The Bryant Park Dance Party is a free Wednesday evening series of Latin dance parties at Bryant Park in Midtown, Manhattan from May 2 – June 8, 2018.
Bryant Park Dance Party
The Party is produced by Talia Castro-Pozo, the queen of Latin parties in New York City.
Learn to dance with free basic lessons from 6 pm – 7 pm.
Then try out your moves to live music from 7 pm – 8:30 pm.
The Party is fun for dancers of all levels. One of the great things about a Castro-Pozo dance party is that everybody dances with everybody whether you are a beginner or a master. It’s really fun. ¡Bravo!
Spring 2018 Bryant Park Dance Party Lineup
Salsa Dura: Doug Beavers & Titanes del Trombon – Tribute to Cheo Feliciano
Wednesday, May 2 at 6 pm
Salsa Dura is “hard Salsa” in the style of 1970s New York City.
2018 Grammy Nominee Doug Beavers brings his hard-hitting 3-trombone band “Titanes del Trombón” for a special tribute to one of his idols: Puerto Rican salsa legend Jose Luis “Cheo” Feliciano. The band will present Beaver’s all-time favorites of Feliciano’s as well as seldom-performed material from Cheo’s late-70’s and 80’s work.
Beavers is an American trombonist and band leader with an Afro – Spanish heritage. He is best known for his work with Eddie Palmieri.
Salsa is Cuban music popularized by Puerto Rican, Dominican and other musicians in New York City.
Bhangra: Rhythm Tolee Plays Bhangra & Bollywood
Wednesday, May 9 at 6 pm
For the first time, Bryant Park hosts a bhangra dance party. The joyful and free-spirited Indian dance style is taught by the acclaimed Bhangra Masala Dance Company. Live bhangra and Bollywood music is performed by award-winning New York-based Punjabi band Rhythm Tolee.
So you think Bhangra isn’t Latin? Many Caribbeans have an Indian heritage. Where do you think West Indian curry comes from?
Bhangra comes from Punjab state in the very north of India. Spanish Flamenco originated with the Romany people who were traveling court musicians there. Those of us who grew up in south Asia recognize our rhythms, melodies, voices and dances in Spanish Flamenco.
Tangolandó: Sofia Tosello & Yuri Juarez
Wednesday, May 16 at 6 pm
Tangolandó is a new form of dance music that fuses tango with varieties of Latin and African rhythms. Learn the steps to this cross-cultural art form, and then dance to live music by the artists – Sofia Tosello and Yuri Juarez – who helped create it.
Sofia is Argentine from Córdoba. Yuri is Afro – Peruvian from Lima.
Tango is from Argentina and Uruguay.
Swing: Svetlana and the Delancey Six
Wednesday, May 23 at 6 pm
Svetlana and the Delancey Six make sophisticated, sultry, foot-stomping swing music. Led by exciting young vocalist Svetlana Shmulyian, the band combines swing with pop and songwriter sensibilities to create revelries fit for the 21st century.
You think Swing isn’t Latin? Well Swing came out of Harlem. It was originally a Black dance and we are Black too. Latin Jazz is a mix of that Harlem big band sound and our Caribbean music. Where do you think Tito Puente learned to play like that? As a kid, he hung out at the clubs in Harlem.
Cumbia & Vallenato: Gregorio Uribe
Wednesday, May 30 at 6 pm
One of the most well-known and acclaimed Colombian musicians in New York, Gregorio Uribe brings his powerful band to perform a show featuring two classics of Colombian folk music: Cumbia and Vallenato.
Uribe is from Bogotá.
Bachata: Wilson Daniel & Orquestra
Wednesday, June 6 at 6 pm
Beloved Bachatero Wilson Daniel and seven other talented musicians from the Dominican Republic come together to play bachata with a classical feel and rooted sound.
Bachata is Dominican. Today it is loved everywhere. Bachata was just nominated by UNESCO for inclusion on its list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Latin Festival: Cha Cha, Boogaloo, and Salsa – The New Swing Sextet and Quintero’s Salsa Project
Friday, June 8 from 5 pm – 10 pm
An innovative exponent of Latin Jazz, Salsa, and Pop music for five decades, the Grammy-nominated New Swing Sextet plays Cha Cha and Boogaloo tunes that capture the excitement and turbulence of 1960’s New York.
Renowned Venezuelan percussionist Luisito Quintero – who has played with such greats as Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony, and Tito Puente and was Grammy-nominated in 2015 for his 3rd Element Latin Jazz album – infuses Salsa music with Afro-Caribbean rhythms to create a fresh and dynamic sound.
Visiting the Bryant Park Dance Party
Bryant Park
Sixth Ave between 40th & 42nd St
Midtown, Manhattan
The dress code is casual, but we dress up to go to the corner bodega, so…
Subway
- (7) to 5th Avenue – Bryant Park
- (E) to 42nd St – Bryant Park
- (B) (D) (F) (M) to 42nd St – Bryant Park
- (N) (Q) (R) (W) to Times Square – 42nd St
- (4) (5) (6) to Grand Central – 42nd St
For more information, visit bryantpark.org
