Who are we?

Project Connect is a New York based charitable dance company consisting of about 20 volunteer swing dancers that brings an interactive swing dance show to underserved communities such as nursing homes.

History

The project was initiated in 2015 by 10 professional and amateur swing dancers with the funding from Healing Arts Initiative.  Our first, one hour long show was performed at Dewitt Rehabilitation Facility in Manhattan. Based on the overwhelming reaction from mostly bedridden audience, we realized that we need to bring an engaging show to more people who could benefit from the power of this dance and its music.   In 2017, with the New Work Grant from Queens Council on the Arts, our second swing dance show, Savoy! Dancing through the Swing Era, was created and performed at Chapin Home for Aging in Jamaica, Queens. Upon receiving the Space Grant from Flushing Town Hall, about 30 volunteer dancers performed our sold out show at Flushing Town Hall in January 2018. Since then, we have been performing the show at multiple nursing homes in all boroughs as well as public shows for arts and cultural organizations such as Brooklyn Public Library and Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

Sponsors

Project Connect was initially made possible by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. For the fiscal year 2023, Project Connect was made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Other generous collaborators and supporters include:

• You Should Be Dancing..! Studios

• Dancing Classrooms (Fiscal Sponsor)

• Model J Vintage

• Spring36 LLC

• Scawwy Howwow Theater

Our Goals

Our mission is to present an interactive swing dance show that showcases the ebullient and powerful force that is Lindy Hop, the original style of swing dancing and to bring people together through the dance and its music.   The magical nature of the dance makes profound sense when you learn that it was created in 1930s Harlem by African-American dancers and, we believe it was a powerful force against racism bringing people together. Through our interactive show, we hope that our audience can first hand experience the joy of Lindy Hop, feel connected to one another and with the performers.

Project Connect ensures that its performance team consists of a diverse group of professional and amateur dancers with different levels of skills, experiences and backgrounds. By working together towards a common goal, we strive to nurture the culture of sharing, collaboration and inclusivity. Through the process of preparing and performing the show, we hope that dancers have the opportunities to not only share their skills, but also inspire each other to express, collaborate to create, and deepen their friendships.