For the 2024 Season Opener, Dance Is Life returns to its home sweet home—Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, where it all began four years ago—and where our favorite partner dance, Latin Hustle, has been danced for over forty years!
In honor of Juneteenth this Wednesday, we gather on the stolen land of the Lenape people—that was later stolen from the African American landowners of Seneca Village to pave the way for Central Park. Still, the unbreakable roots of NYC culture continue to break ground and thrive in this space. Join us on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, to reclaim and hold space for the legacies of the black and brown communities who shaped the culture NYC’s public spaces through music and dance.
Dance Is Life is an intergenerational dance party that honors the tradition of Latin Hustle being danced in the outdoor spaces of NYC, while welcoming other dance styles and igniting a diverse space for exchange and creativity. Latin Hustle is a partner dance that originated in the South Bronx in the early 1970s, created predominantly by Puerto Rican and Black teenagers, that defies traditional gender norms where any gender can lead or follow—even role swap—and celebrates its LGBTQ+ innovators.
Dance Is Life FREE for the public. All ages, dance styles and dance levels are welcome!
HOSTED BY
Natasha Diggs
Abdiel
DJ
Natasha Diggs
WHEN
Wednesday, June 19, 2024
5pm-Sundown
WHERE
Bethesda Fountain
Central Park, NYC
ACCESSIBILITY
Download the Central Park Access map to navigate the terrain and pathways of the park, and find accessible restrooms and transportation.
Photos by Lafotographeuse (top); Stephen McFadden (bottom, previous page)