The Urban Stomp exhibition tells the story of New York City’s history through dance

EAST HARLEM — A profound new exhibit at a museum in Manhattan is sharing the history of New York through dance and through people who helped break barriers.

It’s a remarkable celebration of more than 200 years of social dance in New York City — one-of-a-kind pieces are part of a new exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York.

“Urban Stomp: Dreams and Defiance on the Dance Floor” highlights dances that were either invented in the city, reinvented here or made famous in the five boroughs.

“These dance floors, the dance community that joined these, are windows into the time and place. It is a way to understand not just dance in the city but to understand New York City,” said curator Sarah Henry.

It was a way to challenge social norms, for example, the swing and lindy hop were bold at the time.

“They were bringing in a closeness in partner dancing that offended some people’s moral sensibility,” Henry said.

What’s fascinating is the evolution of dance. Take the Charleston for example.

“Through that movement other types of dance were created, there’s the move with Kid and Play which still has that kicking movement and that back and forth,” curator Derrick Leon Washington said.

The exhibit has tutorials, a section dedicated to voguing, breaking and several different types of salsa with the queen Celia Cruz front and center.

“Those communities and dancers are all in conversation and that’s what makes New York such a unique place,” Leon Washington said.

And perhaps the crown jewel of the exhibit is where you can have a little fun. Pick a record from 11 different genres, put it on the turntable and enjoy an instant dance party.

It’s a space where creativity and self-expression unfold in joyful, sometimes bold ways, and the dance floor really is a symbolic life stage.

Click here for more. The exhibit runs through February 22, 2026.