Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre to Host Free Dance Festival Next Month

José Mateo Ballet Theatre presents the 9th Annual Dance for World Community Festival, Saturday June 10, 12-6:00 pm, FREE and open to the public, a celebration in Harvard Square, Cambridge showcasing dance as a positive force to better our world.

With an expected attendance of over 20,000 people, the Festival offers something for everyone with free performances and classes in all dance forms, from Ballet to Hip Hop and beyond.

All festivities will take place at José Mateo Ballet Theatre's home at 1151 Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard Square, Cambridge (traffic closed on Mass. Ave. between Bow and Remington streets). For more information, call (617) 354-7467 or visit www.danceforworldcommunity.org/festival-events/dance-for-world-community-festival.

"The power of dance that unites us for artistic performance, fitness training or fun parties also has a vastly underutilized potential to bring people together over the social issues we must all care about if we are going to better our world for our children and generations to follow," says Artistic Director José Mateo.

The 9th Annual Dance for World Community Festival offers FREE dance performances and introductory classes in a variety of dance forms plus the opportunity to connect with local nonprofits bettering our world. This year's event includes four outdoor stages plus one indoor stage with performances by 90+ local dance troupes in dance forms including African, Ballet, Folk, Hip Hop, Irish Step, Modern, Salsa, and many more.

Performers include: José Mateo Ballet Theatre, BoSoma Dance Company, FlamencoBoston, Benkadi Drum & Dance and Triveni Ensemble. The Festival features Advocacy Way, providing the opportunity to connect with the important work being accomplished by local non profits including the Moving Steps Foundation, Homeless Empowerment Project, and Save our Streets Boston. Festive food, raffles, and children's activities make it the perfect outing for the whole family. Then all are invited for a free Parking Lot Dance Party celebration from 6-8:00 pm.

All events take place at Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre, 1151 Massachusetts Avenue, Harvard Square, Cambridge. For more information, call (617) 354-7467 or visit www.danceforworldcommunity.org.

Founded in 1986, José Mateo Ballet Theatre is one of America's leading producers of new ballets, the area's most innovative ballet school, and the originator of Dance for World Community™, a project that builds local and global networks to expand the role of dance in our culture. Over the past 29 years, Cuban-born Artistic Director and Founder, José Mateo has developed his unique vision using the power of dance to inspire and engage today's diverse audiences.

Hailed by Boston Magazine as "Best of Boston Dance Performance", the Company regularly presents Mateo's highly acclaimed concerts at its stunning Sanctuary Theatre in its home at Old Cambridge Baptist Church in Harvard Square. The School offers an innovative model for a high-quality academy with a humanistic approach to ballet training that fosters diversity and inclusion in both its Young Dancers Program and Open Class Program for Adults. Based in Harvard Square, Cambridge the school recently launched a new satellite program in Dorchester.

Dance for World Community™ makes dance accessible to thousands of children, families, and new audiences, and produces the annual Dance for World Community Festival, a week-long event that features performances by over 90 local dance groups, workshops, classes, and advocacy that celebrates the role of dance to create social change. Learn more about José Mateo Ballet Theatre at www.ballettheatre.org.

Photo Credit: Charles Daniels