Dance party at the Chilmark Community Center

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Dance to music by Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish Sunday night at the Chilmark Community Center. — Photo by Steve Myrick

Join The Yard as they dance this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend in support of YardWorks year-round programming. Public Dancing Allowed featuring Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish is this Sunday, Jan. 19, at 7:30 pm at the Chilmark Community Center.

The evening’s ticket sales, $10/person, will help The Yard continue to bring artists to Martha’s Vineyard this winter and spring, according to a press release. These artists will work with the Island’s schools, the YMCA, and Teen Center.

Last spring, The Yard had the opportunity to bring nationally accredited tap and rhythm based artists out of New York City. These included Dorrance Dance David Parker’s The Bang Group along with Boston’s own Hip-Hop duo, The WonderTwins. These artists visited five Island schools and the YMCA to educate Vineyard students on the history of tap dance and hip-hop, its evolution to their generation. Students even learned a couple moves they could take home to their parents.

The Yard has entered its third year of partnership with the YMCA, and this past December collaborated with Alex’s Place to bring Providence based hip-hop troupe Case Closed to the Teen Center. The five young artists held a free hip-hop workshop for teens and participated in the Teen Center’s Open Stage that evening. This collaboration allowed the dancers to teach students and perform for the community. In the spring of 2014, The Yard will back the troupe for a more in-depth exploration of rhythm dance over a two-week period.

Public Dancing Allowed, 7:30 pm, Sunday, Jan. 19, Chilmark Community Center. Bring your own beverages. $10; free for children under 12. For more information, call 508-645-9662 or visit dancetheyard.org.