The 27th season of New York’s greatest outdoor dance party – Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing – takes over the open-air ballroom in Damrosch Park (West 62nd Street between Columbus & Amsterdam) from Tuesday, June 23 through Saturday, July 11. Midsummer Night Swing will bring together people of all ages, at every skill level, and from diverse social and cultural backgrounds for 15 evenings of social dance. Dance genres presented this summer include swing, mambo, tango, hustle, salsa, disco, blues, Lindy hop, waacking, and jitterbug. The bands come from across the country and around the world to play for the most demanding and appreciative audiences they’ll ever play for – New Yorkers.
Cachao’s Mambo All Stars will be arriving in New York for the first time since the death of the “father of mambo” Israel “Cachao” Lopez, and Conjunto Sabrosura will be blasting its powerful trumpets for the first time combining New York salsa with Cuban son. Both will be a great addition to the New York summer music and dance scene. Our other acts include Orquesta SCC (meaning Salsa Con Conciencia) which leads into Midsummer Night Swing’s first Silent Salsa dance party. There will also be a tango Tribute to Octavio Brunetti by Pedro Giraudo Tango Orchestra. José Alberto, “El Canario,” is also presenting a special performance to celebrate his 40th anniversary as a vocalist.
Tickets and passes go on sale May 20. Multi-evening Midsummer Night Passes are priced at $84 for six dances, and $170 for the full season. Four dance passes are available for $60. Tickets for individual evening events are $17.
Dance Ambassador. For $100, a group of four friends getting together for one night of open-air dancing will receive admission for four, bag check for four, and one complimentary glass of wine or beer per guest.
Each evening of Midsummer Night Swing is a ticketed event. The night begins with a dance lesson at 6:30 pm for all skill levels with some of New York’s foremost instructors. Lessons are included in the price of admission. Live music and dancing begins at 7:30 pm until 10 pm. Dancing continues until 11:30 pm on June 26 for the Silent Salsa.
- The Swing box office is located in the lobby of Avery Fisher Hall at Broadway and 65th Street. Tickets for individual events and passes can be purchased in advance at the Avery Fisher Box Office or beginning at 5:30 pm on the night of the event at a box office in Damrosch Park. All major credit cards will be accepted. Tickets and passes can also be purchased through CenterCharge, 212-721-6500, or at MidsummerNightSwing.org. Twitter users can follow Midsummer Night Swing @LCSwing for ongoing news and updates.
Rain Policy Midsummer Night Swing makes every effort to present each event of the season, as long as unpredictable weather allows. Performance cancellations due to inclement weather will not be announced until 8:30 pm on show night. In the case of cancellation, ticket holders are entitled to exchange for another performance or a refund. Pass holders are not entitled to a refund. If a performance has begun and is cancelled after 8:30 pm, exchanges or refunds are not offered.
Silent Discos There will be a Silent Disco, powered by Quiet Events, the evening of June 26 following the live show by Orquesta SCC. At the Silent Salsa, dancers are provided with wireless headphones to listen to extended DJ sets after the live music ends at 10 pm. While casual observers see a seemingly bizarre public ritual as dancers revel to the “silent” beats, the dancers are actually a part of an exhilarating public/private dance party. DJ Geko Jones of Qué Bajo?! will spin different sets in each headphone channel, creating simultaneous and ever-shifting dance parties. Silent Salsa will continue on the dance floor until 11:30 pm. Wireless headset is free with that night’s live show ticket, or $5 at the door for Silent Salsa only, subject to capacity.
Midsummer Night Swing Artist Spotlight Schedule:
Friday, June 26
Orquesta SCC Salsa Dura
Orquesta SCC stands for Orquesta Salsa Con Concienca, and band founder Jose Vasquez-Cofresi says it is because they make music that benefits society in more ways than just sound. But what a sound! Orquesta SCC’s 11 members play old-school salsa dura, with the brassy street sound that salsa was originally known for. They also pay attention to the lyrics, which often deal with issues and complexities of modern life. Their playing has a hypnotic rhythm that pulls dancers onto the floor, hopeless to try and resist.
Lesson: Jimmy Anton teaches Salsa DJ: Geko Jones of Qué Bajo?!
