Dance Party is Back

Bryant Park is the place to learn an international array of dance steps this spring, beginning tonight when Dance Party returns to the Fountain Terrace. Hosted by Talia Castro-Pozo, Dance Party offers free lessons in popular dance steps, followed a session of live music to which participants can test their new moves.

The season opens on tonight, Wednesday, May 2, with Salsa Dura, as 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. 

Throughout the following five weeks, the Dance Party schedule includes events featuring Bhangra (Indian dance music), Tangolandó (tango infused with Latin and African rhythms), Swing, Cumbia & Vallenato (from Colombia), and Bachata (from the Dominican Republic). Each of these events begins at 6pm with an hour of instruction, followed by 90 minutes of live music until 8:30pm.

Dance Party winds up in grand style on Friday, June 8 with the Latin Festival, five hours of live music and dancing hosted by Ms. Castro-Pozo and featuring performances by the Grammy-nominated New Swing Sextet, and renowned Venezuelan percussionist Luisito Quintero.