The 16th Dance Parade NYC 2022 and DanceFest are “back to the streets” from Union Square to Greenwich Village to Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, on Sat, May 21, 2022 from 1-4pm. The DanceFest in Tompkins Square Park is from 3-7pm. Free. danceparade.org
Dance Parade NYC
NYC’s Dance Parade is really fun. Over 75,000 spectators watch over 10,000 New Yorkers and around 200 groups perform over a hundred styles of dance through the streets of Manhattan to the DanceFest at Tompkins Square Park.
The organizers want to promote dance as a means of individual expression and community cohesion. That’s exactly how dance functions in the Latin world. In both Mother Africa and Indigenous traditions across the Americas (and the world), we gather to sing, drum and dance to express family, faith, community and love.
Community dance groups join NYC’s Dance Parade from the entire East Coast. There are usually so many Bolivian dance groups that you would think NYC has a large Bolivian community, but they are mostly visiting dancers.
Dance Parade’s community engagement brings dance to NYC schools and communities with 10-20 weeks of classes before Dance Parade and DanceFest performances.
DanceFest
DanceFest at Tompkins Square Park features five stages, aerial performances, a dance party and free dance lessons from some of NYC’s best dance teachers. From 3-7pm.
Tompkins Square Park always has that funky East Village vibe. It’s the perfect DanceFest vibe.
Dance Parade NYC 2022
Here’s what you need to know about the 2022 Dance Parade.
Back to the Streets
The Dance Parade’s 2022 theme is “Back to the Streets.” Dancing in the streets is a means of celebration and community expression. Even though Covid isn’t going away, we are all happy to be together again.
2022 Parade Route
- Broadway at 20th St (1pm)
- University Place
- 8th St / Saint Marks Place (Grandstand at Fourth Ave and 8th St)
- DanceFest at Tompkins Square Park (3-7pm)
Grandstand
The Grandstand is in Astor Place Plaza at Fourth Avenue and 8th St. The Parade calls it “Forty Second Street” because groups have 40 seconds to strut their stuff.
The Grandstand seats 300. Tickets are available for purchase. From $35. danceparade.org
2022 Grand Marshals
Eduardo Vilaro is the CEO and Artistic Director of Ballet Hispánico. He represents Latin Contemporary Dance. (Ballet Hispánico is not a Ballet company. It’s a Contemporary Dance Company). Vilaro is Cuban American. 🇨🇺
Heidi Latsky is a leader in Physically Integrated Dance. That’s disability dance. Think dancing in wheelchairs, disability bikes and the like. That’s pretty cool. It reminds us of the young Ukrainian bride who lost her legs in the war, but after her new husband held her in a wedding dance (that went viral), said she rediscovered the desire to live again. Dance will do that.
Rich Medina is a New York DJ who represents, House, Hip-Hop and Afrobeat. He produced “Lil’ Ricky’s Rib Shack” at the chic APT nightclub in the Meatpacking District through the 2000s. He also produced Jump N Funk, Open and Santos Party House. These days Medina is a global DJ.
See you at the Dance Parade NYC 2022!