Silent Salsa powered by Quiet Events at 10 pm
Tuesday, June 30
Cachao’s Mambo All Stars Mambo **New York City Debut** Tuesday, June 30
Making their New York debut seven years after the passing of their founder, “Father of Mambo” Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Cachao’s Miami-based Mambo All Stars carry on his legacy. Credited with inventing mambo in 1938, Cachao specialized in descargas, Latin jam improvisations with extended solos that are now performed by the Mambo All Stars. Made up of a peerless ensemble of Afro-Cuban musicians, the Mambo All Stars’ music brings to mind and ear the rhythms of old Havana.
Lesson: Eddie and Maria Torres teach Mambo
DJ: Ron McGugins
Tuesday, July 7
Conjunto Sabrosura Salsa **New York City debut**
Conjunto Sabrosura is a band founded by Cuban native Ihosvany Negret. Negret creates music that is a fusion of the explosiveness of New York salsa with the delicate cadences of Son Cubano. This Latin hybrid – dubbed salsaboricubana – also includes a potent dose of old-school New York salsa for a sound powered by trumpets in the horn section and the powerful voice of lead singer Mayte Perez.
Lesson: Gildred M. Ribot teaches Salsa
DJ: Andy Rodriguez
Thursday, July 9
Tribute to Octavio Brunetti featuring Pedro Giraudo Tango Orchestra Tango
Grammy-winning pianist, arranger, and conductor Octavio Brunetti was a consummate tango artist. Born and raised
in Argentina, he played piano with most of Argentina’s important tango singers and musicians before moving to the
US in 2004. The winner of New York’s International Tango Competition for Best Solo Piano and Best Duo, Brunetti recorded a number of albums including Soledad by Ástor Piazzolla with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the soundtrack to Francis Ford Coppola’s film, Teatro. Last summer Brunetti and his group played an evening of magical tango, a night that turned out to be his last public performance. Brunetti died unexpectedly a few weeks after that show, so tonight his friend and fellow Argentine Pedro Giraudo brings his tango orchestra to perform as a tribute. An award-winning bassist and composer, Giraudo brings his extensive musicality and gifted way with plush harmonies to his performances of tango.
Lesson: Ana Padron and Diego Blanco teach Tango
DJ: Maria José Sosa
Friday, July 10
José Alberto “El Canario” 40th Anniversary Salsa
Celebrating four decades of singing the tender ballads of salsa’s romantic side, Jose Alberto is also one of the most influential singers of Latin music. A master improviser, Alberto is a native of Santo Domingo who grew up in Puerto Rico, where he first fell for Latin music. He came to New York as a young man and performed with a lengthy list of orchestras, including a stint with
Tipica ’73. He has recorded ten albums of Latin music, and in addition to his solo work he
performed frequently with the great vocalist Celia Cruz. Lesson: Carlos König teaches Salsa
DJ: DJ Brian Martinez
Midsummer Night Swing 2015 is sponsored by Macy’s
Midsummer Night Swing is made possible by Janice Savin Williams and Christopher J. Williams/The Williams Capital Group, LP Additional support for Midsummer Night Swing 2015 is provided by Great Performers Circle, Chairman’s Council, and Friends of Lincoln Center
Operation of Lincoln Center’s public plazas is supported in part with public funds provided by the City of New York, MetLife is a National Sponsor of Lincoln Center, Movado is a Supporter of Lincoln Center, United Airlines is a Supporter of Lincoln Center, William Hill Estate Winery is a Supporter of Lincoln Center, Artist catering provided by Zabar’s and Zabars.com
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) serves three primary roles: presenter of artistic programming, national leader in arts and education and community relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. A presenter of more than 3,000 free and ticketed events, performances, tours, and educational activities annually, LCPA offers 15 series, festivals, and programs including American Songbook, Avery Fisher Career Grants, Free Thursdays at the David Rubenstein Atrium, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Festival, Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Lincoln Center Vera List Art Project, Martin E. Segal Awards, Meet the Artist, Midsummer Night Swing, Mostly Mozart Festival, White Light Festival, and the Emmy Award-winning Live From Lincoln Center, which airs nationally on PBS. As manager of the Lincoln Center campus, LCPA provides support and services for the Lincoln Center complex and the 11 resident organizations. In addition, LCPA led a $1.2 billion campus renovation, completed in October 2012.
Lincoln Center is committed to providing and improving accessibility for people with disabilities. For information, call the. Department of Programs and Services for People with Disabilities at (212) 875-5375.
Programs and artists subject to change.
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