Get ready to get down and show off your dance moves! The Citywide Doorway Dance Party for Essential Workers kicks off at 6:30 p.m., in an effort to unify the city during the COVID-19 stay-at-home order and pay tribute to the workers who have kept the city running.
Organized by the same group of media professionals, artists and award-winning entrepreneurs who coordinated Philadelphia’s Guinness World Record Soul Train Line, the effort asks all Philadelphians to gather in their doorway or door area at 6:30 p.m. to dance to the sound of the “Rocky” theme and then “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” the upbeat, motivating tune from the Sound of Philadelphia’s “McFadden & Whitehead.”
To help get the city dancing together to the same tunes, Radio One stations and various Instagram DJs will play the “Rocky” theme or some portion of it at 6:30 pm each day to hype their listeners to the doorway to dance. The song list will then move to “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now,” to motivate the city and urge residents, people battling the virus and workers to keep fighting.
Members of the group particularly wanted Philadelphia’s dancing doorway residents to have an opportunity to acknowledge not only the city’s healthcare professionals on the front line of the health crisis but to all of the city’s essential workers who have continued to show up to their workplaces throughout the pandemic.
“We selected the theme from ‘Rocky’ because of its iconic Philadelphia tie, but also to literally cheer on the city’s essential workers – bus drivers, supermarket clerks, cleaning services, homeless shelter workers, policemen, firefighters – as the champions of our city at this time,” said Sheila Simmons, a communications consultant who currently works as Chief-of-Staff for State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, who will be participating, even if it has to be from his Harrisburg office.
“‘Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now’ is the quintessential Sound of Philadelphia anthem that reminds us of who we are and that always uplifts and motivates us. We must emerge from this crisis stronger, more appreciative of each other, and more together than ever,” Simmons said.
The group is encouraging all city officials, sports and entertainment celebrities, neighborhood blocks, hospital workers, and all local citizens of every race, background and religion to join in, and even create their own “Doorway Dance Mix” that includes the two songs. A Zoom party will admit 100 participants. Meanwhile, organizers urge participants to post their “Doorway Dance” moves on TikTok and other social media platforms. Hashtags can include #DoorwayDanceParty and #PhillyEssentialWorkers.
Radio listeners can tune into WRNB 100.3 FM, Hot 107.9 FM, or Hip-Hop 103.9 FM; as well as Praise 107.9 on the HD2 channel and stream.
Individual DJ’s who will play their own Instagram mixes are Hezekiah (Beat Society / Johnny Popcorn), DJ Lady Jay & DJ Smooth Rod (Shadow Trax Nation) of Philadelphia as well as Boston-based DJ Mojavi (MoMixMedia) – Boston (IN HAND).
Organizers hope the event will grow more and more participants each day, and will continue each day until the city reopens.
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