Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Until police started hassling bars, most New Yorkers didn't realize the city had cabaret regulations. Laws regu-
lating public dance had been on the books forever, but it had been many decades since anyone had thought to
enforce them. Innocuous tremors and inadvertent hip shakes were suddenly categorized as unlicensed dance ex-
pressions. Fortunately, dance in New York has never been limited to clubs and bars. In the parks, on stages, and
even in sanctuaries of the city, dance of all levels can be found, legally, and often for free.
Dance Conversations @ The Flea
Choreographers present works in progress at this monthly program,
usually four per night. It's a discussion series as well, so expect jawing to following the dancing. There are films
thrown in as well, usually over a couple of weeks in March.
Flea Theater, 41 White St., btw. Broadway and Church St.
212/226-0051.
www.thelea.org
.
Subway: 1 to Franklin St.
Dance Theater Workshop
The Judson Memorial Church has been an anchor of the West Village since
1890. The aging church has recently been renovated with a lovely new dance floor ready to host the Dance Theat-
er Workshop's popular Movement Research dance program. Dancers and choreographers vary from week to
week, but the emphasis on pushing boundaries remains consistent. No reservations are taken. Performances are
seasonal (spring and fall) on Mondays at 8pm; doors open at 7:45pm. DTW also hosts low-cost classes and work-
shops. Their Open Performance program puts on noncurated experiments and works-in-progress, with a moder-
ated discussion afterward. These are Wednesdays at 8pm, with a suggested donation of $3.
Judson Church, 55 Washington
Sq. S., btw. Thompson and Sullivan sts.
212/598-0551.
www.movementresearch.org
.
Subway: A/B/C/D/E/F/M to W. 4th St./Washington Sq.
OpenPerform-
ance,
A.R.T./New York, South Oxford Space, The Great Room, Ft. Greene, Brooklyn, 138 S. Oxford St., btw. Atlantic Ave. and Fulton St. Subway: C to Lafayette
Ave.; B/D/N/Q/R/2/3/4/5 to Atlantic Ave./Pacific St.
Dancing in the Streets
This arts organization brings site-specific performances to spots across the city.
The integration of cityscape and moving bodies is a great way of seeing familiar spaces in a new way. Their
signature shows are
Hip Hop Generation Next
and
Breaking Ground—A Dance Charrette.
Check the website
for complete performance details; a new permanent home in Hunts Point has put a focus on the South Bronx.
Downtown Dance Festival
Battery Dance Company
showcases both professional and emerging dancers
at these outdoor shows. Originality is prized here, as is range—major companies from around the world have
joined famed choreographers like Lê Minh Tâm, Paul Taylor, and Mary Anthony. The alfresco setting suggests
informality, but the artists take their steps seriously. As the name suggests, sites are usually downtown, 1 week
in mid- to late August.
Locations vary.
212/219-3910.
www.batterydanceco.com
.
Gotham Dance Festival
The
Joyce Theater
has been at the forefront of NYC's modern dance scene since 1982.
This festival from
Gotham Arts
(
www.gothamarts.org
)
brings 2 weeks of cutting-edge movement to the theater
in late May and early June. Tickets are as low as $10.
175 Eighth Ave., at 19th St.
212/242-0800.
www.joyce.org
. Subway: C/E to 23rd
St.
MoonDance
July and August bring marvelous nights for this dance on Pier 54. Sunday evenings begin
with a lesson at 6:30pm and cede to dancing a half-hour later, when you're a full-fledged expert. Dance varieties
run from swing to salsa to R&B. Live music from crack bands enhances the lovely riverside setting.
Pier 84 on the
Hudson, at 44th St.
212/533-PARK
(7275).
www.hudsonriverpark.org
.
Subway: A/C/E/7 to 42nd St./Port Authority.
Solar-Powered Dance Series
An “eco stage” made of recycled materials and a solar-powered sound sys-
tem support the fancy footwork at this annual series. The environmental advocacy group Solar One does the
hosting, with dance films recently added to the mix. In September look for the Sun to Stars festival, an after-
noon and evening inspired by all-night concerts along the Ganges.
Stuyvesant Cove Park, 23rd St. and the FDR.
212/505-6050.
www.solar1.org
.
Subway: 6 to 23rd St.; L to First Ave.
5 Sing, Sing: Karaoke
Maybe it's a side-effect of our blog and Tweet culture, but it seems the old gate-keeping editorial controls have
fallen by the wayside. Local music is no exception, with a profusion of live-band karaoke nights allowing ama-
