Meadowland Park Dance Festival, September 13

CALL FOR DANCERS!

REGISTER BY 04/13/25

Festival Date: September 13th, 2025

Location: Meadowland Park, South Orange

Residents of all ages take dance classes here in SOMA, but in the nation’s densest state, performance space costs are out of reach, limiting opportunities to explore and share new works.

Meadowland Park is committed to fostering the creativity of our community and as part of that commitment, we would like to introduce the very first Meadowland Park Dance Festival in collaboration with the Village of South Orange.  By providing our local dancers a chance to perform original works, we support their development as artists.  By offering this performance opportunity for free, we give South Orange and Maplewood park visitors a unique, homegrown cultural experience.

Dancers ages 11+ can register with their friends.  Performance groups can be made up of 1 to 7 dancers at any ability level. This is intended to be separate from local dance company performances, though local dance companies are certainly welcome to help with guidance on pieces.

Register by April 13th and you will be charged a $75 Venmo commitment fee which will be returned as long as you show up and perform for the performance slot 09/13/2025.  (Groups may donate this money to Meadowland Park Conservancy (501c3)).  Please Venmo @Meadowland Park (in memo:  MPDF/Main Contact’s Name)

We’ve set some parameters to help dancers who don’t know where to begin in creating a new piece:

• The theme of the festival is “CLOUD COVER.”

• Each group of dancers will be provided three options for music (approximately 2-3 minutes of music each).  They will choose one.

• Performance groups should plan to dress in all white or cream for the performance. In South Orange, the average temperature in mid-September is 54°F – 63°F.  Dancers should keep that in mind.

• Since these groups are primarily made up of youth, we will ask for a rehearsal schedule and a check in update.  This is only intended to help our artists stay on track.

• The performance surface will be a low platform stage with a rented dance floor (size TBD) near the Skate House in South Orange’s Meadowland Park.  3 sails suspended above the stage will help contain the space and provide shade.  There are no wings on the stage.

• Dress Rehearsal will be in the morning on Saturday, 09/13/2025.  The performance will take place in the afternoon.

To register, click here

More info to come as soon as possible regarding stage size and exact performance time.