Dancing On The Plaza 2025: Transforming Flatbush Into A Living Museum of Movement, Memory & Community

A daylong cultural celebration transforming Flatbush with dance, dialogue, and community-driven public art.

BROOKLYN, NY, UNITED STATES, May 21, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On Saturday, June 7, Dancing On The Plaza 2025 returns to Hillel Plaza at Flatbush Junction—an NYC Department of Transportation–designated car-free zone and vital cultural corridor in the heart of Brooklyn.

Now in its newest evolution, this bold, participatory celebration continues to reimagine how arts, culture, and public space can serve neighborhood life's well-being, identity, and vitality.

The day begins with the Community Arts Impact Breakfast, hosted by Starbucks from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM, welcoming civic leaders, artists, and cultural workers for a morning of connection and conversation. Special guest Dr. Marlon D. Simms, Artistic Director of the National Dance Theatre Company of Jamaica and Dean of the School of Dance at Edna Manley College, will speak on the value of cultural competency as a foundation for community development. His presence underscores the event's emphasis on honoring diasporic knowledge and cultural literacy as critical tools in contemporary placemaking.

From 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Dancing On The Plaza activates Flatbush Junction with a full day of immersive programming—featuring interactive stations, live performance, workshops, and community-driven installations. The 2025 theme centers on Jamaica's dance traditions, tracing the lineage from ancestral movement forms like Gerreh to the global phenomenon of Dancehall.

A highlight of this year's program is the debut of BLOOM on the Plaza—a 40-minute, family-friendly drum and dance workshop led by Master Drummer Jesse Golding (NDTC) and renowned folk artist Dianne Dixon. Designed as "storytelling in motion," BLOOM introduces participants to the rhythms and spirit of Gerreh, one of Jamaica's most profound traditional dance expressions.

Also new this year is a performance by Brooklyn-born rising star Alex Mali. Her genre-blending Caribbean-influenced R&B connects deeply with younger audiences and expands the event's sonic palette. Her appearance underscores Dancing On The Plaza's intergenerational reach and contemporary relevance.

Another featured component is the Plaza Discussion Panel, which will gather dancers, scholars, and cultural leaders to explore the evolution of Jamaican movement—from rural roots to global stages—with lived insight and community dialogue.

At its heart, Dancing On The Plaza is a model for cultural infrastructure rooted in participation, pride, and public access. As part of NYC's Open Streets and Plaza Network, it exemplifies how arts and culture can be powerful engines for civic engagement, health equity, and local economic vibrancy.

The event, held in celebration of Caribbean American Heritage Month, is produced by Blue Mango Arts, a Brooklyn-based cultural production company committed to activating heritage and healing through the arts.

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