STEPS! Dance Parade's Official E-Newsletter
        May 13, 2016 Edition
Inside this Issue:
 
 
Dance Quote:
To touch, to move, to inspire.
This is the ture gift of dance.
~Aubrey Lynch
 

Share the Love of Dance!
 
 

Team
Board:
Erik Bryan Slavin (Chair)
Nicola Creary
Jerry Goldman
Mahayana Landowne
David Leventhal
Greg Miller
Philip Ribolow
 
Steering Commitee:
Greg Miller, Executive Director
Carlye Eckert, Education
Adele Godfrey, Parade Production
Sarah Elizabeth, Parade Group Liaison
Alciia Durity, Volunteer Coordination
Jamila Holeman, Festival Production
DJ McDonald, Curatorial
Mark Schmidt, Curatorial
Hal Lamster, Web
Donnie D'Amato, Web
Rebecca Myles, Media
Audrey Ross, Media
Natalya Grigoriev, Finance
Bianca Rodriguez, Finance
Howard Gibbs-Hobgood, Volunteers
Brian Austin, Creative
Jason Parrish, Creative
Chauncey Dandridge, Social Media
Laura Rubin, Production
Renee Krivine, Government
 
Honorary Committee:
(Power Team & Grand Marshals)
Garth Fagan
Kwikstep
Rokafella
Carmen de Lavallade
Robert Battle
Mary Verdi-Fletcher
Rekha Malhotra
Savion Glover
Jawolle Willa Jo Zollar
Hex Hector
Jacqulyn Buglisi
Baba Chuck Davis
Louie Vega
Ashley Tuttle
Elisa Monte
Bill Shannon
Trevor Hochman
Peter Zehren
Samir Bitar
Mel Alvarez
Jonathan Peters
Charles Reinhart
“Billy Elliot” (Joseph Harrington)
Kat Waldish
Amy Marshall
Jellybean Benitez
Elizabeth Zimmer
Ellenore Scott
Don Campbell "Campbellock"
Morocco (Carolina Varga Dinicu)
Luis Salgado
Luigi
Kool Herc
Danny Tenaglia
Djoniba Mouflet

Advisory Board:
Jeanne Fleming
David Katz
Teddie Kern
David Koren
Anil Kumar
Joseph McElroy
Fred Shequine
Tasha Blank
 
Sponsorship Team:
Greg Miller
Mindy Kahn
Dawn Spalding
Nikki Creary
Phil Ribolow
 
Parade Production:
Adele Godfrey (Production Lead)
Laura Rubin
Sarah Elizabeth
Cristin Lafata
Leslie Pieters
Jocelyn Winslow
Brittany Ann Grier
Christine Hackett
Gabriel Kutik
Super Dan
Alicia Durity
Matti Bowen
Snehal Waghuld
Deborah Butler
Daniel Kahn
Suzie Sims-Fletcher
Disco Mike Park
Bobby Speakerwire
Marcia Monteiro
Peter Dolce
Chiling Weng
Sarah Hannah
Phil Ribolow
 
Festival Production:
Jamila Holeman (Chair)
DJ McDonald (Curatorial Lead)
Ana Martinez
Donnie D'Amato
Nikki Creary
Marjorie Liebman
Mark Schmidt
Mariana Bekerman-Taglienti
Luis Vargas
Teddy Yohay
 
Educational Outreach
Carlye Eckert (Chair)
Brittany Ann Grier
Shireen Dickson
Leslie Pieters

Finance:
Bianca Rodriguez (Chair)
Natalya Grigoriev
Elizabeth Zaklama

Legal:
Victoria Behr
Carmen Casado
Jerry Goldman
David Leventhal
Paul Llewellyn
Renee Kinsella
Kaye Scholer LLP

Marketing:
Greg Miller
Brian Austin
Jason Parrish
Izumi Jones
Hal Lamster
James Wurster
Amanda Alston
Luis Vargas
Lawrence Capici
Joseph Laine
 
Media & Promotions Team:
Rebecca Myles
Audrey Ross
Lucyna Scholossberg
Lawrence Capici
Chauncey Danridge
Camelia Flye
Shiela Jamison
 
