Also presented by TELUS, Luminato's First Night at Yonge-Dundas Square features the renowned Count Basie Orchestra and Montreal jazz prodigy Nikki Yanofsky. The party continues throughout the weekend with an all day Funk Festival at Nathan Phillips Square, a Scottish Music Festival at Yonge- Dundas Square, a Queen Street Celebration at Grange Park and OCAD, and the chance to participate - for six consecutive evenings - in TELUS Light on Your Feet – the city's biggest outdoor dance lesson. Music and dance styles from Swing and Scottish to Latin and Bollywood will be celebrated throughout the six nights.

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It all begins with a party. The place to be Friday, June 6 is Yonge-Dundas Square, where Luminato's First Night gets you ready for 10 days of dancing in the streets.

The Festival kick-off is an all-star concert featuring the Grammy-Award winning Count Basie Orchestra fronted by 14-year-old Canadian jazz sensation Nikki Yanofsky. This prodigious vocal powerhouse blew audiences away at the Montreal Jazz Festival, on the compilation tribute album We All Love Ella, and recently made her triumphant debut at Carnegie Hall. They are joined early evening by the East Coast New World Orchestra – a spirited celebration of the region's music by 13 of Nova Scotia's finest musicians.

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Participants stretch their legs and dance “light on their feet” over a series of evenings (June 6-11) at Yonge-Dundas Square. The public square transforms into a huge open-air dance hall, where live bands celebrate different musical genres each night, including swing, Scottish square dancing, salsa, tango, disco, hip hop and Bollywood. Early-evening dance lessons are offered, making these the ultimate dance parties for all ages and skill levels.

Luminato Transforms Yonge-Dundas Square Yonge-Dundas Square, transformed for the occasion by KPMB Architects and inspired by acclaimed set designer Michael Levine, is Luminato 2008's centre of activity. Participants are able to get the latest news, enjoy refreshments at the limited-time only Mill Street Brew Pub, and purchase Luminato tickets at the T.O. TIX Booth.

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On Saturday afternoon, all are invited to revisit the sights and sounds of a legendary era in Toronto's popular culture.

After Yorkville's "Summer of Love," Toronto's avant-garde scene moved south to Queen Street and the Ontario College of Art, inspiring collaborations in art and music that, by the mid '80s, had helped create the punk, new wave, and world beat eclectic mix Luminato is celebrating this year in Grange Park. On stage, from 1.30 p.m.: Johnny & the G-Rays, The "B" Girls, Mary Margaret O'Hara, the Parachute Club plus Mojah, Lillian Allen, Micah Barnes and Telmary.

Meanwhile, at OCAD from noon, catch a glimpse of period artifacts and photographs, plus a video program extending past 6:30 p.m. with a panel discussion and closing cabaret.

Created and produced by Martin Robertson, Ideas in Motion. Associate producer, video and research, Henry Martinuk. In collaboration with the Ontario College of Art & Design.

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Luminato's opening-weekend celebrations continue with an all day funk festival. Learn to funk with choreographer to the stars Luther Brown, take a dance class with the nation's best hip hop and funk choreographers, and see dance performances from Canada's top hip hop and funk dancers. Live funk music all day long culminates with performances by two of the world's most famous funk groups: The 14-piece James Brown's Soul Generals - the only band backing the "Godfather of Soul" over the past 20 years, earning them the ultimate title of "Tha Funkiest Band in the World".

Morris Day and The Time - who performed at this year's Grammy awards with Rihanna, and are well known for their work with Prince and their performance in Purple Rain.

Created and produced by Ford Entertainment and JK Productions.

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Saturday afternoon in Yonge-Dundas Square features a Scottish Music Festival with an all-star roster of performers, featuring The Barra MacNeils, six siblings from Cape Breton Island who, for 20 years, have been among the most popular Celtic groups in Canada, and the innovative super-trio Lau, one of the most sought-after acts on the current Scottish scene. They are joined by Winnipeg's Sierra Noble, a phenomenally versatile young violinist who specializes in traditional Métis fiddle tunes.

The day culminates with a Scottish square dance – and this is where you get to be Light on Your Feet – led by internationally acclaimed Nova Scotia fiddler Ashley MacIsaac. Hosted by Max MacDonald and Joella Foulds. Co-presented by Luminato and the Celtic Colours International Festival.

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Photographer David Michalek's series of 43 largerthan- life, hyper-slow-motion video portraits of dancers and choreographers from around the world. Displayed on multiple giant screens, each subject's five-second movement unfolds gesture by barely perceptible gesture into 10 minutes of extreme slow motion, enabling the viewer to share in the simplest of movements.

Of its acclaimed installation at Lincoln Center, The New York Times wrote: "At this scale and speed, everything the dancer does has an air of the miraculous."

Co-commissioned by Luminato, the LA Music Centre, Walton Arts Center of Northwest Arkansas, and Sadler's Wells, London.

Slow Dancing's New Portraits of Canadian Dancers Luminato (with the support of Luminato's SuperNova Program Development Fund donors Sandra and Jim Pitblado) has commissioned two portraits to be added permanently to Slow Dancing. These new portraits feature Cree hoop dancer Sandra Lamouche, and Toronto dancer and choreographer, Clarence Ford.

For more information on both free and ticketed Luminato events, including dates, locations and schedules, visit www.luminato.com. Tickets available through all Ticketmaster outlets (call 416-872-1111 or visit www.ticketmaster.ca).

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