Norton Introduces National Dance Day Resolution Leading into July 26th Nationwide Celebration

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) introduced a resolution marking Saturday, July 26th as National Dance Day, celebrated annually on the last Saturday of July. National Dance Day celebrations began on the National Mall in the District of Columbia and in Los Angeles, California five years ago. This year's celebration will take place on Saturday, July 26, 2014, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Kennedy Center's North Plaza. The District's National Dance Day celebration, in collaboration with Norton, is sponsored by the Kennedy Center and the Dizzy Feet Foundation. National Dance Day was established by producer and celebrity television judge Nygel Lythgoe of So You Think You Can Dance.

"As National Dance Day enters its fifth year, dancing in all of its forms is becoming more popular and Americans are becoming more fit," Norton said. "National Dance Day is not only fun, it is a great workout for people of all ages. This year's Dance Day is at the Millennium Stage and will open to the outdoors. We are very pleased to have the Kennedy Center and the Dizzy Feet Foundation, in coordination with our office, as cosponsors again this year."

There are now National Dance Day celebrations taking place across the country to celebrate dancing as an art form and to encourage all forms of dance as physical exercise. This year, So You Think You Can Dance co-creator, executive producer, and judge Nigel Lythgoe choreographed an "Everybody Dance" routine for people of all levels of ability, as well as an adapted "seated" version, and show choreographer Chris Scott created an "Advanced Routine" for those who want to challenge themselves. The "Everybody Dance" routine and the "Advanced Routine" are available now on Dizzy Feet Foundation's YouTube Channel. Jenna Elfman and Fik-Shun Stegall, Season 10's winner of So You Think You Can Dance, will lead the participants in dance routines and demonstrations.

Norton first introduced a resolution to mark National Dance Day in 2010.