By Lucy Komisar
May 22, 2025

The NYC Dance Parade held every May is a glorious tribute to dance from kid culture to ethnic dance, to the professionals and fans who march and kick or watch along Sixth Avenue and Eighth Street.

The parade officially begins at noon and runs for three hours, but I like to go earlier to 17th Street east of Sixth Avenue where the groups get ready to move out and where you can shmooze with the dancers.

Here is the lead of the parade, representing the ethic of promoting dance for everyone, not just people who can pay for lessons or pricey tickets. The Flight Path Dance Project provides free dance training.

And the Mercedes Ellington Grand Marshal float, channeling the Duke’s jazzy music to dance to.

Kids

Kids love the parade. There were groups from a dance studio: Dancers Dreamzzz, after school: Brooklyn United in Crown Heights, and from school: PS 17 in Astoria.

And the older kids

The Big Apple Hoopers twisting, rolling and jumping through hoops.

And Cheer (as in cheerleaders) New York dancers waving silvery pompoms.

It’s a place for other cultures to be represented.

Bolivia

Will V (the man inside this amazing costume) told me his group, Morencada, does Bolivian dancers and are based in Falls Church, Va. The dancers include Jenny and Lola.

The Philippines

The Philippines was represented by this group of the Igorot Tribe from Luzon.

Thailand

Before setting out, ThaiLife posed for this group photo.

Some in the parade are on their way to being pros, such as those from the Paul Taylor Dance School.

The parade turns east on Eight Street and ends at Tompkins Square Park, where from 3 to 7 pm groups perform on five stages, there is a dance party and free dance lessons.

For more: The Dance Parade

All photos by Lucy Komisar.