The 12th Annual Dance Parade will take place on Saturday, May 19th, rain or shine. This years theme ~ The Cabaret of Life! with over 10,000 dancers, and live bands from Broadway and 21st Street, through Astor Plaza, and ending in Tompkins Square Park!
The Parade will begin at Broadway and 21st Street at 1:00pm, travel south through Union Square, turn East on 8th Street, across St. Marks Place, arriving at Tompkins Square Park by 3:00pm.
From 3:00pm to 7pm performances on five stages – with DanceFest!, the grand finale to the parade, in Tompkins Square Park.
Dance Parade found its roots in a dance advocacy movement related to the 1926 New York City Cabaret License requirement that restricted dancing. In 2006, a New York State Supreme Court ruled against a group of House, Hip-Hop, Ballet and Swing dancers that social dancing was not considered expressive activity. The result ~ the inaugural Dance Parade of 2007 ~ organized to present dance as expressive in all its forms……
….including African, Middle Eastern, Latin American, Asian, social dance styles like Swing, Salsa, Tango, Hip Hop, Club Dancing, Ballet, Modern, Tap and Jazz ~ 80 unique styles of dance in all.
Each year, Dance Parade selects individuals from all corners of the Dance Community to honor for their perseverance, intact, contribution and uniqueness as Grand Marshalls. Catch them on a float in the parade, or on stage at DanceFest at Tompkins Square Park.
Grand Stand Seating is available with advance tickets. The Grandstand will be at Astor Place Plaza, a perfect viewing point, where all dancers will stop and perform in front of the Grandstand, announced by this years emcee, DJ BooshWheelz. And the Grandstand is in close proximity to Tompkins Square Park, for DanceFest after the parade.
Put on your dancing shoes because if your walking in the parade, and not dancing ~ you’ll get a Summons by the Dance Police! Since the first parade in 2007, the NYDP (New York Dance Police) have ticketed folks walking in the parade or audience members along the parade route for not having fun or not dancing!
Dance Parade, Inc. is a 501(c) non-profit charity, and has received grants from various foundations including the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Manhattan Community Arts Fund, The Creative Communities Fund from the New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. Additionally, the parade engages multiple sponsors throughout the year.
If you aren’t in the Grandstand, this is a Free Event.