10th Dance Parade coming May 21 to NYC

Thousands of dancers are limbering up in preparation for the 10th Annual Dance Parade and Festival in New York on Saturday, May 21, 2016. The annual event is a street parade and dance festival in a city park that brings together dancers from around the city and as far away as Japan to showcase dance styles in a multi-cultural, rhythmic-infused magical display of human movement, art and color. 

“It’s so much fun to see the endless ways people dance – no language is needed to connect us all to the joy of dancing in the streets,” said Founder and Executive Director Greg Miller.

Dance styles reflect the cosmopolitan legacy of the city and the elastic inventiveness of the form, and include African, Asian-Indian, ballet, bhangra, Bolivian Tinkus, Brazilian zouk, breakdance, Chinese, hip-hop, Irish, Indonesian, Jamaican Dance Hall, lindy hop, modern, roller disco, salsa, samba, Tahitian and tango.

Themed “Decade of Dance,” the parade will start at 21st and Broadway. It will run from 1 to 3 pm. The grandstand is set at 8th Street and University Place. The “DanceFest” section will take place from 3 to 7 pm in Tompkins Square Park. This component presents dance performances, workshops, lessons and social dancing.

Four Grand Marshals, leaders and innovators in the dance world, launch the parade in a ribbon cutting ceremony. Past Grand Marshals include Carmen de Lavallade, Robert Battle, Savion Glover, Hex Hector, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Dr. Charles ‘Chuck” Davis, Jacqulyn Buglisi and Louie Vega.

Leading out the parade will be over 100 enthusiastic city youth who will dance their “debut on Broadway” and have the fun of their lives. The young dancers will have participated in a 10-week education program of dance workshops sponsored by New York City Departments of Parks and Recreation and funded by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The workshops are run in urban centers in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan.

“We want to inspire all to participate and enjoy no matter who you are – whether you dance only at weddings when pickled or are a pro on stage – Dance Parade is for everyone!” said board member Yana Landowne.

No parade would be complete without the New York Dance Police (NYDP), a volunteer group of men and women who inspire the crowds to dance and celebrate the spirit of Dance Parade. Anyone caught not dancing could be ticketed which includes a summons to attend a free dance class in the city.

Visit http://danceparade.org for further information.