Latin dance in NYC is dance theatre, social dancing, and dance festivals.
- Dance theatre is: Ballet, Flamenco, Folkloric, Tango, and also Latin Modern and Contemporary.
- Social dancing is: Bachata, Cumbia, House, Reggaeton, Regional Mexican, Salsa, Swing, and Tango.
New York is a dance city. Salsa on 2 and Lindy Hop Swing dancing were created here. New York also played a role in the transformation of Argentine Tango from an obscure folkloric dance to the national dance of Argentina and Uruguay.
European dance tends to be theatrical, whereas Latin dance tends to be participatory. That says a lot about the two cultures: exclusive/inclusive.
Latin Dance NYC News
The Covid surge is causing last minute cancellations. Confirm before you go.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
Dance Theatre
2022
Afro-Colombian Contemporary Dance
Sankofa Danzafro: Accommodating Lie brings Afro-Colombian Contemporary dance to The Joyce Theater in Chelsea, Tue-Sun, Feb 15-20. From $26. 🇨🇴
“Sankofa” is a West African concept of recovering what has been lost.
English Hip-Hop
Botis Seva: Far From the Norm dance English Hip-Hop at The Joyce in Chelsea, Tue-Sun, Feb 7-12, 2022. From $26. 🇬🇧
Ballroom
New York Dance Festival (ballroom competition) is at the New York Hilton Midtown, Mon-Thu, Feb 21-24. nydancefestival.com
Latin Dances
2022
Salsa
Talia Castro-Pozo’s Latin Mondays at Taj is at Taj in the Flatiron District, Mondays at 7pm (5pm doors). From $10 🇵🇪
The Joyce Theater 2022 Season: Sankofa Danzafro
Tue-Sun, February 15-20, 2022
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SEASON
Sep 26, 2021 – Feb 27, 2022
🇨🇴🇨🇺🏳️🌈🇮🇳🇮🇱🇵🇷🇪🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸
Continue Reading The Joyce Theater 2022 Season: Sankofa Danzafro
Calpulli “Puebla: The Story of Cinco de Mayo” at Count Basie Center
Cinco de Mayo
Thursday, May 5, 2022
COUNT BASIE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Red Bank, New Jersey
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Continue Reading Calpulli “Puebla: The Story of Cinco de Mayo” at Count Basie Center
Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is Back in 2022
[To Be Confirmed]
November 4, 2022 – January 1, 2023
RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
Midtown, Manhattan
Continue Reading Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is Back in 2022
NYC Dance Theaters
NYC’s big dance theaters include the David H Koch Theater and Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, New York City Center, the Joyce Theater and 92nd Street Y.
College Theaters
On Stage at Kingsborough onstageatkingsborough.org *
* Thank you for sponsoring New York Latin Culture Magazine.
NYC Dance Clubs
These venues have Reggaeton, Salsa, Bachata & Merengue, Tango, or House dancing.
- Club Cache: Bachata, Latin
- Elsewhere: House
- Gonzalez y Gonzalez: Bachata, Salsa
- House of Yes: House
- La Boom: Bachata, Cumbia, Regional Mexican, Reggaeton, Salsa, Trap
- La Nacional: Tango
- SOB’s: Bollywood
- Swing 46: Swing
- Taj II: Salsa
Tango Dance
Tango La Nacional is NYC’s Most Traditional Argentine Tango Dance Party
[Reopens February 3]
Thursdays
LA NACIONAL
Chelsea, Manhattan
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Continue Reading Tango La Nacional is NYC’s Most Traditional Argentine Tango Dance Party
El Destino is one of the NYC Milongas with Very Good Dancers [On Pause]
[ON PAUSE SINCE JAN 9]
SOLAS
East Village, Manhattan
Continue Reading El Destino is one of the NYC Milongas with Very Good Dancers [On Pause]
Central Park Tango is Romantic Summer Night Dancing
Saturdays, June 4 to Sep 24, 2022
SHAKESPEARE STATUE
Central Park
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Continue Reading Central Park Tango is Romantic Summer Night Dancing
The NYC Dance Year
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
January Dance NYC
The 2022 Covid Omicron surge is forcing cancellations.
