Lincoln Center Announces Midsummer Night Swing
June 25–July 13, 2019

•  Rare New York performance by Brazilian icon and “Queen of Forró” Elba Ramalho

• Trumpeter Bria Skonberg returns leading a new iteration of the Sisterhood of Swing, now with seven incredible musicians, including vocalist Catherine Russell
  

• A night of DiscoVogue with Escort, East Village icon DJ Lina, and MikeQ x Qween Beat celebrating WorldPride NYC

• Chulo Records’ Los Hacheros blend authentic salsa aesthetics with New York attitude
  

• Classic salsa rhythms on the Fourth of July with renowned bandleader Bobby Valentín and his orchestra
  

• New Orleans Jazz with five-time Grammy nominee Maria Muldaur performing the songs of Blue Lu Barker
  

• A new leader in contemporary swing, the Eyal Vilner Big Band
  

• Rising star Charles Turner & Uptown Swing, playing hard-swinging standards
  

• Return of Silent Discos, Dance Contest, and LC Kids Dance!
  

NEW YORK, NY (April 25, 2019) — Today, Lincoln Center announced the 30^th season of Midsummer Night Swing, celebrating the rich diversity of New York City with a wide range of sounds and dance styles from Tuesday, June 25, to Saturday, July 13, 2019. Fifteen nights of outdoor dance lessons and performances under the stars—covering genres like swing, rhythm & blues, ballroom, tango, salsa, and forró—bring to life the timeless magic of summer in the city.

“Over the past 30 years, Midsummer Night Swing has become a summer tradition for New Yorkers and visitors alike, bringing people from all walks of life together in Damrosch Park,” says Jill Sternheimer, Director of Public Programming for LincolnCenter. “New and seasoned dancers of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities are welcome to share the dance floor and experience the unique joy of social dance.”

The season kicks off in classic style on June 25 with veterans of the very first Midsummer Night Swing in 1989, Grammy-winning instrumentalist and bandleader Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. Returning in a new, nimble iteration after an incredible debut performance last summer, the Sisterhood of Swing Seven—an ode to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm—takes the stage, led by dynamic trumpet player Bria Skonberg, and featuring the transcendent jazz vocalist Catherine Russell. The explosive Eyal Vilner Big Band celebrates its brand-new album due this summer with a multigenerational ensemble performing inventive arrangements of swing and jazz classics, plus original compositions.

Iconic and contemporary acts bring Latin rhythms to Damrosch Park, including a rare NYC performance by Brazilian superstar Elba Ramalho. Known as the “Queen of Forró,” Ramalho creates vivacious live performances with her unmistakable vocals and songwriting, giving her a permanent place in Brazilian music history. Ringing in the Fourth of July is the Puerto Rico–based Bobby Valentín Orchestra, led by one of the most prolific arrangers and instrumentalists in Latin music today. Chulo Records’ Los Hacheros will move die-hard salseros and younger generations to the dance floor, andAnalía Goldberg, of the Argentinian orchestra Color Tango, leads her sextet in a night of golden-age tango.

Midsummer Night Swing’s DiscoVogue party joins the citywide celebration of WorldPride NYC on June 27, starring powerhouse nu disco darlings Escort, downtown staple DJ Lina playing classic house and club tracks, and innovators of the underground ballroom scene Mike Q x Qween Beat!. In July, disco beats return to Damrosch Park with fan favorites Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge playing the biggest hits of the 1970s. Both events will be followed by late night Silent Disco.

Foxtrot, cha cha, and rumba steps will turn the dance floor into a ballroom when Joe Battaglia & The New York Big Band hit the stand. Blues and swing fans will be wowed by the up-and-coming Charles Turner & Uptown Swing, who are quickly making their mark on the NYC jazz scene. Motor city soul will be on full display when Dr. K’s Motown Revue interprets the best of classic Detroit hits. Five-time Grammy nominee Maria Muldaur digs into the catalogue of New Orleans jazz and blues, performing her Grammy-nominated interpretations of Blue Lu Barker hits.

Once again, the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra will close out the season on July 13 with the 15^th-annual tribute to brilliant jazz soloist Illinois Jacquet, as dancers show off their best Lindy hop moves in hopes of winning the Ambassador Prize Dance Contest. Contestants can find the latest updates on registration details at MidsummerNightSwing.org.

LC Kids Dance with Dancing Classrooms is back for another year, teaching the basics of merengue, tango, salsa, and swing for ages 6 to 10, Saturday, July 13, from 3:00 to 4:30 pm.

“As the official hospital of Lincoln Center, NewYork-Presbyterian is proud to once again join in presenting this year’s Midsummer Night Swing,” said Dr. Steven J. Corwin, President and CEO, NewYork-Presbyterian. “We are pleased to support the health and wellness of all New Yorkers and celebrate diversity in the arts.”

Evenings at Midsummer Night Swing are ticketed events, on sale today. Admission includes a dance lesson for people of all skill levels, taught by some of New York’s foremost instructors. Through May 1, all ticket types can be purchased with no additional fees. Tickets start at $18. More information on individual tickets and season passes can be found below and at MidsummerNightSwing.org.

Live music begins at 7:30 pm and lasts until 10:00 pm, except on June 27 and July 2 when Silent Disco extends the party until 11:30 pm.

Midsummer Night Swing is one of several summer events offered by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts that annually activate the campus’s indoor and outdoor spaces. The Mostly Mozart Festival (July 10–August 10) brings extraordinary international artists, acclaimed stage productions, and concert performances to New York City. Lincoln Center Out of Doors(July 24–August 11), presents a wide array of free performances, including music, dance, spoken word, film, and more, reflecting the diversity of New York City. The David Rubenstein Atrium’s robust calendar of free events, including world-class performances, illuminating conversations, dance parties, kids’ programs, and more, also continues through the summer.