Started in 2014, the Queensboro Dance Festival is designed to help artists to connect with the dance community in Queens. Every summer, professional dancers tour parks, squares and streets of the borough, representing different cultures and styles. Read more at queenski.com.
A platform for demonstrating diversity
The festival was founded by Karesia Batan, a choreographer from Queens. She often organized performances of Filipino folk dances, choreographed dances for prominent choreographers and curated dance film screenings and art installations for various exhibitions. In 2010, Batan founded the dance production company The Physical Plant, under which she started the Queensboro Dance Festival four years later.
The festival’s mission is to build up the dance community of Queens and encourage borough residents to engage in this art form. The Queensboro Dance Festival offers free outdoor shows to the public. The energy of a live performance, especially dance, makes it a unique experience between dancers and spectators. The joy of dance encourages people to enjoy public spaces, inspires and unites them.
The event serves as a platform for showing the diversity of dance styles and their performers in the borough. Cultural exchange strengthens the community. Moreover, thanks to this event, dancers have a place where they can meet together, which was previously unavailable in Queens.
An extensive programme
At the festival, you will see hula (a Hawaiian dance accompanied by singing); flamenco (a Southern Spanish musical, singing and dancing style); hip-hop; tap dance; Maya dance (the art of the Maya civilization); ballet; ballroom dance; jazz dance; Indian, Chinese, Arabic, Mexican, Greek, West African, Colombian, Bolivian, Ecuadorian, Tibetan, Korean and other dances.
The summer dance tour includes not only performances but also dance classes and parties. Events are free of charge and usually held outdoors, except for the final performance at Queens Theatre, which requires tickets. After the summer tours in parks, plazas and streets, the event culminates on the theater stage, where audiences can get to know dozens of professional dance groups.
The festival has a holistic program approach. Its organizers collaborate with local businesses to fully engage the local community. Furthermore, dance groups are provided with free resources for professional growth.
The dance festival contributes to the successful careers of dancers by offering them the opportunity to display their talent and gain new skills and fans. Dance festivals offer a series of short performances through which audiences discover groups and performers that best suit their tastes. It is an incredible pleasure and a valuable experience to witness the birth of real talent in its early stages. All distinguished individuals started at the bottom and struggled hard for a place under the sun.
Sometimes, the Queensboro Dance Festival also provides dancers with free rehearsal space if their studios are closed or have limited training hours. Compared to Manhattan, dancers in Queens have limited opportunities to finance their talent. They often have to travel long distances to find a place for rehearsals.
Overall, the Queensboro Dance Festival aims to spread dance culture, promote a healthy lifestyle, introduce a variety of styles and techniques and provide opportunities for pleasant leisure.