Local Dance Organizations Celebrate National Dance Week

Press release from iDance:

May 1, 2023

The 8th Annual “A Celebration of Dance” exceeded expectations!

Community members and dancers of all ages, backgrounds and cultures converged in Scotch Plains for this year’s awe-inspiring National Dance Week event.

Exceptional and breathtaking dance routines were presented in a variety of dance styles including Acro, Ballet, Hip Hop, Irish Step Dance, Chinese Traditional Dance, Jersey Club Dance, Contemporary, Indian Classical Dance, Stepping, Jazz, Liturgical Dance, Modern, Liturgical, Soul Line dancing and more.

This National Dance Week event is hosted by local resident, María Daniel of iDance Ministry. While the program featured a number of dance organizations, several Scotch Plains dance companies were front and center throughout the program.

The Moderne Academie of Fine Arts presented an amazing ballet dance and a spirited jazz routine. iDance Ministry brought the heat and swag with a charismatic Hip Hop Dance routine, a rousing Jersey Club Dance and a Breaking freestyle dance. DanceWorks provided a thought-provoking modern dance and an inspiring contemporary dance routine. The Academy for Performing Arts brought creativity and a distinctive artistry to the program. The Marie Moore School of Irish Step Dance gave a lively and rousing performance.

Other dance organizations that provided incredible performances include Harmony Dance Center, the Nai-Ni Chen Youth Dance Company, AB-Salute Step Team, Geatali Tampy, Anjali Tampy, Inspira Performing Arts and Step 4 Step Soul Line Dancing.

A heartfelt thank you is owed to our local business community who showed enormous support for this event by donating gift cards, in-kind services and prizes for local student poster contest winners. Primary sponsors include the National Dance Foundation, iDance Ministry and Social Justice Matters.

Student Poster Contest winners include Zia Shaw (Elementary), Mia Ahuatl (Elementary), Michelle Larbi (Middle School), Fredy Martin (Middle School) and runner-up Damaris Guaita (Middle school).

Each of these lucky student poster contest winners received a $25 gift card (from SJM) and gift cards from our major sponsors which include Chick-fil-A, Scoops Ice Creamery, TGI Fridays, McDonald’s. The following local businesses were also very generous in their support of this year’s program: Savory Selections, Jay S Hamilton Photography, Cinemark, Soul Bowls, Nunzio’s, CVS, Stage House Tavern and Darby Road Pub House. Due to the outpouring of local business support, several poster contest entrants also received gift cards. Some audience members were grateful to receive gift cards and discount coupons from Grano’s Pizza and Texas Roadhouse.

“A Celebration of Dance,” was created by María Daniel in 2015 to unify the community through dance, showcase the diversity of dance in the community and highlight local dance organizations. This year’s event occurred at Terrill Middle School in Scotch Plains, NJ. The Scotch Plains Board of Education was very helpful in securing Terrill Middle School to host this year’s program. This one-of-a-kind event tapped into the power of dance and provided quality arts engagement in our local and broader communities.

This press release was produced by iDance. The views expressed here are the author's own.