Dance/NYC Hosts Annual New Yorkers For Dance Event Celebrating 12 Years Of Advocacy And Service

On Tuesday, November 19, Dance/NYC celebrated its twelfth anniversary of service, advocacy, and support for the New York City dance community at its annual New Yorkers for Dance event at Performance Space New York. The evening honored leaders in the field whose work strengthens the dance ecosystem, including recipients of the Dance Advocate Award and the Dance Catalyst Award, and featured powerful performances and a lively social dance gathering for attendees.

This year's Dance Advocate Award was presented to Phil Chan by last year's honoree Duke Dang for his outstanding championing of equity within and for the arts. As the third recipient of this honor, Chan is recognized for his dedication to fostering inclusion within the arts through his co-founding of Final Bow for Yellowface and his work advocating for greater diversity and visibility for artists of color.

Receiving the Dance Catalyst Award was Leah Krauss by last year's honoree Linda Murray. Krauss, known for her championing of diversity and innovation in dance through work at Mertz Gilmore Foundation, has demonstrated a passionate commitment to supporting underrepresented artists and narratives thereby ensuring a vibrant artistic landscape in New York as well as inspiring the next generation of changemakers across the dance field. Her philanthropic leadership and advocacy drive meaningful change, shaping a dynamic and inclusive future for dance.

The event opened with an embodied land acknowledgment by Cliff Matias of Redhawk Native American Arts Council, which set a reflective tone for the evening, and served as a powerful and grounding moment, encouraging respect for the land and its original caretakers, the Lenape. Special performances were given by former Dance/NYC grantees, Shamel Pitts | TRIBE and Sidra Bell Dance New York. The evening also featured a social dance segment led by Abdiel with music by DJ kevin gotkin.

As a celebration of the unsung leaders and advocates of NYC dance, the night set the stage for sustaining and new New Yorkers for Dance to support the art form and shape a more equitable ecosystem. "Moments like these ground us, reigniting the energy and determination to keep advocating, to keep pushing forward, and to ensure that dance thrives in New York City for everyone," said Vicki Capote, Co-Executive Director of Dance/NYC. "As challenging as these times can be, [Dance/NYC remains] committed to being your champions, advocating for the resources you need and those we need collectively, ensuring we shape a future where every artist and worker in our field can flourish and create dance with dignity."

Awardee Phil Chan shared, "We can't fix the world, but we can fix our backyard. If enough of us just focused on places where we can move the needle a little bit, the world will be better." Similarly, Leah Krauss remarked, "Over the past decade, there has been a shift in the dance field. The changed environment has not only demonstrated the resilience and adaptability of the dance community, but also has produced a growing role for us all to participate in its efforts as we continue to evolve and expand our understanding of the critical role of dance in public life."