NYC Dance Week is back! This annual dance festival, founded by Tasha Norman in 2005 and produced by Aileen R. Malogan and Pooja Uberoi, allows the NYC community to explore the multiple resources in dance, fitness, and wellness over the course of 10 days!
This includes the opportunity to take a diverse range of classes, such as Afro, Ballet, Bollywood, Hip Hop, Kathak meets Contemporary, Pop Lock and Snap, and much more by partnerning with dance organizations and studios across New York City, including The Ailey Extension, Joffrey Ballet School, Mark Morris Dance Center, Atmananda Yoga, AKT, and LifeSpan Pilates.
The classes are free, but registration is required to participate, and some restrictions apply. All classes are on a first come, first served basis. For more details and to register HERE.
Check out more about NYC Dance Week from our recent interview with its founder Tasha Norman:
Weekend Jaunts: How did the idea for NYC Dance Week come about?
It used to be part of National Dance Week, which created a movement to bring greater recognition to dance, and was then called National Dance Week-NYC. We re-branded in 2012 with similar mission but different dates.
Weekend Jaunts: Why was it important for you to offer free dance programs?
Tasha Norman: We wanted to create awareness of the diversity of dance in New York City and to get the support of the community. It is also a means to support the young dancers who are not able to afford the classes otherwise.
Weekend Jaunts: Tell us about some of the classes being offered.
Tasha Norman: Ballroom, Belly Dance, Ballet, Bollywood and Afro Bollywood , Afro-Cuban, Hip-Hop, Zumba, Pilates, Gymnastics, contemporary dance, Dancehall, Kathak, Yoga, AfroDance, etc. as well as acupuncture sessions.
Weekend Jaunts: What is the process like to find all of the studios to connect with?
Tasha Norman: We reach out to all the partner studios who have been with us over the years and we also email and connect with new fitness and yoga studios each year. We especially encourage new studios to join us so they can connect with more students and get more walk-ins to their studios and our participants can find out about the new studios and classes in town.
Weekend Jaunts: What do you hope participants get out of NYC Dance Week?
Tasha Norman: We hope that they find a studio, class or instructor they would go back to and continue to dance!
Weekend Jaunts: Anything else to add?
Tasha Norman: Also as part of NYC Dance Week, we have Dancer for a Day that supports the dance education of youth and gives them a free day of dance on June 22nd at RIOULT (ree-you) in Astoria. We are still accepting youth and teens to attend that class from 10 am – 3 pm.
For more info on all the free dance classes offered: NYC Dance Week
