Norton to Boogie with Residents at National Dance Day Celebration, Tomorrow Evening
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Before she gets to join in the dancing fun at tomorrow's National Dance Day celebration at the Kennedy Center, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will welcome to the stage the nationally-renowned Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer, runner-up on Season 9 of So You Think You Can Dance, and the celebrity host of this year's event. Norton helped launch National Dance Day in 2010 by introducing a resolution declaring the last Saturday in July to be National Dance Day for the fun of dancing and to promote physical fitness. National Dance Day has since become an annual celebration here and worldwide. This year's festivities will take place on Saturday, July 25, 2015, from 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., at the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage. Norton has been working on her dance moves to get ready for the official 2015 "Everybody Dance" routine, which will be performed by the crowd on National Dance Day. Before the group dance, however, the crowd will be entertained by the best dancers and dance companies in the region, representing an astonishing variety of styles.
"After my few minutes to welcome the crowd and dancers at tomorrow's National Dance Day celebration, I will not be done until I have joined in the group dance," Norton said. "Those of us who love dancing and are rank amateurs will be royally entertained by some real dancers and dance companies before folks like me stumble to give our best shot at the group dance. The entire region is grateful to the Kennedy Center, the Dizzy Feet Foundation, VSA and So You Think You Can Dance co-creator Nygel Lythgoe for sponsoring this year's event."
Launched in 2010 by So You Think You Can Dance co-creator Nigel Lythgoe, National Dance Day is an annual celebration that encourages Americans to embrace dance as a fun and positive way to maintain good health.
Dance performances will feature artists including Baakari Wilder, tap dancer famous for his Broadway role in Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk; Antoine Hunter, Deaf African American choreographer; Culture Shock, a D.C.-based hip-hop crew; and Evan Ruggiero, one-legged tap dancer, singer, and guitarist. Performances and dance lessons will be offered by companies from all over the country, including AXIS Dance Company, one of the world's most acclaimed physically integrated companies; ClancyWorks Dance Company, a D.C.-based contemporary group; and D.C. Bhangra Crew, Indian traditional dancers; as well as Move this World, a global non-profit using creative expression to fight violence and bullying.