Dance parade
Encyclopedia
Dance parade is an annual parade and festival that showcases dance of all kinds as an expression of art and culture. It takes place in New York City
each May, on the Saturday before Memorial Day
.
Greg Miller
, a social entrepreneur and dance aficionado, established the non-profit organization in December, 2006 and led an all-volunteer group that produced the inaugural parade on May 19, 2007. Over 2300 dancers from 75 organizations made their way down Manhattan
’s Broadway and Fifth Avenue on and around eight floats. Ending in front of the Washington Square Memorial Arch, the parade culminated in 31 performances highlighting native New York dance styles such as hip-hop, jazz dance
, break dancing, and salsa
. Participants included the original B-boys, and Kevin Smith
; DJs Danny Tenaglia
and Kool Herc; and Frieda Williams.
As defined by its Board of Directors (Mahayana Landowne, Trevor Hochman and Greg Miller
), Dance parade’s mission is “to promote dance as an expressive and unifying art form by showcasing all forms of dance, educating the general public about the opportunities to experience dance, and celebrating diversity of dance in New York City by sponsoring a yearly city-wide dance parade and dance festival”.
In 2007, with Washington Square Park
under renovation, the parade terminated in Tompkins Square Park
. With the support of New York State Governor David Paterson
and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
, the second annual Dance Parade drew 108 organizations representing 31 styles of dance, ten floats, and over 4,000 dancers. Jazz dance
legend Luigi
was the Grand Marshal
, accompanied by Miss Dance USA, the New York Knicks City Dancers, as well as ballerina
s, salsaros, and club kids. Thirty-nine performances took place on stage in the park, and workshops gave the public the chance to learn dance.
The 2010 Dance Parade took place on Saturday May 22nd. The parade featured swing dancing, samba, tango, pole dancers and more.
Participation is free and open to all who sign up at the official website.
Every April 29, the organizers celebrate International Dance Day
with a fundraiser and performances. As an all volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the organization relies on public and private support.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
each May, on the Saturday before Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
.
Greg Miller
Greg Miller
Greg Miller is the name of:*Greg Miller , Scottish footballer*Greg Miller , American poet...
, a social entrepreneur and dance aficionado, established the non-profit organization in December, 2006 and led an all-volunteer group that produced the inaugural parade on May 19, 2007. Over 2300 dancers from 75 organizations made their way down Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
’s Broadway and Fifth Avenue on and around eight floats. Ending in front of the Washington Square Memorial Arch, the parade culminated in 31 performances highlighting native New York dance styles such as hip-hop, jazz dance
Jazz dance
Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...
, break dancing, and salsa
Salsa (dance)
Salsa is a syncretic dance form with origins in Cuba as the meeting point of Spanish and African cultures.Salsa is normally a partner dance, although there are recognized solo forms such as solo dancing "suelta" and "Rueda de Casino" where multiple couples exchange partners in a circle...
. Participants included the original B-boys, and Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
; DJs Danny Tenaglia
Danny Tenaglia
Danny Tenaglia is a New York-based DJ and Grammy nominated record producer.-Early life:At the age of ten, Tenaglia first started to collect records. In 1979 he began going to nightclub Paradise Garage, where DJ Larry Levan's genre-less blend of music appealed to him...
and Kool Herc; and Frieda Williams.
As defined by its Board of Directors (Mahayana Landowne, Trevor Hochman and Greg Miller
Greg Miller
Greg Miller is the name of:*Greg Miller , Scottish footballer*Greg Miller , American poet...
), Dance parade’s mission is “to promote dance as an expressive and unifying art form by showcasing all forms of dance, educating the general public about the opportunities to experience dance, and celebrating diversity of dance in New York City by sponsoring a yearly city-wide dance parade and dance festival”.
In 2007, with Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is one of the best-known of New York City's 1,900 public parks. At 9.75 acres , it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity...
under renovation, the parade terminated in Tompkins Square Park
Tompkins Square Park
Tompkins Square Park is a 10.5 acre public park in the Alphabet City section of the East Village neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It is square in shape, and is bounded on the north by East 10th Street, on the east by Avenue B, on the south by East 7th Street, and on the...
. With the support of New York State Governor David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Michael Bloomberg
Michael Rubens Bloomberg is the current Mayor of New York City. With a net worth of $19.5 billion in 2011, he is also the 12th-richest person in the United States...
, the second annual Dance Parade drew 108 organizations representing 31 styles of dance, ten floats, and over 4,000 dancers. Jazz dance
Jazz dance
Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...
legend Luigi
Luigi
is a fictional character, featured in video games and related media released by Nintendo. Created by prominent game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, Luigi is portrayed as the slightly younger fraternal twin brother of Nintendo's mascot Mario, and appears in many games throughout the Mario series,...
was the Grand Marshal
Grand Marshal
Grand Marshal is a ceremonial, military, or political office of very high rank. The term has its origins with the word "Marshal" with the first usage of the term "Grand Marshal" as a ceremonial title for certain religious orders...
, accompanied by Miss Dance USA, the New York Knicks City Dancers, as well as ballerina
Ballerina
A ballerina is a title used to describe a principal female professional ballet dancer in a large company; the male equivalent to this title is danseur or ballerino...
s, salsaros, and club kids. Thirty-nine performances took place on stage in the park, and workshops gave the public the chance to learn dance.
The 2010 Dance Parade took place on Saturday May 22nd. The parade featured swing dancing, samba, tango, pole dancers and more.
Participation is free and open to all who sign up at the official website.
Every April 29, the organizers celebrate International Dance Day
International Dance Day
International Dance Day has been celebrated on April 29 through promotion by the International Dance Council , an umbrella organization within UNESCO for all kinds of dance....
with a fundraiser and performances. As an all volunteer 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the organization relies on public and private support.