Dancing at the Crossroads

Late afternoon Sundays is usually when the theater district starts to wind down. But on June 18, Times Square will be swarming with dance activity, as 30 varied companies present a free outdoor performance, Dancing at the Crossroads.

The event jump-starts the second annual Solstice at Times Square, a celebration launched last year by the Times Square Alliance as a mid-year counterpart to the area's famed New Year's Eve festivities. The Alliance asked Dancers Responding to AIDS (DRA), the crucial fundraising organization to produce a program spotlighting the city's dance troupes. 

With Paige Davis (from Trading Spaces and Broadway's Chicago) as host, the event's expansive and impressive roster of participants includes: Cedar Lake, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Parsons Dance Company, Stephen Petronio Company, Tapaholics and Trisha Brown Company as well as performances by the casts of The Color Purple and Hot Feet. 

June 18. Military Island in Times Square, Broadway between 43 & 43 Sts., 4:30, free.