Ballet
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo: Nightcrawlers brings all-male Classical Ballet to The Joyce in Chelsea for three weeks Dec 14, 2021 – Jan 2, 2022. From $26. 🏳️🌈
Tap
Ayodele Casel: Chasing Magic brings together the Puerto Rican Tap master with live music by Cuban Jazz legend Arturo O’Farrill, at The Joyce in Chelsea, Tue-Sun, Jan 4-9, 2022. From $26. 🇵🇷🇨🇺
Ballet
The New York City Ballet Winter 2022 Season at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, is Tuesday-Sunday, Jan 18 – Feb 27. 🇧🇷🇫🇷🇮🇹🇵🇷🇪🇸
February Dance NYC
Flamenco
Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca dance Spanish Flamenco at The Joyce in Chelsea for two weeks, Tue-Sun, Jan 25 – Feb 6, 2022. From $26. 🇪🇸
Ballet
The New York City Ballet Winter 2022 Season at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, is Tue-Sun, Jan 18 – Feb 27. 🇧🇷🇫🇷🇮🇹🇵🇷🇪🇸
Hip-Hop
Botis Seva: Far From the Norm dance English Hip-Hop at The Joyce in Chelsea, Tue-Sun, Feb 7-12, 2022. From $26. 🇬🇧
Dance Films
The 50th Dance on Camera film festival is at Film at Lincoln Center, Fri-Mon, Feb 11-14. $15.
Ballroom
New York Dance Festival (ballroom competition) is at the New York Hilton Midtown, Mon-Thu, Feb 21-24. nydancefestival.com
The Harkness Dance Festival was at the 92nd Street Y, Feb 21 – Mar 21, 2020.
March Dance NYC
Dance
The City Center Dance Festival is at New York City Center, Mar 24 – Apr 10.
The Harkness Dance Festival was at the 92nd Street Y, Feb 21 – Mar 21, 2020.
April Dance NYC
National Dance Week is Apr 15-24.
International Dance Day is Apr 29.
Contemporary
Ballet Hispánico presents the world premiere of its first full-length commission, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Doña Perón at the City Center Dance Festival at New York City Center in Midtown, Manhattan on April 1-3, 2022. From $35. 🇨🇴
Ballet Auditions
The YAGP, Youth America Grand Prix NYC semi-finals are at Symphony Space, Feb 13-15. yagp.org The finals are in Tampa, Florida this year on Wed, Apr 13.
Ballet
The New York City Ballet Spring 2022 Season at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, is Tue-Sun, April 19 to May 29, 2022. 🇧🇷🇫🇷🇮🇹🇵🇷🇪🇸
Flamenco
The 20th Flamenco Festival is at New York City Center in Midtown on Apr 22-24. 🇪🇸
May Dance NYC
Ballet
New York City Ballet Spring 2022 Season at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, is Tue-Sun, April 19 to May 29, 2022.
Folkloric
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company presents “Puebla: The Story of Cinco de Mayo” at Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey on Thu, May 5, 2022 at 7pm. 🇲🇽
Future
The Future Dance Festival is at the 92nd Street Y on Fri, May 20 at 12pm. $15.
Dance Parade
The 16th Dance Parade is Sat, May 21.
Salsa
The BIG Salsa Festival is at the New York Hilton Midtown, Memorial Day Weekend, May 27-30. bigsalsafestival.com
The Queensboro Dance Festival was across Queens, May 15 – Oct 3, 2021.
Dance Africa was at BAM in Fort Greene, Brooklyn on May 29 – Jun 14, 2021. (2020)
June Dance NYC
Dance moves upstate and to Long Island.
NYC Dance Week is Jun 16-25.
Kaatsbaan
The Kaatsbaan Summer Dance Festival is in Tivoli, New York, Jun 3-18. kaatsbaan.org
Queensboro
The Queensboro Dance Festival is Jun 4 – Oct 2. queensboroughdancefestival.com
American Ballet Theatre
The American Ballet Theatre Summer Season is at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, Jun 13 – Jul 16. 🇦🇷
The Jamaica Dance Festival was in Rufus King Park, Jamaica, Queens on Jun 5-26, 2021.
