On Saturday, Sept 14 from 10 am to 3 pm, Dance the Vote STL will present Dance the Vote, a free, nonpartisan, family friendly, all-inclusive event at the Missouri History Museum to promote voter awareness in advance of the general election on Tuesday, November 5. When DTV first performed for midterms at the museum in 2018, they attracted over 1000 attendees before pivoting to virtual performances during the pandemic, returning to the museum for the 2022 midterms.
“At Dance the Vote, we will energize attendees to participate in the elections and exercise their precious right, up and down the ballot. Our event also honors National Voter Registration Day, Constitution Week, and National Disability Voter Rights Week and will feature an all-inclusive short community dance to be taught for people of all ages and abilities, including people with disabilities. Everyone is welcome,” said Joan Lipkin, producing artistic director of Dance the Vote.
Children’s programming begins at 10 am inside the museum and continues until 3. At noon, activities for all ages take place outside in the front of the museum, including a giant photo shoot and community dance between 12:30 and 1 pm before a longer program of dance companies, singers and speakers.
Many dance styles will be represented including hip hop, Afro-Cuban, West African, tap, drill, modern and more.
Confirmed dance companies include Ashleyliane Dance Company, Kimaiya Hall Dance Company, Almas Del Ritmo Dance Company, Resilience Dance Company, STL Rhythm Collaborative, dance soloist Tia Taylor, Without Limits Dance Company, Beyond Measure Dance Theater and The Afro Kuumba Dancers, and others.
Speakers include Denise Lieberman of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, STL Mayor Tishaura O. Jones, youth activist Precious Barry, and more. Poet Dr. Treasure Shields Redmond will read, the choral group Allegro, singers Chuck Flowers with Katie Dunne McGrath, as well as singer-songwriter Summer Osborne will perform, Saint Louis Story Stitchers will present, and there will be a community dance led by Yes Honey.
Noted choreographer, educator and co-producer Ashley L. Tate explains, “We will begin with some familiar dances including the Electric Slide and the Wobble and then teach an original, short, inclusive and accessible community dance that can be enjoyed by everyone. This dance is for all levels and abilities!”
Additional activities will include voter registration and education, a photo booth in conjunction with the St Louis Public Library, and an information fair with local nonprofits and community groups. A special focus on children and youth will include a trilingual storytelling session in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language, crafts, touchable artifacts, a dance party room, a little free library and the Bubble Lady.
For more information on children and youth activities both Friday and Saturday, please see https://mohistory.org/events/dance-the-vote-2-09-13-2024. Food trucks and a DJ will round out the offerings of this event.
“We believe public history has the power to strengthen communities,” said Dr. Jody Sowell, President and CEO of the Missouri Historical Society. “The goal of our exhibits, community tours, and public programs is to help the public make connections between past, present and future. MHS is fortunate to play a part in helping the public make these connections and is proud to support Dance the Vote and civic engagement.”
Presented by Dance the Vote St. Louis, a program of That Uppity Theatre Company, and co-sponsorships in progress with the Missouri History Museum, ACLU St. Louis, Daughters of the American Revolution, Gateway YMCA, St. Louis ARC, STL Changemakers, Missouri Faith Voices, NAACP-St Louis City, League of Women Voters – St. Louis, Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council, Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, Paraquad, Rev Up!, Urban League of St. Louis, and Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice.
Founded in 2016, Dance the Vote (DTV) is a nonpartisan arts organization that uses the arts to promote voter registration, education and advocacy. Performances have been featured on CBS and the Black Entertainment Network as part of the national special “Every Vote Counts: A Celebration of Democracy”, and by the Higher Education Channel, American Theatre Magazine, St. Louis Magazine, the St Louis Post-Dispatch and Dance Magazine and seen by several million people.
Go to www.vote.org for nationwide voter information and to register to vote before the deadlines (Oct 9 in MO, but vote.org has the deadlines in each state), to check your registration, see what is on your local ballot, request an absentee ballot, and more.
DTV has received the IDEA Award from MindsEye, What’s Right with the Region from Focus St. Louis and the Moving Democracy Award from St. Louis Magazine as part of the 2021 A-List.
Dance the Vote is funded in part by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis, the Scarlet Feather Fund, and Rev Up!, a program of the American Association of People with Disabilities.
ASL interpretation is available for programs with two weeks advanced notice. Please email access@mohistory.org to request ASL interpretation or with other accessibility questions
