform what the Joyce can offer for generations to come,” Linda Shelton, the theater’s executive director, said in announcing the gift. “It ensures that the Joyce will continue to be a place where the very best in dance is created, shared and celebrated.”
Rajika Puri and Anupam Puri, who was known as Tino, have been contributors to the Joyce since 1992. The Joyce said it would rename the auditorium in its theater, on Eighth Avenue, the Tino and Rajika Puri Auditorium.
Puri, who specializes in Indian classical dance, including Bharata Natyam and Odissi, has performed around the world. In a statement announcing the gift, she called dance “an essential part of culture in America” and said that the Joyce “stands alone in its commitment to bringing the finest dance from around the world to New York audiences.
“It honors dancers across every discipline and elevates the visibility and understanding of this extraordinary form of expression,” she said.
The Joyce Theater opened in 1982, occupying the former Elgin Theater — a revival movie house that, before its closure, had become a pornographic cinema. It was founded by Cora Cahan, a dancer, and the choreographer Eliot Feld, who oversaw the construction of the theater with excellent sight lines and a stage designed to accommodate small- and medium-size dance companies.
Adam Nagourney is a Times reporter covering cultural, government and political stories in New York and California.
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