The tenth annual National Dance Day is September 19, 2020. (Wait, what? If you’re confused, remember that National Dance Day recently moved from taking place on the last Saturday in July to the third Saturday in September.) If you haven’t participated in National Dance Day before (or even if you have), here’s are all your questions answered.
What is National Dance Day?
National Dance Day was created by executive producer of So You Think You Can Dance and American Dance Movement co-founder Nigel Lythgoe and Eleanor Holmes Norton as a way to celebrate the impact of dance as an art form and a community each year. Dancers know how valuable and rewarding dance can be, but National Dance Day takes it a step further, showing everyone that dance, no matter the skill level, is something incredible.
How do You Participate?
To participate in National Dance Day, you dance, of course! Each year, American Dance Movement provides a choreography video that breaks down a routine that anyone can do an adapt to their own skill-level and dance style.
Who’s teaching the choreography this year?
The 2020 National Dance Day tutorial is taught by choreographer Shannon Mather with the help of the Season 4 winners of NBC’s World of Dance, MDC3 (Diego Pasillas, Emma Mather, Madison Smith). The routine includes everything from simple steps to some fun cha-cha inspired moves, and there’s room for freestyling, too.
Are There More Ways to Get Involved?
Dance has a home in everything we do from our chores (we know you dance when you vacuum!). While American Dance Movement isn’t hosting a virtual dance chores party, they are working with Summer Stage NY for a virtual “For the Love of Dance” event that will include performances from companies like Atlanta Ballet, Chloe Davis, and Spectrum Dance Theater and dance films.
You can also celebrate by donating to American Dance Foundation, so they can provide grants to community organizations for dance programs for children in underserved communities. Dance is a creative outlet that can benefit us in so many ways. American Dance Foundation uses donations from individuals and its sponsors to make it an outlet that is accessible to everyone.
How do You Share Your National Dance Day with the World?
We dance for ourselves, but a major part of National Dance Day is celebrating dance as a community. You can share your own celebrations and see how other dancers are showcasing their passion using #NationalDanceDay, #DanceWithADM, #DanceMadeMeDoIt, on social media.
