International Dance Day
Sign up for a dance class, gather some friends around a speaker, learn a new dance from a YouTube tutorial… or even just binge-watch World of Dance.
Activate dance enthusiasts and fitness seekers with tutorials, class promotions, and gear sales tied to a global celebration of movement and cultural expression.
- Share beginner-friendly dance tutorials or challenge followers to learn a new style in 30 seconds
- Partner with local dance studios to offer April trial classes or discounted memberships
- Promote dancewear, shoes, and streaming subscriptions as 'Dance Day essentials'
- Feature user-generated dance videos or challenge content to build community engagement
While the history of dance goes back thousands of years, the official International Dance Day ceremonies launched in 1982. With Flashdance hitting the silver screens the following year, the event could not have started at a better time. After all, millions around the globe suddenly discovered their heightened love of the art shortly after leaving the cinemas.
Ever since its original event, the annual celebration is for amateurs and professionals, encouraging participants to enjoy their favorite styles and routines while simultaneously broadening their knowledge by embracing other dances and cultures. There’s a chance to be stunned by the quality of other dancers while also enjoying the lighthearted novelty dances and comedy routines. For most, the inevitable mistakes that occur when trying to learn new dances are a source of laughs while still being a great way to develop new talents.
Dance Day itself is organized by Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), who are partnered to UNESCO. This underlines the status of the celebrations. The annual events occur on the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (the creator of modern ballet).
Each year’s celebration (excluding 1983 — they were probably out watching Flashdance!) includes a message from a special guest of honor. The inaugural message was provided by Henrik Neubauer, while other guests throughout the years have included Chetna Jalan, Germaine Acogny, Murray Lewis, Kazuo Ohno, Stephen Page, Sasha Waltz, Lin Hwai-min, and Trisha Brown.
Dance Day’s flagship event is a ceremonial gala held by the Executive Council of the International Theatre Institute. The venue for this showpiece ceremony changes each year, but the celebrations as a whole can be enjoyed by anybody, anywhere. The concept that dance is for everyone is the focal point in everything that the day stands for.
As far as globally-celebrated events are concerned, this is one of the most anticipated by creatives around the world, not least because it has always been heavily-focused on unity and accessibility. Regardless of backgrounds (financial or cultural), the day can be enjoyed by everyone!
Put On a Dance Day Performance
Thousands of performances and hardcore dance fans may flock to the country of the Gala each year, but the whole point of the event is that it can be enjoyed by everyone in their own way. For members that are part of a group or class, this is the perfect to put on an event at the local hall or even on the street. Street performances can attract a lot of donations, especially when the Dance Day celebrations are promoted – just remember that sharing $100 between five people is a lot more enjoyable than splitting it between 43.
Dance On Your Own
Ultimately, though, everyone has their personal relationship with the art of dance. There are few limitations to how International Dance Day can be celebrated. Even individuals stuck at home can partake in the experiences of the day. Reading up on the traditions of a dance online can be supported by watching the latest addition to the Step Up franchise or learning new dance moves via video tutorials. The event is a great excuse to watch a local show or invest in new dance shoes too. After all, the true success of the event is that it encourages people to take dance more seriously in their day-to-day lives.
Learn More Dances
Whether the celebrations are enjoyed alone or with others, it’s never a bad idea to tune into the streams of the ceremony, or at least catch up on them later on. Another top tip for performers is to record some dances on this day and then revisit them next year. The progress that can be made in 12 months is mind-blowing.