Kahshanna Evans
Kissing Lions Public Relations
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The Right to Dance Won. Now Dance 

Parade New York Wants to Let the Music Play

Historic advocacy milestone removes State restrictions on social dancing as organization launches new effort to end government regulation of music programming in licensed venues.

NEW YORK, NY — After over twenty years of organizing, coalition-building, public education, and advocacy, Dance Parade New York—and LegalizeDance.org, an advocacy campaign facilitated by Dance Parade—are marking a rare milestone: helping contribute to a meaningful New York State Liquor Authority (SLA) policy shift that removes government restrictions on social dancing in licensed venues.

Earlier this year, the SLA announced it would no longer require liquor-license applicants to disclose whether patron dancing would occur and would no longer consider dancing when reviewing license applications. For Dance Parade New York, which recently celebrated its 20th Anniversary, the win builds on years of their advocacy alongside organizations including the NYC Hospitality Alliance, and numerous legal, hospitality, nightlife, arts, and community partners who argued these restrictions were outdated and disproportionately affected immigrant, Black, Latino, LGBTQ+, and working-class communities.

"This is the biggest state-level dance freedom victory in decades. Governor Kathy Hochel announced a new policy to eliminate outdated restrictions on dancing in bars and restaurants. In practical terms, dancing is no longer being treated as a vice that requires special scrutiny by the state. It's a major cultural shift and we're really pleased and grateful," said Greg Miller, Executive Director of Dance Parade New York.

The recent policy change follows a broader history of reform.

Dance Parade, founded in 2007 as both a public celebration and an act of advocacy during the final years of New York City's Cabaret Law era. Since then, its advocacy has contributed to the repeal of New York City’s Cabaret Law in 2017, zoning reforms adopted through portions of the City’s “City of Yes” initiative in 2024 that expanded opportunities for social dancing, and now the elimination of statewide restrictions on dancing imposed through liquor-license review. The organization has become one of the nation's largest dance events while serving as a platform for sustained public education and coalition-building around dance freedom.

Working alongside numerous advocacy organizations, hospitality partners, artists, and community leaders, the movement has helped contribute to a series of significant reforms, including:

• Repeal of New York City's Cabaret Law (2017)
• Zoning reforms expanding opportunities for lawful dancing and entertainment (2024)
• Elimination of New York State Liquor Authority restrictions on social dancing (2026)

Throughout that time, thousands of dancers have marched, volunteered, signed petitions, attended public hearings, and supported advocacy efforts through Dance Parade's annual celebration and year-round public engagement.

While advocates celebrate the removal of statewide restrictions on social dancing, the “Let the Music Play” launch addresses a significant challenge that remains: music.

Through LegalizeDance.org, an advocacy initiative facilitated by Dance Parade New York, the organization has launched "Let the Music Play New York," a statewide campaign calling for reforms to liquor-license stipulations and "Methods of Operation" restrictions that can still limit DJs, live music, and other artistic programming. Advocates argue that government should regulate legitimate public safety concerns—including occupancy, fire safety, building codes, and noise—not determine which forms of music communities may enjoy or how cultural gatherings take shape.

The campaign includes a statewide public petition urging policymakers to remove entertainment-specific restrictions and modernize liquor licensing so that artistic programming is governed by objective public safety standards rather than subjective limitations on cultural expression.

The campaign builds upon a history that reaches back more than a century.

New York's regulation of dance and music dating back nearly a century includes the Cabaret Law era, when social dancing was heavily restricted and musicians themselves were required to obtain cabaret cards before performing in licensed establishments. Some of America's most celebrated artists—including Miles Davis—experienced the consequences of these policies firsthand. In 1959, Davis was brutally assaulted by police outside Birdland despite identifying himself as the club's headlining performer. For many historians and advocates, those policies became part of a broader conversation about race, cultural expression, nightlife, and who was permitted to gather and participate in public life.

Many scholars have also observed that restrictions on social dancing disproportionately affected immigrant communities, Black communities, Latino communities, LGBTQ+ communities, and working-class neighborhoods whose cultural traditions relied on music, dance, and shared public gathering. For historians, artists, and civil-rights advocates, these policies became part of a much broader conversation about race, cultural expression, nightlife, economic opportunity, and who was permitted to gather, perform, and participate in public life. Today, advocates say the remaining music-related restrictions represent the latest chapter in that history.

Miller says, “[Historically,] The cabaret card system gave the police power over artists’ livelihoods. Losing a card could mean losing the right to work in New York clubs. The system affected major artists including Billie Holiday, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Parker, and others. The Recording Academy has described the cabaret card system as one that disproportionately harmed Black jazz musicians from 1940 to 1967."

While advocacy remains central to its mission, Dance Parade emphasizes that its work extends far beyond a single day each May.

Although widely recognized for its annual celebration, Dance Parade New York's work is extensive. Throughout the year, the organization delivers dance education and cultural programming in schools, senior centers, community organizations, and underserved neighborhoods across New York City, helping preserve cultural traditions while expanding access to movement, wellness, artistic expression, and community participation. Organizers see the parade as both a celebration and a catalyst for year-round civic participation.

Its advocacy initiatives—including LegalizeDance.org—complement that educational mission by working to ensure communities have equitable opportunities to gather, create, celebrate, and participate in New York's cultural life. The public is invited to join the movement by signing the "Let the Music Play New York" petition through LegalizeDance.org, supporting coalition partners, and following ongoing advocacy efforts aimed at ensuring liquor licensing focuses on public safety rather than artistic expression.

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ABOUT DANCE PARADE NEW YORK 

Dance Parade New York is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing dance as an expressive and unifying art form through performances, education, community programming, and advocacy. Since 2007, Dance Parade has produced New York City's largest annual dance parade while supporting year-round educational initiatives in schools, community centers, senior centers, and underserved neighborhoods. Through its advocacy initiative, LegalizeDance.org, the organization continues working to protect artistic expression, cultural participation, and the freedom to dance.

ABOUT LEGALIZEDANCE.ORG 

Dance Parade’s 2026 petition theme is ‘Let the Music Play New York,’ continuing the fight for dance as a First Amendment right. LegalizeDance.org, a project of Dance Parade New York, is actively working to reform the restrictive policies of the New York State Liquor Authority (NYSLA), which disproportionately affect marginalized communities by limiting where and how dancing can legally occur. To date, nearly 5,000 signatures have been collected in support of recognizing dance as a protected form of expression. [More: LegalizeDance.org]

GET INVOLVED:

Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/legalizedance
Volunteer: https://danceparade.org/team-reg/
Donate: https://danceparade.org/donate

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