Uptown Dancers Turn Olympic-Size Pool into Stage for the 3rd Annual Danza Highbridge Festival

The United Palace of Cultural Arts is currently in preparations for the third annual Danza Highbridge Festival at Highbridge Pool in Washington Heights. On Saturday September 22nd at 5pm, members of the community are invited to join over eighty dancers, choreographers, and musicians in a drained, olympic-size wading pool for an afternoon dance showcase and celebration. This year's festival is free to attend and will feature a variety of dance styles, including Jazz, Modern, Contemporary Indian, Bachata, Theatre Dance, and more. Following the performance, spectators are invited to the dance floor to join in a Fiesta Latina, lead by Ximena Salgado from the Dance Project of Washington Heights. Festival organizers suggest bringing a towel, blanket, or beach chair to sit on during the performance.

"With so few opportunities to see a live performance above 145th street, I am excited to share such a diverse lineup of artists with the uptown community," says the festival's Curator, Cassie Nordgren. "There is a little something for everyone and anyone who wants to can attend."

Featured choreographers and companies include Arianne Meneses, A. Tan Dance, Brinda Guha/Kalamandir Dance Company, the Dance Project of Washington Heights (under the direction of Heather Godfrey), Daniel Gold, Mallory Pettee, Navarra Novy-Williams, Segarra Dance Theatre Project, and ThruLines Dance Initiative.

Performers in the third annual Danza Highbridge Festival include: Samantha Barriento (Ailey II), Stephanie Brooks (42ND STREET, WHITE CHRISTMAS), Michael Dauer (CHICAGO), Joseph Fierberg (ELF), Drew Fountain (River North Dance Chicago), Mary Kate Hartung (FINDING NEVERLAND), Alex Jenkins (Lines Ballet), Matthew John Lynady (Radio City), Ramita Ravi (SYTYCD), Daniel Switzer (WICKED, NEWSIES), Isabel Umali (SLEEP NO MORE), Jamie Askey, Jordan Betscher, Cassie Broussard, Monica Cioffi, Kayla Coutts, Lydia Dawson, Taylor DeNapoli, Marie DiNorcia, Tyler Eisenreich, Logan Epstein, Alyssa Filoramo, Darrin French, Morgan Gillott, Jorge Guerra, Taylor Habershaw, Misaki Hayama, Hannah Jennens, Lina Jonnerhag, Angela Joy, Jacob Lacopo, Ali Kerner, Amanda Krapp, Joey Kummert, Chloe Lafleur, Stephanie Lim, Tyler Logan, Caleb Marshall, Darren McArthur, Natasha McCandless, Taylor McMahon, Juliette Nieves, Riley O'Rourke, Rashmi Rajendran, Kelley Reid, Samuel Ryder, Ximena Salgado, Candice Segarra, Montana Sholars, Julia Sitch, Kristi Smith, Tyler Sparacio, Melissa Strain, Anna Tan, Cameron Turner, Morgan Unger, Victoria Vikstrom, Giorgia Vitali, Shannon Walsh, Kendall Walker, Adam Wedesky, Betty Weinberger, and the students from the Dance Project of Washington Heights.

Highbridge Pool is located at 173rd St and Amsterdam Ave. in the Highbridge Recreation Center. The show starts at 5pm on Saturday, Sept 22nd. Doors open at 4:30pm. The show is kid friendly! In case of rain, the performance will be held inside the Highbridge Community Center. Festival made possible by the NYC Parks & Rec. For further information, or to RSVP, please visit www.UnitedPalaceArts.org.