July Dance NYC
The dance moves Upstate.
American Ballet Theatre
The American Ballet Theatre Summer Season is at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, Jun 13 – Jul 16. abt.org 🇦🇷
The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival was in Becket, Massachusetts, July 1 – Sep 23, 2021. jacobspillow.org
The Mobile Dance Film Festival was at the 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center on Jul 31, 2021.
August Dance NYC
The Ballet Festival was at the Joyce Theater (August 2019)
The Battery Dance Festival was at Wagner Park in Battery Park City on Aug 14-20. (2021)
The BAAND Together Dance Festival was at Lincoln Center Aug 17-21, 2021.
September Dance NYC
National Dance Day is Sat, Sep 17.
Salsa
New York International Salsa Congress is Sep 1-5. newyorksalsacongress.com
Kaatsbaan
The Kaatsbaan Fall Dance Festival is in Tivoli, New York, for two weeks, Fri, Sep 16 – Oct 2. kaatsbaan.org
The Little Island Dance Festival was at Little Island in Hudson River Park in the West Village, Sep 15-19, 2021.
NY City Ballet’s Fall 2021 Season was at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, Tue-Sun, Sep 21 – Oct 17, 2021.
October Dance NYC
World Ballet Day is Sat, Oct 1.
Fall for Dance
The Fall for Dance Festival was at New York City Center, Oct 13-24, 2021.
Ballet
American Ballet Theater’s Fall 2021 Season was at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, Oct 20-31, 2021.
November Dance NYC
Ballet
New York City Ballet George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, Fri, Nov 25, 2022 – Sun, Jan 1, 2023. 🇧🇷🇫🇷🇮🇹🇵🇷🇪🇸 [To be confirmed]
Holidays
The Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is at Radio City Music Hall in Midtown almost daily, Fri, Nov 5, 2021 – Sun, Jan 2, 2022.
December Dance NYC
Modern
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Fall Season celebrates Artistic Director Robert Battle’s 10th Anniversary and Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts at New York City Center in Midtown, for three weeks from Wed, Dec 1-19, 2021. From $29. 🇺🇸
Ballet
New York City Ballet’s George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, Fri, Nov 25, 2022 – Sun, Jan 1, 2023. 🇧🇷🇫🇷🇮🇹🇵🇷🇪🇸 [To be confirmed]
Holidays
The Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is at Radio City Music Hall in Midtown almost daily, Fri, Nov 5, 2021 – Sun, Jan 2, 2022.
Latin Dance
Communal drumming, singing and dancing are core organizing principles in Latin communities. In Indigenous and African Diaspora traditions, dance is an expression of family, faith, community and love, so most everyone dances.
Like most human culture, dance is secular now, but originated in religious ceremony. In Latin traditions, dance also has a therapeutic function in which you dance with the spirit who balances your character flaws.
Country Dance, Contredanse, Contradanza, Danzón, Habanera, Tango, Salsa, Bachata, Reggaeton
Latin dance, both ballet and social dances, derives from a blend of English country dance and Italian court dance in the court of French King Louie XIV. This is not an academic summary, but is our best understanding of the origins of our dance traditions for the moment.
We tend not to think of ballet, the science of dance, as a Latin dance, but it is. Ballet began as an Italian court dance brought to France by Catherine de’ Medici (1519-1589), when she was queen consort and then Queen mother of France (1547-1589).
French King Louis XIV (1643-1715), the “Sun King” loved to party. Ballet developed in his court, but in a way, so did the social dances of the Americas.
English country dancing began influencing dancing in the court (1558-1603) of Queen Elizabeth 1 of England. It was later introduced to the court of Louis XIV where it became the French contredanse.
The Spanish brought “contradanza,” flamenco and Africans to the Americas. The French brought contredanse and the English brought country dance.
