2017 Dance Parade and Festival

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Theme: “Dance For Peace” Parade Start: 21st and Broadway
Parade Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm
Festival: “DanceFest” 3-7 pm, Tompkins Square Park, dance performances for adults and children, workshops, lessons and social dancing

Also, visit New Yorkled’s special photo collection page of the Dance Parades we’ve attended in previous years.

The 11th Annual Dance Parade And Festival Returns To The Heart Of Manhattan, Featuring Thousands Of Colorful Dancers, Musicians, Floats, Marching Bands, Dance Classes, And Dance World Luminaries

New York, NY – January 26, 2017 – The largest dance event in the Northeast is set for the 11th Annual Dance Parade and Festival in New York City on Saturday, May 21. The free annual event, with more than 80,000 spectators, draws on the city’s incomparable and rich diverse dance talent, to feature thousands of dancers from all over the city, and out of town, for a vibrant street parade and dance festival. Beginning at 21st and Broadway, the procession ends at Tompkins Square in the East Village for the festival and celebrates myriads of dance styles in a multi-cultural, rhythmic-infused magical display of the human body in motion.

“With our country divided after the election, we’re proud to bring 80+ unique dance styles and cultures together,” said Greg Miller, executive director of Dance Parade, a non-profit organization. “The dance community decided the theme ‘Dance For Peace” and we will start the parade with a minute of silence for those who can’t dance, followed by an eruption of moving artistry that’ll rock the city!”

Dance styles reflect the cosmopolitan legacy for the city and the elastic inventiveness of the form, and include African, Asian-Indian, ballet, Indian bhangra, Bolivian Tinkus, Brazilian zouk, breakdance, Chinese, hip-hop, Irish, Indonesian, Jamaican Dance Hall, lindy hop, modern, roller disco, salsa, samba, Tahitian, tango and Tibetan. One third of the registered groups hail from states other than New York. Among this year’s highlights so far are 50 organizations featuring 30 dance styles including Clogging Connection and six majorettes groups.

“It starts in my district and ends in my district,” said City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez. “Dance is a form of expression, it is a form of communication, and irrespective of what language you speak we can all communicate with each other through dance. So if you are sad or happy or in love – you can figure that out when you are dancing.”

A Grand Marshal, launches the parade in a ribbon cutting ceremony. Past Grand Marshals include Garth Fagan, Carmen de Lavallade, Robert Battle, Savion Glover, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Dr. Charles ‘Chuck’ Davis, Jacqulyn Buglisi and Louie Vega.

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

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.

Prior to the annual parade and festival, the organization’s Season 11 LIFT OFF party Sunday February 26th marks the beginning of a series of build up events along with dance residencies in schools and community centers. LIFT OFF will be held at the Taj lounge, 48 West 21st from 7-10pm and feature feel good music by DJ Ali Coleman and a Taste of the Dance Parade Belly Dance, Mexican, Russian, Indian, Hip-Hop and Fusion performances.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT DanceParade.Org OR GET SOCIAL WITH US @DanceParadeNYC

WHY DID WE START DANCE PARADE? Dance Parade originated as a response to a court case seeking to overturn New York City’s 1926 Cabaret License Law that still restricts social dancing in bars and resturants. A New York State Supreme Court Judge ruled in 2006 that social dancing was not considered “expressive activity” protected by the State Constitution’s freedom of expression amendment. Dancers and dance groups got together to create a vibrant cultural and dance event in response to the decision, and Dance Parade New York was born.

Dance Parade New York is an entity of Dance Parade Inc, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose charitable mission is to promote dance as an expressive and unifying art form, while educating the public about opportunities to experience dance. The organization celebrates diversity by showcasing all forms of dance around the world through sponsorship of a yearly, citywide Dance Parade and Dance Festival.

Additional programs include education outreach, residencies and artistic partnerships to aid in increased public awareness, and the showcasing of dance in multiple ways.