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On
May 19th, thousands of us will dance in the streets
of New York City, moving to every kind of dance music
under the sun. Why? Go here, please
join us
New
York has never celebrated the forms of dance that
it has birthed until now: Voguing, Jazz, the Jitterbug,
Punk, Gothic--even Salsa was birthed in the Cuban
Communities in this great city. And it is now time
for Dance. New York has enjoyed the last two years
of a September Art Parade and in May 2007, we can
finally honor Dance in a similar fashion.
To unite in respecting Dance's diversity:
Dance is vital in healthy societies, helping people
to communicate and affirm individual and collective
identity. Dance Parade is a multi-cultural, multi-generational
expression of the joy and value of these various forms
of expression. It will foster cross-pollination of
dance forms as it introduces audiences to novel styles
and beats: teenagers to tango, clubbers to square-dancing,
and seniors to hip-hop.
To support grass-roots organizations:
As an umbrella organization, Dance Parade empowers
and supports dance communities that do not have access
to public funding yet have a communicative art form
they wish to practice and promote. We help them build
websites, get access to materials, fundraise, and
reach broader audiences.
To legitimize Dance as a communicative, social form
of expression:
In the 19th century, ballroom dancing was deemed devil's
work. In the 1920's, New York City enacted the Cabaret
Law to stem interracial dancing from Harlem Jazz Clubs.
The 1930's had Nazi Germany quashing Swing Dancing
because it was considered anarchistic. And just last
year, a State Supreme Court ruled that unlike music,
theater and painting, dance is not a constitutionally
protected form of expression. In contrast, Dance Parade
will highlight the diversity found in its many forms
and showcase dance's immense cultural and communicative
importance.To invoke joy and brotherhood
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