Special thanks:
·New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio
·NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo
·Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer
·City Council Member Rosie Mendez
·NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl, Deputy Commissioner Eddie Torres, Assistant Commissioner Kathleen Hughes and Program Officer Stephanie LaFroscia
·NYC & Co Foundation
·NYPD Lt Christopher Cheng and Sgt Patrick McGuire
·NYC Department for the Aging
·New York State Council on the Arts
·Lower Manhattan Cultural Council
·NYC Parks & Recreation Director Claudia Pepe, District Supervisor Terese Flores, Mark Schultz and Deputy Director Venus Melo
·NYC Dept of Sanitation Superintendent Thomas Lincoln
·NYC Dept of Transportation Event Coordinator Ivory Henderson-Robb and G.I.S. / Events Coordinator Shuan Bruney
 
Dance Parade
graciously acknowledges
our 2016 Sponsors and Partners:

 
   
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

Get ready! New York City is about to light up with smiles all along Broadway, Union Square and across Saint Marks Place. The 10th Annual Dance Parade and Festival is just a week away and the weather looks good too! With 80 unique styles of dance presented, Saturday May 21st will end up being the world's largest display of cultural diversity and dance.
 
Following the parade, DanceFest promises to delight all ages with site specific perfromances, dance lessons, performances on two stages and the Behind The Groove Park Jam with Grand Marshal Kwikstep and Rokafella. You won't want to miss Grand Marshal Garth Fagan and Garth Fagan Dance performance on the main stage.
 
If you're stoic non-mover or have bad rhythm you'd better watch out for the dance police. Our "NYDP" squad is back to ticket by"standers" for not dancing--Find an officer who'll ticket you and get discounted entry to the Official After Party!
 
Are you a local to NYC and want to pitch in?  There are two events leading up to the big day that you'll want to know about: An All Hands Volunteer Meeting Saturday and a Press Conference at City Hall on Monday. It's all down below.
 
Greg Miller
Executive Director
Dance Parade, Inc.
 
 
 PITCH IN - JOIN OUR ALL HANDS MEETING SATURDAY
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Volunteers at DanceFest 2015
Dance Parade and DanceFest are participatory community events which wouldn't be possible without passionate volunteers.

Come jon us this Saturday May 14th from 4-6pm to hear about how you can pitch in and have a blast. Our host and partner Gibney Dance Center is located at 53 Chambers near City Hall. Attendance on Saturday requrires registration HERE! 
 
 
 VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT - MEET HOWARD!
IMG_6378

 Dance Parade, Inc. is a volunteer supported non-profit organization and it is the dedication, expertise and passion of these individuals that make our events so successful!

In each issue of STEPS!, we choose a different volunteer to spotlight. We ask them a few questions about the magic they help create within the Dance Parade experience.  Check out how you can volunteer for the 2016 Parade by
clicking here!

Hey Howard, Thanks for taking the time to speak with us about your background and volunteering for Dance Parade!
How did you first find out about Dance Parade?
Maybe four years ago, I was walking around the East Village and became amazed at seeing this "dancing celebration" parading down Broadway and across St. Mark's...And then a Brazilian dancer stepped out of her group, danced over to me, and gave me a kiss on the lips.
It was a great welcome into the Dance Parade community... (And a great way to recruit volunteers.)

What is your current role in Dance Parade, Inc?
Volunteer coordinator. (Also occasional designer). I also enjoy helping lovingly coordinate the vehicles and dancers on the day of.

What is your favorite style of dance to watch? to participate in?
All of it really. But I have a special place in my heart for the Brazilian Samba. Me? I love freestyle dancing to soul and funk music, and capoeira.
 

showcasing 80 unique dance styles. Join us at we set the world record
for the largest display of the dance diversity and culture!
 
 
 DANCEFEST PROGRAM ANNOUNCED! 
Main Stage
 
Dozens learn Indian Bhangra from Megha Kalia of NYC Bhangra
 
 There's no other parade and festival combo in New York City that connects like Dance Parade and DanceFest. As the parade enters Tompkins Square Park, there is joy in the air as the movement continues--there will be something for everyone and like the parade, it's all FREE to the public!
 
 
At the Teaching Stage, over 8 forms of dance are offered by some of the city's best teachers:
3:00 Jamaican Dancehall Explosion, Rick Long
3:30 Contra (Joe Rinehart, Quena Crain, Brooklyn Contra)
4:00 Hawaiian Hula, (Kaina Quenga/Na Oiwi)
4:30 Gibney Dance Center, Nigel Campbell
5:00 Waacking, Princess Lockerooo
5:30 5 Rhythms, Tammy Burstein
6:00 Country and Western (Aggie Wranglers)
6:30 EXPG Hip Hop
Aerial Stage
(photo credit I Browne)

DJ KS360 aka "Kwikstep"

 Once again, we're thrilled to bring back the fabulous Fran Sperling to present SkyBody Aerial with all kinds of circus arts.