Africa has diverse song and dance traditions. African dances can be spiritual, healing or purely social for fun. Like many social dances, African dance is both an expression of belonging to a group and of one’s own individuality within that group. That probably became even more important during the time of human enslavement because family separation was a standard slaver’s tactic. Separated from family, we create our own families and that is still true in New York City today.
In Cuba Spanish contradanza and flamenco began mixing with West African movement into the “habanera,” the way they dance in Havana. Nobody claims Indigenous origins in the dances, but the music has some, so the dances must too. Colonizers didn’t control everything. If you got free, you fled to the mountains where free Africans and remaining Indigenous mixed together. Anyway, from all this we get danzón, the national dance of Cuba.
French Saint-Domingue was the richest Caribbean sugar colony so it influenced the entire region including Puerto Rico and Trinidad. The Haitian Revolution (1791-1804) caused a French and African (Creole) diaspora which influenced the habanera and even New Orleans.
Out of the Caribbean we get cumbia, merengue, salsa, bachata and reggaeton. The habanera is the root of tango, the national dance of Argentina with origins in Uruguay. Cuban flamenco traditions even made the round trip back to Spain (flamenco ida y vuelta) and influenced flamenco there. Dictator Trujillo (ruled 1930-1961) liked his island’s country dance, merengue, and made it the national dance of the Dominican Republic. Swing was created by African-Americans in Harlem.
Ballet almost died when the French Revolution (1789-1799) ended the French court. It survived in the courts of Russia and Denmark and was reintroduced to the world by Ballets Russes of Paris on tours of the Americas (1909-1929).
Choreographer George Balanchine started his rise at Ballets Russes and in New York founded New York City Ballet. His first prima ballerina and the first New York City ballet star was Native American dancer Maria Tallchief. As the Sugarplum Fairy she helped make “The Nutcracker” the iconic ballet.
In New York Broadway dancing mixed together African-American, Jewish and other theater traditions. Modern dance pioneers include Alvin Ailey (African-American) and José Limón (Mexican-American). Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater popularized modern dance around the world. Contemporary dance follows.
In dance, as in most other things, to say this is mine and that is yours is usually ignorant and foolish. We are all mixes of each other.
“Just dance.”
Previously in NYC
Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca dance Spanish Flamenco at The Joyce in Chelsea for two weeks, Tue-Sun, Jan 25 – Feb 6, 2022. From $26. 🇪🇸
Malpaso Dance Company performs Cuban Contemporary Dance at The Joyce in Chelsea, Wed-Sun, Jan 19-23, 2022. From $26. 🇨🇺 CANCELLED BY PANDEMIC SURGE
The New York City Ballet Winter 2022 Season is at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, Jan 18 – Feb 27. 🇧🇷🇫🇷🇮🇹🇵🇷🇪🇸
Grupo Aurora plays Bachata for dancing at Gonzalez y Gonzalez in Greenwich Village on Sun, Jan 9 from 8:30pm – midnight. $10. 🇩🇴
Bobby Trends (Hot 97) and DJ J Star play the Spanglish Saturdays Latin dance party at La Boom in Woodside, Queens on Sat, Jan 8. Free before midnight. $25.
Uptown Salsa Royalty plays Salsa for dancing at Gonzalez y Gonzalez in Greenwich Village on Sat, Jan 8 at 12 & 1:30am. $20.
Luis Esquilin & SalsaVive play Puerto Rican Salsa for dancing at Gonzalez y Gonzalez in Greenwich Village on Fri, Jan 7 at midnight and 1:30am. $20 🇵🇷
All-blind band Los Ciegos del Barrio plays Latin rhythms for dancing at Gonzalez y Gonzalez in Greenwich Village on Thu, Jan 6 at 9:30pm & 11:30pm. $10.
