Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival

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Chris Schultz

A Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance performance.

A Tania Tandias Flamenco & Spanish Dance performance at the 2022 Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival.

media release: The Shifting Gears Bike Path Dance Festival is back, and with more exciting ways to enjoy Madison’s vibrant local dance scene. Grab your bike, your scooter, roller skates, or just put on your favorite walking shoes! This year’s festival brings you new interactive activities and new appreciation for our beautiful city.  

Shifting Gears creates informal and temporary performance spaces in the parks and green spaces along the fantastic bike paths in Madison: Wirth Court Park, McPike Park, and Brittingham Park (by the Butterfly Garden. This Labor Day, festival goers on the bike path can get a little exercise, enjoy the beautiful outdoors, and witness a stunning array of local dance groups. 

This year, grab a B Cycle to tour the Festival and check in on B Cycle’s MADISON BY BIKE 

adventure to redeem exclusive discounts and prizes. Plan ahead and check out a bike with your Madison Public Library card, or get an exclusive 50% off Madison BCycle Passes during Shifting Gears! More information about BCyle’s Madison By Bike here

Performing groups will be announced mid-June, so stay posted!

In addition to live performance there will be other family-friendly activities including bike decorating, sidewalk chalk, and new mini lessons in social and folk dance forms. One social or folk dance form will finish off each set at all of the park locations, allowing the audience to learn something new, get the body moving, and celebrate the final days of summer together. Audience amenities are back this year thanks to SASYNA: porta potties and a few shade umbrellas. Feel free to bring your own small shade umbrellas, picnics and picnic blankets, sun screen, bug repellent, and any other goodies you might need to enjoy a full day of dance and the outdoors.

Admission is free and tickets are not required. Shifting Gears is partially funded with generous support from Dane Arts, the Marquette Neighborhood Association, the SASY Neighborhood Association, Working Draft Beer Co, Ian's Pizza,, and individual donors. Those interested in making a tax deductible donation may do so at isthmusdancecollective.org/donate.

See the festival in action via our 2021 highlight reel.