Features > PostcardsArtists write from the field

Dance/NYC launches "New Yorkers for Dance" campaign‏

Meredith Hodges of Boston Ballet and Andrea Miller of Gallim Dance. Photo © Christopher Duggan

On Thursday, June 5th 2014, dance lovers gathered at Gibney Dance Center by the hundreds to enjoy an evening of dance and celebration; June 2014 marks the one-year anniversary of the conception of Dance/NYC’s “New Yorkers for Dance” video campaign.
 

Virginia Johnson, Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem. Photo © Christopher Duggan

“New Yorkers for Dance” was launched to showcase and build support for the city’s dance community. The project, presented as a series of short video clips on YouTube, features an incredibly diverse range of spokespeople for dance. Participants include the likes of Robert Battle, Artistic Director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Virginia Johnson, Artistic Director of Dance Theater of Harlem, choreographer and dancer Bill T. Jones, precision dance company the Rockettes, and more. Not all representatives are exclusively from the dance world; “New Yorkers for Dance” also presents encouraging words from high fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, Founder and Director of American Indian Artists Diane Fraher, as well as other dance enthusiasts.

Lane Harwell, Executive Director of Dance/NYC, NYC Councilman Stephen Levin, and Gina Gibney, Founder of Gibney Dance.
Photo © Christopher Duggan

Lane Harwell, Executive Director of Dance/NYC, stood in as the event’s cordial host. The event was graced by the presence of NYC Councilman Stephen Levin and myriad representatives from the Department of Cultural Affairs. Also in attendance were Virginia Johnson, Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, Meredith Max Hodges, new Executive Director of Boston Ballet, Christopher Pennington, Director of the Jerome Robbins Foundation, and Joan Finkelstein, Director of Dance at NYC & Company. Dancers included Sara Mearns (Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet) and Paloma Herrera (Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theater).
 

New Yorkers for Dance: (Clockwise from top right) Elizabeth Streb, H. T. Chen, The Rockettes, and Isaac Mizrahi.
Videostills © Dance/NYC. Compilation by Sammi Lim.

Watch “New Yorkers for Dance” on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/DanceNYCorg

Website: www.dancenyc.org

Twitter: http://twitter.com/DanceNYC

Facebook: www.facebook.com/DanceNYCorg

Join the conversation: #newyorkersfordance @DanceNYC