 
(photo credit Bob Deal)
Our Family & Social Stages feature performances by our Community Engagement programs, feature teaching artists and entertainment for all ages.

From 5 to 7pm come out for the musical stylings of DJ KS360 and the Behind the Groove Park Jam.









See the Entire DanceFest Program by clicking HERE

 
 
LADY BUGGIES! 
 

Dance Parade is pleased to thrilled to bring back our beloved friends, The Lady Buggies! We love when art meshes with technology and provides dance music as well. Available for hire, these re-engineered golf carts roam the parade route providing sound and make you look fabulous in the parade!
 

OUR CHARITABLE WORK TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY
Dance Parade offers dance residencies in 10 locations throughout all 5 NYC boroughs that all end with participation in the 10th Annual Dance Parade and DanceFest in May.
This is our we to connect those not usually able to make it to Manhattan giving folks memorable experiences for a life time.

Ageless Action: 
Serving older Americans through the joy and movement of dance. Click here to learn how to take free belly dance classes at the senior  center in Corona, Queens (111th St, English & Spanish)
 
Dance classes are now offered at Hudson Guild Fulton Center, Fort Hamilton Senior Recreation Center and the Chelsea Recreation Center.
 
Community Kinect:
Using dance to instill a life long enthusiasm for physical fitness. In partnership with the NYC Department of Recreation, we will be offering 10 week programs at Recreation Facilities in under-resourced neighborhoods:

St. John’s Recreation Center (Brooklyn), Williamsbridge Oval Recreation Center (Bronx), Faber Recreation Center (StatenIsland), Hansborough Recreation Center (Harlem).
 
Cultural Residencies: 
Multi-week residencies focusing on culturally specific dance forms.  IS 347 a Middle School in Bushwick, Brooklyn has a matching grant offered by Gratitude NYC,
CLICK HERE to help them get African dance and Hip-Hop into their school.
 
Complete details of all Programs
are live on our website HERE.
 
If your school, community or senior center is interested in one of our popular education programs, contact carlye@danceparade.org or click here for our Community Engagement brochure.
 
SU-CASA Agless Action
 

Community Kinect Workshop


           Community Kinect Residency

Cultural Residency, IS 347
 
 

CAN'T JOIN THE DANCE? JOIN THE GRANDSTAND!
 
Space is limited.
 
On Saturday, May 21 2016 get the best seat on the parade route as 10,000 dancers stop and perform in front of this year's Grandstand!  Watch 150 dance organizations be announced by our Emcee as they dance their way to Tompkins Square Park for DanceFest 2016. Bring your camera--there's no other event quite like this one!
 
$60 and $100 Grandstand tickets support the production of Dance Parade and DanceFest. $35 Earlybird tickets still available!
 

UPCOMING EVENTS!
  • May 14th 4-6pm – Volunteer All Hands Meeting at Gibney Dance 280 Bway
  • May 16 Press Conference on Steps of City Hall 11:30am (Murray & Bway)
  • May 21 10th Annual Dance Parade and Festival 1-7pm
  • May 21 After Party at Nublu, 62 Avenue C, 8pm-Midnight
Thanks to City Council Member Rosie Mendez, Dance Parade will host a Press Conference Monday on the steps of City Hall at 12 noon.
 
Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl will be presenting Mayor de Blasio's Proclamation making May 21st Dance Parade Day! Ambassador's of Dance celebrities and representatives of the parade will be speaking on the importance to keep dance alive in New York City. 
 
To join the Presser at City Hall, meet at 11:30am 5/16/16 at Murray Street & Broadway!

 

 

SUPPORT The Parade, Festival & Community Engagement Programs!
In this season of gratitude, we invite you to make a donation and help create memories that can last a lifetime!  As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, we rely on generous donors to make our the Parade, Festival and Dance Education programs possible.

Click here to pitch in with a 100% tax-deductible donation--Any amount will help and we appreciate your support - Thank you so very much!

Dance Parade New York is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization                                       www.DanceParade.Org