Urban Stomp: Defiant Joy on the Dance Floor

Anthropologist and dancer, Dr. Derrick Leon Washington, speaks on his recent groundbreaking exhibition

The recent groundbreaking exhibition at the Museum of the City of New York, “Urban Stomp: Dreams and Defiance on the Dance Floor,” was curated by Dr. Derrick Leon Washington, an anthropologist and dancer. Building on this and his earlier exhibition “Rhythm and Power: Salsa in New York,” he will examine social dance as a vital force in social life. Through examples ranging from lindy hop and salsa to hip hop and hustle, Dr. Washington shows how dance floors have functioned as spaces of creativity, community, and social meaning. Combining research, archival images, music, and movement analysis, the presentation reveals how social dancing reflects history, possibility, and collective defiance. This presentation invites the audience to look beyond performance and consider social dance as a cultural language that continues to shape how people gather, communicate, and imagine defiant joy.