Dancers to Turn Olympic-Size Pool Into Stage at 2017 DANZA HIGHBRIDGE FESTIVAL

The second annual Danza Highbridge Festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 23rd at 5pm at Highbridge Pool in Washington Heights.

The Danza Highbridge Festival is a celebration of both cultural and traditional dance styles and features more than 80 dancers. The 220'x 92' Olympic-sized wading pool has been recently drained and will be the stage for the performance.

Co-sponsored by the United Palace of Cultural Arts and NYC Parks and Recreation, it is free to attend, but the United Palace has asked that you RSVP for the event on their website: www.UnitedPalaceArts.org.

"We have everything from bomba to ballet," says the festival's Artistic Director, Cassie Nordgren. "We are really excited to present a showcase that not only celebrates dance, but celebrates diversity." Nordgren's company, ThruLines Dance Initiative, specializes in theatrical dance narratives.

Featured choreographers and companies include Stephanie Klemons (Associate Choreographer of Broadway's HAMILTON), Katie Drablos (Radio City Rockette), Karla Puno Garcia (So You Think You Can Dance Season 5 Finalist, HAMILTON), ZEST Collective Dance (Artistic Director: Gentry Isaiah George), Ehizoje Azeke of R.Evolucio?n Latina, Arielle Rosales of House of Duende, Bombazo Dance Company (Artistic Director: Milteri Tucker), the Dance Project of Washington Heights (Director/Founder: Heather Godfrey), and ThruLines Dance Initiative (Artistic Director: Cassie Nordgren).

The program has almost tripled in size since its inception last year. Performers in the second annual Danza Highbridge Festival include: Shelby Finnie (Radio City Rockette), Abby Jarros (Joseph and the... Dreamcoat), Morgan Harrison (Flash Dance), Tyler Brown (Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company), Gentry Isaiah George (Juilliard), Ehizoje Azeke (Beyonce, Madonna), Khori Michelle Petinaud (Aladdin), Rob Coglitore (The Illusionists), Nicole Pavone (Elf), Hope Easterbrook (Hamilton), Juan Zapata (Lil Mama), Derek Ferguson (NBC's Smash, Wonderland), Arielle Rosales (Bessie Award Nominee), Bethany Menjivar, Beverly Lopez, Danelle Rivera, Silvana Salazar, Samia Omari, Zu Ralat, Ashley Adler, Mindy Moeller, Morgana Phlaum, Arianne Meneses, Alex Hartman, Elizabeth Yanick, Taylor McMahon, Taylor Habershaw, Taylor DeNapoli, Sydney Zucker, Marissa Barragan, Carey Segal, Allie Duncan, Hannah Grace, Lexi Garcia, Katie Lacombe, Milteri Tucker Concepcion, Cynthia Paniagua, Noele Phillips, Miriam Gallardo, Melissa Escano, Melissa Hunt, Kory Geller, Edward Cuellar, Adam Wedesky, Kellie Hoagland, and more than 30 student dancers.

Highbridge Pool is located at 173rd St and Amsterdam Ave. in the Highbridge Recreation Center. The show starts at 5pm on Saturday, Sept 23rd. Doors open at 4:30pm. For further information, visit www.UnitedPalaceArts.org.