New Victory Theater: Ephrat Asherie + Barkin/Selissen Project
The finale of Bryant Park's first-ever 'Family Day' features dance performances by renowned dance companies Ephrat Asherie Dance and Barkin/Selissen Project as well as fun, interactive moments specifically chosen for younger audiences. The performances are curated by New Victory Theater, as part of their summer series New Victory Dance, a program for New York City-based dance companies hosted by New Victory Teaching Artists.
EPHRAT ASHERIE, a 2016 Bessie Award winner for Innovative Achievement in Dance, creates work for the dynamic group of multifaceted dancers in her company Ephrat Asherie Dance (EAD). Rooted in a multiplicity of African American and Latine vernacular dances, including breaking, hip hop, house and waacking, EAD is dedicated to exploring the inherently complex and dynamic qualities of these forms as a means to tell stories, develop innovative imagery, and find new modes of expression. The company's central ethos is that of the club, where the collective consciousness energizes and celebrates each person's uniqueness. EAD has presented work nationally and internationally at ArtPower! at UCSD, Apollo Theater, El Festival Internacional Cervantino, Jacob’s Pillow, Joyce Theater, La MaMa, The Momentary, New York City Center, New York Live Arts, Spoleto Festival USA, White Bird, Works & Process at the Guggenheim and The Yard, among others. EAD is committed to educating, celebrating and bringing awareness to the history, expansiveness and vastness of street and club dance culture by creating and sharing innovative performance work and facilitating platforms for dialogue through workshops, film screenings, open rehearsals and pre/post-show Q&As
Barkin/Selissen Project (B/S P), a New York City-based contemporary dance company founded in 2009, presents the choreography of Artistic Directors Kyla Barkin and Aaron Selissen through live performance, film and workshops. The company strives to blur lines between the emotional and intellectual, dream worlds and waking states. With dramatic shifts from nuance to explosive athleticism, Barkin and Selissen’s choreography infuses fresh perspective on subjects ranging from the complexities of mathematics to the complexities of human nature. Barkin/Selissen Project has been presented at venues across the U.S and abroad including Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Out, SUNY Stony Brook’s Staller Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, West End Theater, 92Y, Bryant Park, and more. Partnerships for workshops include Sally Taylor’s ConSenses, Festival of the Moving Body, Communicating in Partnerships through Dance/Hartford Performs, Balance 1 Academy Berlin, Limón Professional Studies Program, and more. With a similar approach to teaching and training, the company promotes the coupling of techniques and modalities to prepare artists’ bodies for the challenges of the work. By creating a mindful and inspiring environment, B/S P provides a vibrant platform for artistic growth and refinement.
Part of the nonprofit New 42, New Victory opens new worlds to young people and families through extraordinary performances, education and engagement programs. Bringing kids to the arts and the arts to kids since 1995, this nonprofit theater has become a standard-bearer of quality performing arts for young audiences in the United States. Reflecting and serving the multicultural city it calls home, The New Victory is committed to arts access for all communities of New York to experience and engage with the exemplary international shows on its stages. A global leader in arts education, youth development and audience engagement, the New Victory Theater has been honored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities with the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, by Americans for the Arts with a national Arts Education Award, and by the Drama Desk for "providing enchanting, sophisticated children's theater that appeals to the child in all of us, and for nurturing a love of theater in young people."
Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America is a free outdoor festival that welcomes all New Yorkers to experience the city’s vibrant arts and culture. The series provides a platform for extraordinary artists and serves as a vital outdoor venue for a wide array of New York’s cultural institutions.
Bryant Park lends out hundreds of free blankets on a first-come, first-served basis, or bring your own cotton or fleece blanket. To protect the lawn, please do not sit on waterproof materials such as plastic tarps, yoga mats, or inflatable chairs.
Take a seat in one of the pre-set chairs on the lawn or grab a chair from the gravel. You can use a chair anywhere in the park except for the center lawn "blanket zone".
Bring your own picnic or purchase food and drinks from tents on the east side of the lawn. Attendees can enjoy cuisine from the five boroughs with a rotating line-up of artisanal vendors curated by Hester Street Fair.
Stout NYC also offers giant pretzels, gourmet popcorn and other light bites as well as a selection of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase.
Visit the Bryant Park Shop tent for exclusive Picnic Performances merchandise and more!
Find a parachute, hula hoops, and more fun on the east side of the lawn at select events.
Dogs are welcome on the gravel and bluestone, but not on the lawn.
Performances are cancelled when it is unsafe to be outdoors. In some cases, the lawn may be too wet to open but the performance may continue. Follow @bryantparknyc on Twitter and Instagram for day-of event updates. You can also check the lawn status on the bryantpark.org homepage.
