The Children’s Museum of Manhattan (212 West 83rd Street) today announced the opening of Let’s Dance!, a new immersive exhibit for children and families that showcases the extraordinary joy, beauty, and diversity of dance across New York City and the world. The exhibition runs from July through December 2017 and introduces visitors to dance from a variety of entry points: as an art form, as an expression of diverse cultures and traditions, and as a healthy physical activity. Let’s Dance! features daily live performances and workshops along with a dance portal projection dome showcasing world-class dance companies inviting children to dance along.
Visitors to the exhibit can, among other things:
- Interact with the immersive video projection dome dance portal to watch, learn and dance along with more than 25 renowned professional, community, and student dance companies from New York and abroad
- Create multicolor shadow dances on the “stage” while exploring lighting design with a child-friendly lighting box
- Choreograph a series of dance patterns while learning the language of dance and using movable signs, engaging props and fun costumes
- Experiment with authentic percussion instruments, drumming unique beats and rhythms
- Explore and capture new dance positions by manipulating poseable, life-sized figures
- Be inspired by photography and video that celebrates the breadth of the dance world, including the fabulous New York City Dance Parade, and dance in New York City’s public schools as seen in PS Dance!
- Participate in a dance workshop then take a seat to experience world-class performances!
Jody Gottfried Arnhold, funder and advisory board member of Let’s Dance!, founder of Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) 92Y, and advocate for dance education agrees, “Physicality is essential to the development of young children. They discover the world through their senses and physical being. Dance experiences, like those offered in Let’s Dance! provide an entry point for children to share their feelings, explore their creativity, and begin to experiment with movement.”
Learn more at cmom.org.