Ayodele Casel: Chasing Magic brings together the Puerto Rican Tap master with live music by Cuban Jazz legend Arturo O’Farrill, at The Joyce in Chelsea, Tue-Sun, Jan 4-9, 2022. From $26. 🇵🇷🇨🇺 CANCELLED BY PANDEMIC SURGE
DJ Camilo spins a New Year’s Eve dance party at La Boom in Woodside, Queens on Fri, Dec 31 at 10pm. $50. 🇨🇴
Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theater celebrates Kwanzaa at the Apollo Theater in Harlem on Fri, Dec 26 at 7pm. $10 or pay what you wish.
The Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is at Radio City Music Hall in Midtown from Fri, Nov 5, 2021 – Sun, Jan 2, 2022. NYC’s Covid-19 outbreak ended the season early.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Fall Season celebrates Artistic Director Robert Battle’s 10th Anniversary and Resident Choreographer Jamar Roberts at New York City Center in Midtown, for three weeks, Wed, Dec 1-19. From $29. nycitycenter.org 🇺🇸
Flamenco Vivo Holiday Fiesta, a Zambomba, the Andalusian Christmas caroling tradition, is at 4W43 Gallery in Midtown on Fri, Dec 10 at 7:30pm. $35. 🇪🇸
AXIS Dance Company: Roots Above Ground streams Disability Dance from The Joyce in Chelsea, Tue-Sun, Dec 7-12. Free. 🇺🇸
Harold Puente’s Añoranza de Colombia (Longing for Colombia) is at the Thalia Spanish Theatre in Sunnyside, Queens, Fri-Sun, Nov 26 – Dec 12 at 8pm (4pm Sun). From $37. 🇨🇴
COMPLEXIONS Contemporary Ballet is at The Joyce in Chelsea for two weeks, Tue-Sun, Nov 16-28. From $26. 🇺🇸
The 92nd Street Y Harkness Dance Center’s Future Dance Festival finalist performances are with the Martha Graham Dance Company at The Joyce Theater in Chelsea, Manhattan on Sat, Oct 30 at 2pm. From $61. joyce.org
Cosmopolitan Mosaic, a live and digital dance and film performance inspired by NYC’s cultural blend, is at Anita’s Way in the Bank of America Tower in Times Square on Thu, Oct 28 from 3-6pm. FREE. chashama.org 🇵🇷🇮🇳🇺🇸
The Fall for Dance Festival is at New York City Center from Oct 13-24. $15. 🇦🇷🇮🇹🇵🇭🇵🇷
The Flamenco Vivo Gala is at the Hotel Chantelle Rooftop in the Lower East Side on Thu, Oct 21 at 7:30pm. From $150. flamenco-vivo.org 🇪🇸
The NY City Ballet Fall 2021 Season is at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, Tue-Sun, Sep 21 – Oct 17.
Caleb Teicher presents “Swing Out” a lindy hop dance show with live music at The Joyce in Chelsea Oct 5-17. From $26. 🇺🇸
Dance Theatre of Harlem does pop-up performances inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s sculptures in the Kusama garden at the NY Botanical Garden in The Bronx, Sat-Sun, Oct 16-17 from 2-5pm. From $25. 🇧🇷🇨🇺🇭🇹🇺🇸
The Flamenco Certamen USA 2021 Finals are at the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center on Fri, Oct 15 at 7pm. $35. flamenco-vivo.org 🇪🇸
Sonia Olla & Ismael Fernández and other Spanish immigrants celebrate Indigenous People Day at Columbus Circle in Midtown on Mon, Oct 11 at 4:30pm. FREE. instagram.com 🇪🇸
Alejandro Cerrudo presents ballet at The Joyce in Chelsea, Tue-Sun, Sep 28 – Oct 3. From $26. 🇪🇸
Movement Without Borders, a day of performance about humanizing our immigration system, is at Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, Sat, Oct 2 from 11am – 6:30pm. Suggested $20. 🇦🇫🇦🇷🇨🇦🇨🇴🇩🇴🇬🇹🇭🇹🇭🇳🇮🇹🇲🇽🇵🇷🇸🇻🇺🇸
Ragamala Dance Company dances South Asian Bharatanatyam at The Joyce in Chelsea, Wed-Sun, Sep 22-26, 2021. From $26 🇮🇳.