By HWM
New York City’s largest dance event is preparing for a milestone celebration as the 20th Annual Dance Parade and Festival returns on May 16, bringing more than 10,000 dancers to the streets for a citywide celebration of movement, music, and cultural expression.
This year’s parade, themed “The Beat Goes On,” will honor four major figures in the dance world as Grand Marshals: Joan Myers Brown, Timmy Regisford, Christine Jowers, and Jeff Selby.
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The day will begin with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. on West 17th Street and Avenue of the Americas, where the Grand Marshals will be recognized for their lasting contributions to dance culture. A special New Style Hustle performance led by Jeff Selby will officially kick off the festivities.
At noon, 150 dance groups will take over Avenue of the Americas, transforming the city into a moving stage filled with styles from around the world. The parade will feature African, South American, Asian, and European dance traditions alongside urban forms such as voguing, breaking, popping, house, and majorette, as well as partner dances including salsa, ballroom, Lindy Hop, hustle, and swing.
“Twenty years in, Dance Parade is both a celebration and a call to action,” said Greg Miller, executive director of Dance Parade New York, in a press release. “We’ve helped overturn unjust Cabaret and zoning laws that restricted dance, expanded dance education into schools and community centers, and built a movement rooted in access and equity.”
He added, “Now with our 20th Anniversary parade, themed ‘The Beat Goes On,’ we carry that forward—protecting the right to dance and opening doors for every community to be seen, heard, and in motion.”
Following the parade, the celebration continues at Tompkins Square Park with DanceFest from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The free public festival will feature performances on two stages, a teaching stage, site-specific works, and a dance party area where DJs will keep the energy going throughout the afternoon.
Festival organizers say the goal is to create an immersive and participatory experience for audiences of all ages.
Founded in 2006, Dance Parade New York has grown into one of the city’s most vibrant annual cultural events, supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.
Photo provided by Dance Parade and Festival (L-R): Joan Myers Brown, founder, Philadelphia Dance Company, Contemporary Dance; Timmy Regisford, DJ, producer and founder of the legendary Shelter parties, House Music; Christine Jowers, founder and editor-in-chief of The Dance Enthusiast; and Jeff Selby, creator of New Style Hustle, bringing NYC Hustle to 60-plus countries.
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