5 Ways To Celebrate International Dance Day

April 28, 2016

Happy International Dance Day! That’s right—it’s the day that every UN member state (so official!) celebrates our favorite art form. Sure, we celebrate dance every day. But there are still ways we can join in the festivities:

International Dance Day is also the final day of the Youth American Grand Prix competition. Here, a competitor at the 2015 YAGP finals. Photo by Kyle Froman.

Hear from international choreographers about their process
. Our “Choreography in Focus” series gets real with dancemakers about how they create, and we’ve heard from a whole slew of artists from across the globe. Check out our interviews with British balletmaker Liam Scarlett, international repetiteur Maina Gielgud, Canadian rebel Crystal Pite and Swedish visionary Pontus Lidberg.

Congratulate the Youth American Grand Prix winners
. International Day Day happens to fall upon the final day of the prestigious YAGP ballet competition. Young dancers from 30 countries competed in New York this week in the final round of the competition, and the winners will be announced this evening.

Dance to give back
. There are so many ways to impact your community through dance, wherever you are in the world. We’ve covered just a few of them for inspiration, from college programs that dive into outreach, to a dancer who fights for her peers to students looking to make a difference.

Experience a new culture
. Use dance to transport you by delving into a new style, be it African, Bollywood or even musical theater.

Expand your horizons
. International dance companies could be holding auditions right in your hometown. So what are you waiting for? Check out our audition listing to see which companies are hiring today.