Care to dance?

Here are a few photos from yesterday's rather soggy Dance Parade and DanceFest... where a little rain didn't dampen the enthusiasm of the participants... organizers said that some 10,000 dancers from 150-plus organizations took part in the 12th annual event ...


[Top 2 photos by Steven]

This year's theme, "The Cabaret of Life," celebrated the repeal last fall of NYC's Cabaret Law that dated to 1926.

EVG contributor Derek Berg shared these photos from along St. Mark's Place and in Tompkins Square Park for the DanceFest...

Dance • Dance • Dance

Dance • Dance • Dance

Drums are drumming

Speakers speaking

Rhythms to the crowd

Costumes costuming

Prism colors

Moving right around

Bodies gyrating

Arms a-waving

Feet a rhythmic blur

This the most fun

That is happening

People will concur

Once a year

Just not enough

Then again not everyday

We need to

Catch our breath

To dance in other ways

When we are lonely

Perhaps sad and blue

Dancing is the thing to do

Find a corner

Put on some sounds

Then dance around and around

Now feeling better

Because we know a way

Of being happy everyday

Who says

We need to wait to dance

Till the next dance day

Dance • Dance • Dance.

•

peter radley

Happening tomorrow (Saturday): The Dance Parade and DanceFest

You may have seen the police barricades in place along St. Mark's Place and parts of Tompkins Square Park... all ahead of the 12th annual Dance Parade and DanceFest.

The Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. at 21st and Broadway, and heads down to Eighth Street/St. Mark's Place ... and eventually into Tompkins Square Park for the DanceFest...



Organizers say that 10,000 (or so) dancers from 150-plus organizations will be taking part in the parade. This year's theme: "The Cabaret of Life," which celebrates the repeal of NYC's 1926 Cabaret Law last fall.

Here's the official website with more info.

And in case you were wondering if the whole thing will be called off because of the rainy forecast... No!

Rain or Shine we are dancing on Saturday, May 19th!

— Dance Parade NYC (@DanceParadeNYC) May 17, 2018

5 big events in May that you may or may not already know about

[Loisaida Festival photo by Stacie Joy]

May marks Lower East Side History Month, the annual celebration created by Fourth Arts Block and Downtown Art, with other local organizations and businesses taking part.

In addition to the activities (see the calendar here) associated with the History Month, here are a few more high-profile events this May...

• May 18-20 — Saint George Ukrainian Festival, Seventh Street. Details here.

• May 19 — Dance Parade and DanceFest, Astor Place, St. Mark's Place and Tompkins Square Park. Details here.

• May 25-27 — The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts, Theater for the New City, 155 First Ave. Details here.

• May 27 — Loisaida Festival, Avenue C. Details here.

1 month to the Dance Parade and DanceFest

The 12th annual Dance Parade and DanceFest is coming up on May 19.

The Parade kicks off at 1 p.m. at 21st and Broadway, and winds down to Eighth Street/St. Mark's Place ... and eventually heads into Tompkins Square Park for the DanceFest.

Here's the official website with more info... and how about a preview video...