We honor the legacy of Harriet Berg, a trailblazer in Detroit’s dance community and a lifelong advocate for the arts. Harriet often said, “Moving Forward,” a phrase that captured her unstoppable energy, vision, and belief in the power of dance.

This tribute performance brings together artists who knew her, were inspired by her, or simply want to dance in her memory. Let us move forward—together—in celebration of her life, her impact, and her unshakable spirit.

The Detroit Arts community lost a treasured friend and maker when dancer-choreographer and teacher Harriet Berg peacefully breathed her last this past February, at age one hundred. 

Harriet was a force of nature. Working into her nineties, she taught pre-school children, teenagers, adults, mentoring generations of dancers in Detroit, who have become professionals, dedicated amateurs — and lovers of dance and the arts.

We will pay tribute to her with a special memorial concert in the Diego Rivera Court, at the Detroit Institute of Arts, from 2 to 4pm, on Sunday, September 7, 2025. The concert — free and open to the public — is the final event of the annual Dance City Festival Detroit, presented by Joori Jung, the DIA, and ArtLabJ. This free festival begins on Friday, February 5, and features curated work from all over the world.

We will gather at 1:45pm on Sunday, on the DIA lawn near Kirby Street, under Tony Smith’s Gracehoper. We’ll process together into the museum for the performance. 

Harriet Berg started dancing with American dance education pioneer Ruth Murray at Wayne State University, when dance was part of the Physical Education Department. Through the years, she continued her studies, traveling to New York to train with modern dance greats: Martha Graham, Twyla Tharp, Merce Cunningham, and José Limón.

A passionate born-and-raised Detroiter, Berg was determined to stay in her hometown. Like many of her fellow Wayne dancers, she founded dance companies that offered Detroiters the opportunity to study and perform.  Berg invited her New York teachers to Detroit to offer workshops for local performers. She wanted dancers here to be exposed to diverse approaches, wider worlds. And she wanted those luminaries to experience the talent and devotion of the growing Detroit dance community.

With close friends Karen and David DiChiera of the Detroit Opera, Harriet was instrumental in bringing nationally and internationally acclaimed dance companies, including Alvin Ailey, to Detroit. Even as she got older, with the kindness of dear friends, she managed to get herself to every gallery opening, every dance performance, every concert. She was an intrepid champion of the arts and her beloved Detroit

Harriet Berg believed anyone can and should dance. When asked the secret to her blessedly long life, she said, “Keep it moving.” 

That’s what we’ll do on September 7, in her honor and spirit.

 The Memorial concert will feature the following works by Harriet’s friends and fellow artists:

  • Gina Buntz 

  • HBY Ensemble (Susan Clayton & Cindy Hung)

  • Tanztheater Michigan

  • Detroit Dance Collective

  • Terpsichore Collective

  • Karen Prall 

  • Selah.Gabrielle

  • Taylor Yocum 

  • Joori Jung

  • Christopher Pilafian

  • the Festival Dancers (founded by Berg), including Mambo Marci and Michelle Millman; and Julianne Lindsay.


Musical tributes will be offered by Spencer Barefield, Joan Belgrave, Leah Burian, Klezundheit, Elaine Sierling, and Andrew Silva.


Photo and video tributes by Barbara Barefield, Elton Monroy Duran, Gary Schwartz, and Stewart Shevin.


The event will be hosted by Harriet Berg’s son Martin Berg.

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