Uptown Rhythm Dance Festival: Celebrating Dance & Community with Alison Manning & Duke Dang

Uptown Rhythm Dance Festival Overview

• 💡 The Uptown Rhythm Dance Festival is a collaborative project between Works & Process (Duke Dang) and Harkness Dance Center (Alison Manning).
• 🎯 The festival aims to explore and celebrate various forms of rhythm dance, intentionally avoiding narrow definitions like "percussive" or "tap" dance.
• 🚀 It's designed as a multi-day, multi-venue event in New York City, fostering community connections and cultural expression.

Diverse Programming & Artists

• 🎭 The festival features a wide array of rhythm dance forms, including swing, tap, Indian Kathak, Appalachian clogging/flatfooting, street dance, flamenco, and body percussion.
• ✨ Featured artists and groups include Nick Garris, Jake Blount, Luke Hickeyi, Crybaby Cozy, the Wonder Twins, Ladies of Hip Hop, Max Pollock's Rumba Tap, Latasha Barnes, and Souls of Dwende.
• 👏 The closing night at the Guggenheim will honor tap dance icon Brenda Buffalino, highlighting intergenerational connections in dance.

Community Engagement & Accessibility

• 🤝 The festival emphasizes community participation through workshops, social dances, and collaborations with local institutions like El Barrio Art Space and the Museum of the City of New York.
• 💡 Workshops are offered daily, allowing attendees to learn various dance styles such as light feet, Appalachian clogging, rhythm tap, and swing social dance.
• ✅ The event is family-friendly and accessible, with virtual streaming options for some performances and a focus on connecting artists with student learners.

Vision and Impact

• 🌟 Alison Manning's vision for the festival stems from her experience creating a similar event on Martha's Vineyard, aiming to build new audiences and integrate diverse dance forms into programming.
• 💬 Duke Dang highlights the importance of neighbors talking and collaborating, emphasizing the social aspect of dance to overcome isolation and bring communities together.
• 🌱 The organizers hope this inaugural festival will become a long-standing annual tradition, promoting joy and connection through dance.