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Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival 2023
September 4, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival is back, and with more exciting ways to enjoy Madison’s vibrant local dance scene. Grab your bike, your scooter, roller skates, or just put on your favorite walking shoes! This year’s festival brings you new interactive activities and new appreciation for our beautiful city.
Shifting Gears creates informal and temporary performance spaces in the parks and green spaces along the fantastic bike paths in Madison: Wirth Court Park, McPike Park, Brittingham Park (by the Butterfly Garden), and special just this year – a City of Madison Arts Commission Celebration of Timekeeper by Robert Curtis (1983; rededicated 2023). This Labor Day, festival goers on the bike path can get a little exercise, enjoy the beautiful outdoors, and witness a stunning array of local dance groups.
Performing groups include Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance, Scratch Dance, Swing State Aerial, Amy Slater, KLJ Movement, DanzTrad, Liz Sexe Dance, Lily Edgar, Karmicflower Dance Company, Breckenridge Highland Dance, Katherine Kramer Projects Tap Dance & Jazz, Breakthrough Dance Company, Sadira Middle Eastern Dance, Madison Chinese Cultural Association, Studio Dansu and Dansu Crew, Wingspan Dance, and mini lessons from Tango House of Madison and Capitol Social. Find where each of these groups will be performing at isthmusdancecollective.org/shifting-gears
In addition to live performance there will be other family-friendly activities including bike decorating, sidewalk chalk, and new mini lessons in social and folk dance forms. One social or folk dance form will finish off each set at all of the park locations, allowing the audience to learn something new, get the body moving, and celebrate the final days of summer together. Audience amenities are back this year thanks to SASYNA: porta potties and a few shade umbrellas. Feel free to bring your own small shade umbrellas, picnics and picnic blankets, sun screen, bug repellent, and any other goodies you might need to enjoy a full day of dance and the outdoors.
Admission is free and tickets are not required. Shifting Gears is partially funded with generous support from Jendusa Design & Engineering, Working Draft Beer Co, Ian’s Pizza, the SASY Neighborhood Association, and individual donors. Those interested in making a tax deductible donation may do so at isthmusdancecollective.org/donate.
