Bust a Move Downtown This Summer

Contributed

Take your lunch break outdoors this summer and shake off those mid-day blues with a dance break. Local artist Jennifer Dennehey partnered with the City of Erie Parks and Recreation Department as well as the Crime Victim Center to bring the event to Perry Square.

CONTINUING THURSDAY, JUL. 3

What better way to break up the day and put an extra skip in your step than with the Mid Day Dance Breaks hosted by local artist Jennifer Dennehy (40 Under 40 Class of 2018)?

Now in its 12th year, Dennehy created this project with the intent for the community to enjoy and participate in dance.

"You can accidentally stumble upon music but you can't as easily stumble upon dance, and so my goal is to make my art form of dance a little less elitist," said the local hoop dancer, teacher, and owner of Kinetic Creativity, Enabling Dance for All. "It doesn't cost anything and it brings the community together around it."

Partnering with the City of Erie Parks and Recreation Department as well as the Crime Victim Center (CVC) to bring this event to life, Dennehy selects different dancers and visual artists for a unique lineup each week.

Past features have included break dancers, hoop dancers, Erie African Dancers, Nepalese dancers, and Indian dancers. Visual artists create alongside the troupes each week and then in September, during Gallery Night, individuals can view and purchase those pieces. Half of the proceeds from the sale of the art will go to the CVC, and half to the individual artists.

Dennehy emphasizes that "the event is for all walks of life to enjoy. Some are as young as daycare-aged and come with a group every week, some are people who work at the courthouse or Erie Insurance, or unhoused individuals, so that's one of the things I love about these events and why I think they are so special."

Come to watch, come to partake, come with lunch, or stroll down on lunch break – a unifying and creative experience awaits, providing an inspiring and joyful break. 

Every Thursday through July // Noon to 1 p.m. // Perry Square, 601 State St. // Free // For more info visit: kineticcreativity.dance