Mark DeGarmo Dance’s DANCE FOR DANCE (D4D) FOR SOCIAL CHANGE 2026 honors internationally recognized performer, teacher, choreographer and author, Dr. Daniel Lewis, with its “Educational Visionary” Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 presented by Dante Puleio, Artistic Director of the José Limón Dance Company on Thursday, May 7, 2026, 6:30-9:00 PM, St. Mary’s Church, NYC’s Lower East Side. D4D-26 Raises Awareness and Funds for Our Dance Education Program Called “A National Model” by the National Endowment for the Arts
WHEN: Thursday, May 7th, 2026 6:30-9:00 PM
WHERE: St. Mary’s Church, 440 Grand Street (east of Clinton Street) NY, NY 10002
TRAVEL: The site is one block south of Delancey Street and 3 blocks east of the F, J, M Delancey/Essex subway station. There is municipal parking on Essex St.
TICKETS, SPONSORSHIPS, & DONATIONS: https://bit.ly/4pJ24vj
SILENT AUCTION: Coming Soon
Donations by Check: Dynamic Forms, Inc., 107 Suffolk Street, Studio Theater 310, New York, NY 10002
Mark DeGarmo Dance’s Dance for Dance for Social Change 2026 celebrates MDD’s 39th and 44th anniversaries as a leading NYC not-for-profit dance organization dedicated to education, performance, and intercultural community-building. The community event celebrates our 39- and 44-year commitment to provide our evidence-based dance program to the least-resourced public elementary students, schools, families, and communities across NYC. Without our support, funding and dedication our school partners rarely provide evidence-based dance education programs. The celebration includes a presentation with refreshments, a silent auction, a dance lesson, dancing, and students performing. We honor internationally recognized performer, teacher, choreographer, and author, Dr. Daniel Lewis, with our “Educational Visionary” Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 presented by Dante Puleio, Artistic Director of the José Limón Dance Company.
Dance for Dance is MDD’s annual Lower East Side community celebration that raises awareness and funds to support our vision, mission, and programs. That mission integrates education, performance, and intercultural community through dance. We use dance to engage and empower students. Our program, Partnerships in Literacy through Dance and Creativity, was cited as “a national model” by the National Endowment for the Arts. President Obama commended Dr. DeGarmo and Mark DeGarmo Dance for “your service to your communities and the nation.” Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer designated Nov. 17, 2017 as “Mark DeGarmo Dance Day in Manhattan.” Miss America 2019 Nia Imani Franklin accepted MDD’s Arts Education Advocacy Award 2019.