Dance Parade Presents DANCE FREE NYC This May

New York's beloved and joyous nonprofit Dance Parade will transform the downtown streets again on Saturday May 18, 2024, celebrating its 18th year, with 10,000 dancers featuring over 100 unique styles of dance, live bands, and DJs. Headlining a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:30am at 17th Street and Avenue of Americas will be four Grand Marshals: Tap legend Brenda Bufalino; creator of Memphis Jookin: The Show, Charles ‘Lil Buck' Riley; Mexican folkloric choreographer Martha Zárate-Alvarez, and civil rights lawyer Norman Siegel.

“We're thrilled to have Brenda Bufalino, Charles ‘Lil Buck' Riley & Martha Zárate-Alvarez, trailblazers and legends in their fields of tap, street dance, and Mexican folkloric along with Norman Siegel whose advocacy for dance will be historic once New York ends its ban on dancing in April, perfect timing to celebrate our theme, Dance Free NYC!” – Greg Miller, Executive Director, and coordinator of legalizedance.org

During the parade, the Grand Marshals will each appear on one of three dozen parade floats along with 200 groups that will take to the streets to dance, including over 100 unique styles of dance such as ballet, ballroom, salsa, African, Chinese, Asian Indian, hip-hop. Three dozen schools and community centers from Dance Parade's Community Engagement programs culminate their 10+ weeks of classes in the Parade and Festival. 

“Dance opens pathways to the soul, removes blocks which can heal us to make us whole,” Funmalyo Chesney, Artistic Director of Fusha Dance Company

Following short performances before an audience of 500 in the Grand Stand in Astor Place, the procession ends at Tompkins Square Park where DanceFest kicks off from 3:00 to 7:00 pm. The festival features five stages of performances, site specific experiences, free dance lessons, experience dance booths and a social dance area.

“We believe live dance performance can awaken a communal human spirit and has the potential to create a more vibrant and equitable society,” enjoined Jamila Holman, DanceFest Producer.

At this year's parade and festival, Dance Parade acknowledges the theme "Dance Free NYC,” a reference to celebrating the revision of the city's antiquated zoning regulations which restrict dancing to only 20% of New York City. 

“No government should make conditions about our freedom to dance,” exclaimed Grand Marshal Norman Siegel, Esq.

Dance and Nightlife supporters, among them executives from Dance Parade, testified at the City Planning Commission in January. 

“We demand that dancing is recognized as a first amendment freedom in support of New York City Mayor Eric Adam's ‘City of Yes' proposals to update zoning ordinances in New York City ” said Jerry Goldman, Dance Parade's Board Chair and member of the advocacy campaign on LegalizeDance.Org. The City Council is expected to formally end the ban on dancing in April. 

More information

Groups and individuals alike can register to participate at https://danceparade.org/dance-in-the-parade . To get involved by volunteering, sign up at https://danceparade.org/team-reg/.