Bryant Park Dance Party Begins May 1

At each Wednesday Bryant Park Dance Party event, audiences will learn basic steps with expert instructors from 6pm to 7pm by the Bryant Park Fountain, then get the chance to test out their new moves to the hot sounds of live music as performed by some of the New York City's best dance bands from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.

The Dance Party series celebrates a wide array of music and dance genres, from easy-to-learn favorites like salsa and traditional swing, to cumbia, R&B and contra dance. Don't miss our special LGBTQ Pride Event on June 5 with star competitors from The Voice, One Up Duo; and our grand finale on Friday, June 7 at the one-night-only Latin Festival celebrating Salsa, Bachata and Merengue with La Sonora Nuyorkina.

The soon-to-be-announced Bryant Park Picnic Performances will run from May to October and will include two TBA full-length performances of Shakespeare plays by The Drilling Company; a sneak preview of a new opera production and selections from classics as played by New York City Opera; acclaimed local and international musicians at the largest accordion festival in the United States, Accordions Around the World; the indie rock focused Emerging Music Festival in mid-August; multi-month series with New York's top arts organizations and much more. If you are on deadline for summer festival feature articles, please contact us directly to discuss date and artist specifics.

Wednesday, May 1 at 6pm to 8:30pm Salsa Night with Tito Puente JR. Opening Night Dance Party with Latin Music's First Family Percussionist and bandleader Tito Puente, Jr. draws comparison to his famous father, but how could it be otherwise? Puente Jr. carries his father with him; it's in his looks, his joy, and his music. The younger Puente is determined to nurture the musical legacy of Latin Dance left by his father and has devoted himself to winning over audiences, one hot salsa party at a time.

Wednesday, May 8 at 6pm to 8:30pm Latin & Ballroom Night with Fleur Seule Come Dressed to Impress for this 1940's Retro Latin Glamour Party Fleur Seule is an authentic 1940s Ballroom swing band that plays hits from all around the world. Songbird/Bandleader Allyson Briggs, "The Glamour Girl of Jazz", sings in seven languages, the better to accommodate a wide variety of New York audiences. Fleur Seule plays Swing Era hits, jazz standards and ballroom classics that will transport you to the times of big bands and glamorous 1940 evenings.

Wednesday, May 15 at 6pm to 8:30pm Contra Dance Night with BROOKLYN SWING ENSEMBLE with DANIEL ELIAS Folk and Line Dancing The self-explanatory named band Brooklyn Swing started out playing swing in Philadelphia but has evolved into a multi-genre dance ensemble known for a unique blend of fiddle, Klezmer and blues swing. The adventurous combo is now known as one of the best contra dance backing bands in the Northeast.

Wednesday, May 22 at 6pm to 8:30pm R&B Night with EXENIA & THE TRANSFORMATION West Coast Swing Done Right Exenia (pronounced ek-SEN-ya) is a rising R&B singer/songwriter and dancer/choreographer based in New York City currently working with Grammy winners in both New York and Los Angeles. She recently released her first music video, "Automatic, and is actively working on her debut album, tentatively titled Prism. Exenia is also a competitive West Coast Swing dancer and teacher, known on the East Coast and beyond for her musicality and energy.

Wednesday, May 29 at 6pm to 8:30pm Cumbia Dance Night with LAMAR NYC featuring Nilko Andreas and Maria Raquel Traditional Sounds and Dances from Across the Latin Diaspora LaMar is a live music project that combines the fiery sounds of Colombia, Spain, Brazil and Cuba into one unforgettable NYC groove-centric party. The group consists of singer & guitarist Nilko Andreas, bassist Matt Geraghty, and Reid Andres on percussion. Colombian / American classical guitarist and composer Nilko Andreas Guarin has been praised as an electrifying performer by Backstage New York. Andreas has been captivating audiences as a soloist, composer and chamber musician since his 2009 Carnegie Hall debut. Colombian vocalist Maria Raquel mixes her powerful voice with rhythms from Caribbean, the Pacific, and the mountains. Her repertoire includes boleros, cumbias, salsa, and son cubano.

Wednesday, June 5 at 6pm to 8:30pm LGBTQ Dance Night with ONE UP DUO and Stars of Hot To Trot Pride Party with Stars of The Voice As the only duo competing on the 2018 season of NBC's The Voice, Adam Bastien and Jerome Bell share more than just their love for music. In New York City, they were cast as love interests in a music video and quickly fell into a real-life relationship. Following the success of their hit single, Call My Name , these vocalists will co-host a Pride party at Bryant Park alongside the star instructors of the same-sex competitive ballroom dance competition documentary, Hot To Trot.

Friday, June 7 at 5pm to 10pm Latin Dance Festival: Celebrating Salsa, Bachata and Merengue with LA SONORA NUYORKINA featuring Mayra Bello, Osmay Calvo, and Wilson Quevedo Late Night Cross-Genre Latin Dance Party La Sonora Nuyorkina is a contemporary salsa band bringing a fresh sound to an array of Latin traditional styles of music. The band's repertoire ranges from original material to the most popular hits of today. Trumpeter, salsa dancer and founding member Wilson Portuondo founded La Sonora Nuyorkina in 2010 out of a desire to cater to NYC's growing and diverse dance community, stressing innovative arrangements and quality music. The members of La Sonora hail from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Ecuador, as well as the United States. Each musician brings their unique taste, talent, and experience to inform La Sonora's vibrant and internationally acclaimed sound.