international dance day

International Dance Day was first celebrated in 1982 by the International Dance Council (CID, Conseil International de la Danse). CID is a UNESCO partner NGO. International Dance Day is on April 29, every year.  The date pay tribute to the Jean-Georges Noverre. 29 April 1727 is his birth date. The main purpose of World Dance Day is to attract the wider public to the art of dance.

International Dance Day Message:

Every year, the president of the International Dance Council sends the official message for Dance Day which circulates in every country around the world and is posted on the official website for Dance Day. Here is the 2017 Dance Day Message.

This year the International Dance Council CID joins forces with the World Food Program WFP to create Dance to Zero Hunger, a project promoting healthy eating through dance and education. WFP offers meals to 80 million people in 80 countries: wfp.org
Healthy eating and dance go hand in hand in encouraging a healthy lifestyle. We want to promote food security and Zero Hunger in all countries.
Schools will create small dance programs for children to realize the importance of food security and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Young dancers will have the opportunity to follow training and be certified after completing 150 hours of dance classes.
Participating schools will create choreography focusing on the importance of food security and achieving zero hunger, that will be showcased in celebrations of International Dance Day (29 April) and World Food Day (16 October). WPF, CID and UNESCO will launch their partnership with a media campaign and an event in Paris.
The project will promote food security, educate children about the importance of healthy eating, provide vocational opportunities and advocate for achieving zero hunger, through dance.
Alkis Raftis
President of the International Dance Council
CID, UNESCO, Paris

Source: The official message.
You can also find previous year’s dance day message here.

World Dance Day Motive:

The main purpose of Dance Day events is to attract the attention of the wider public to the art of dance. Special emphasis should be given to addressing a “new” public, people who do not follow dance events during the course of the year.