May 17 2019 Press Release Movement of the People
For Immediate Release 
Contact: Rebecca Myles
Tel: 917-326-0802
Email: publicity@danceparade.org
Movement of the People
at 13th Annual Dance Parade and DanceFest w/165 groups,
100 unique styles of dance, and for the first time, a
Native American Circle Dance
New York, May 17, 2019 – That grand celebration of Dance – Dance Parade – gathers dancers from all the city's boroughs together on Saturday, May 18th at 12:35pm on 21st Street and Broadway and begins with a ceremonial Native American circle dance led by Gran Marshal Louis Mofsie, the founder of the Thunderbird American Indian Dancers.
"The opening ceremony will be really special because when we honor Native American dance, we acknowledge that we are all immigrants," said Greg Miller, Dance Parade's Executive Director.
Joining Louis Mofsie are Gran Marshals and Tony Award winners, Bill T. Jones of New York Live Arts, Baayork Lee with her drama club at PS124, and DJ Dara of drum and bass fame.
At 1:00pm the parade of approximately 10,000 dancers – students to professionals - present over 100 genres of dance and make their way down Broadway from 21st street to 8th street in the East Village. In front of a Grandstand at Astor Plaza, groups with a choreography will present a 40-second performance before continuing east on St. Mark’s Place and settling into Tompkins Square Park. The festivities continue with a 5-stage festival from 3 to 7pm, including something for everyone: Two stages for performances, two aerial stages, a pirate ship DJ stage, site specific dances and a teaching area with lessons by some of the city's most prominent dance teachers.
Dance styles reflect the cultural fabric of the city, the passion and elastic inventiveness of the art form. Among this year’s highlights are a dozen dancers with contemporary ballet company, Steeledance, who will perform moving choreography. Physically integrated dancers will dance alongside abled bodied piers, most notably from the Heidi Latsky Dance Company. Also present will be dancers from the Dwana Smallwood Performing Arts Center, Peridance, DanceSport, Xianix Berrera (Flamenco), Skaterobics, 20+ African American women with roller-skating choreography, Tropical Fete, Fit4Dance, an Afro-Caribbean dance class group mixing Zumba, Hip Hop and Soca, plus 5RhythmsGlobal, Indian Bhangra, Kids Breaking League, Nia Community Services and the IS281 dance team, 40 Disco Love hustle dancers and an array of Bolivian styles, Chinese, Indian, Japanese and more--a United Nations of dance.
"Representing the Dominican Republic is Los Andulleros de Santiago, USA,” enthused Jennifer Hidalgo. “A group of Dominican carnival performers who dance to the rhythm of Caribbean music showcasing their festive colorful costumes, masks and different carnival characters - the Lechones, Carnaval Queens, La Machanta, Roba la Gallina and many others. It's the mystical experience of colorful dancing devils right here on Earth!”
Leading the parade will be over 100 enthusiastic city youth and elders dancing their "debut on Broadway" and having the fun of their lives. Children from Dance Parade's Community Engagement program will join seniors from its Ageless Action programs to lead out the parade after participating in a ten-week education program of dance workshops sponsored by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Department of Education, Participatory Safety, the NYC Parks Department and the Manhattan Borough President's Office. The workshops are run in schools, recreation centers and city parks in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Though the cabaret law has been repealed, the parade will honor its roots with a presence by the New York Dance Police (NYDP) – a jovial group of uniformed officers ticketing bystanders for "no dancing in a free dance zone" and celebrating the spirit of Dance Parade. The wacky NYDP patrol contrasts the real Dance Police of from the Giuliani era. Anyone caught not dancing will be cited with a summons to attend the After Party at Nublu Studio 7-10pm, 151 Avenue C, just a block from Tompkins Square Park.
For our Media Kit including high resolution photos and more information about Dance Parade and our education programs please visit: https://danceparade.org/media-
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