The educational and interactive exhibition, Urban Stomp: Dreams & Defiance on the Dance Floor, explores two centuries of social dance styles in the city.
Dance is a direct reflection of culture. In no place is the relationship between dance and culture better seen than in New York City.
A new exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York celebrates the dance styles of New York City. Urban Stomp: Dreams & Defiance on the Dance Floor takes museumgoers through two hundred years of social dance in the city. The exhibition shows visitors how dance is both educational and entertaining.
“Urban Stomp captures the essence of New York’s diverse communities and their histories through dance. This exhibition, which occupies most of the Museum’s third floor, illuminates how the dance floor, much like the city itself, is a place where cultures collide, and creativity thrives,” says Sarah Henry, Chief Curator and Deputy Director of the museum, as well as curator of the exhibition.
The exhibition highlights a variety of dance styles that have roots in New York City. The lindy hop, a high-energy partner dance, is thought to have originated in Harlem. Hip-hop emerged in the early 1970s in the Bronx, particularly among African-American youth.
The importance of immigration and minority communities to the cosmopolitan makeup of the city is highlighted throughout the exhibition. Migrant groups brought various forms of dance to the city, adding to the vibrant culture and diversity present in the city’s neighborhoods. Many Latin dance forms, such as the salsa, were brought to the city by immigrants.
The exhibition also delves into historic dance trends throughout the years. Crazes, such as the waltz and the tango, took place in the dance halls of the city. Many ballroom dances were once danced by only the most elite members of society, but in the 19th century dance styles became more democratized. During this time of social shift, a lot of ballroom dance styles were seen as controversial and too sensuous. Another historical trend that the museum delves into is voguing which emerged in the late 20th century. Voguing can be traced back to LGBTQ+ culture and house balls, and is still a part of popular culture today.
The museum makes sure to show all sides of New York City dance history. In 1926 and amidst a growing social dance scene, the New York City Cabaret Law was passed which banned groups of people from dancing in social spaces such as bars and clubs that did not have a special license. In effect, the law primarily targeted African-American jazz clubs in Harlem.
Important figures in dance culture are spotlighted throughout the exhibition. Celia Cruz, the “Queen of Salsa,” and the Dynamic Rockers, an important breakdancing group, are just some of the people and groups highlighted in the exhibition.
To tell museumgoers the stories of all of the social dance styles, historical events and important figures, photographs and text can be found throughout the exhibition. Over twenty video tutorials explaining the different dance styles are also sprinkled throughout.
Once museumgoers make their way through the exhibition, they are greeted with a full-size dance floor for the grand finale. Visitors can pick a music genre to dance freely to. All museumgoers are welcome to take part in the dancing, replicating the social dance scene of the dance styles they just learned about.
Urban Stomp: Dreams & Defiance on the Dance Floor is also hosting a series of public and educational programs. The exhibition embodies New York history, and the museum dedicates itself to celebrating the city’s past and present. Live performances, workshops, and panels will be offered throughout the exhibition’s run at the Museum of the City of New York.
“New York City’s dance floors have always been more than just spaces to dance—they are cultural epicenters where innovation and tradition meet. This unprecedented exhibition celebrates the enduring spirit of inter-connected communities and their defiant joy that continues to resonate on and off the dance floor,” says curator of the exhibition Derrick León Washington.
Urban Stomp: Dreams & Defiance on the Dance Floor is on display at the Museum of the City of New York until February 2026. Homepage image by Hazel Hankin courtesy of Museum of the City of New York. All other images courtesy of Museum of the City of New York.
