
Interview: Auzerais Bellamy, Blondery
CHEF INTERVIEW: AUZERAIS BELLAMY, BLONDERY By Georgette Farkas Have you had a culinary mentor, and if so, what is the most meaningful lesson learned from
By Great Performances
Explore exciting community events around the Bronx this month.
Friday, July 7th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Hip-hop hooray! Join us for a festive opening celebration of Dianne Smith: Two Turntables & a Microphone, featuring a special live appearance by legendary rapper, Slick Rick.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, we will debut Smith’s site-specific multimedia installation. The exhibition celebrates Black joy and expressions of identity that hip-hop has fostered through its community-building power, as evidenced by the parties back in the day.
Saturday, July 15th from 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Join The Bronx Museum, and Visual AIDS alongside Susan Spencer Crowe, Joe Lewis, Liora Mondlak, and James Wentzy in a gallery conversation around Darrel Ellis: Regeneration and their experiences with Ellis and his work, facilitated by the exhibition’s Curatorial Fellow Kyle Croft.
Saturday, July 15th from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: Concrete Plant Park
This fun, free, family-friendly event will be a celebration of our waterfront park, and an opportunity to participate in dialogue about our community’s resiliency in the face of climate change.
The Festival will include:
Sunday, July 16th from 11:00am to 12:00pm
Location: New York Botanical Garden (reflection pool)
Join historian Terrel L Armistead in a special tour along the Bronx River at New York Botanical Garden as they share the stories and histories of Bronx African Americans who built the Bronx and supported its development. This tour is centered around Morgan Powell’s legacy centered in researching and documenting the little known history of Bronx African American people and their contribution to the eco-cultural history of NYC. You can read more of these histories can be found in detail in his blog called Bronx Sankofa.
All Summer!
Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 3:00pm
Bronx Zoo is WILD about camp! Our summer camp allows campers to explore our 265-acre zoo and learn about animals and nature like never before! Campers will be engaged all week with fun activities, exhibit explorations and animal encounters.
Saturday, July 8th from 11:00am to 12:00pm
Location: Crotona Nature Center in Crotona Park
Our Urban Park Rangers are well versed in outdoor lore. Learn tips and tricks that will enhance your knowledge of the natural world, and might just save your life. Whether you are preparing for an extended journey through the woods or just want to be more prepared for any situation, an outdoor skills program is the perfect fit for you. Join the Urban Park Rangers as we discuss how to pack and prepare for any potential survival situation.
Saturday, July 8th from 11:00am to 2:00pm
Location: Watson Room 101
Get a little messy making seasonal berry jam! Trained in preservation techniques at Cornell, Stephen Nocera will show you three distinct methods of jamming, using less sugar and no additives or pectin. You’ll come away with the techniques and recipes you need to keep jamming at home, as well as three delicious jams that will transport you back to summer whenever you reach for a jar.
extended through October 22nd
This summer, experience the seductive beauty of gardens through the eyes of celebrated contemporary artist Ebony G. Patterson. Known for her lavishly detailed mixed media installations, Patterson brings her signature style to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and NYBG’s landscape and galleries, in a major site-specific exhibition featuring breathtaking and provocative displays of art and nature.
Patterson’s work will captivate Garden visitors with the beauty of exotic flora and garden-inspired installations—from a monumental peacock sculpture to swarms of glitter-encrusted vultures. Inspired by her immersion in NYBG’s collections, Patterson’s work explores entanglements of race, gender and colonialism while inviting visitors to contemplate their own relationships with gardens and the natural world.
Don’t miss this opportunity to see one of the most exciting contemporary artists of our time transform one of the most stunning settings in New York City like never before. Ebony G. Patterson’s summer exhibition at NYBG is a must-see.
Saturday, July 9th from 10:00am to 11:30am
Location: Canoe and Kayak Launch in Pelham Bay Park (northwest corner of Orchard Beach parking lot)
Spend a afternoon exploring the islands that surround the Orchard Beach estuary by canoe. Experienced paddlers only. Participants are chosen by lottery. Lottery registration opens on Wednesday June 28.
Saturday, July 15th from 11:00am to 12:00pm
Location: Section 2 Orchard Beach
Celebrate City of Water Day with our experienced Urban Park Rangers. Explore the shore of Orchard Beach and get ready to get your hands wet; seining program participants don waders and use large nets to catch fish and other marine life. All equipment is provided; this program is recommended for ages 8 years and older.
Every Tuesday, starting July 11th through August 8th
Location: Van Cortlandt Park Parade Ground
July 11: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
July 18: Planet of the Apes (1968)
July 25: Star Wars (1977)
August 1: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
August 8: Story Ave (2023) * Presented by Rooftop Films. Meet Bronx born filmmaker Aristotle Torres! *
Tuesday, July 18th from 3:30pm to 5:30pm
Location: Woodlawn Playground in Van Cortlandt Park
Families and children are invited to join NYC Parks for an afternoon of fun while doing tie-dye with our staff. Participants are encouraged to bring a new tee shirt or clothing for this amazing transformation.
This event is free and open to the public!
Did you know that Great Performances is headquartered in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx? We love being a part of the Bronx community, supporting other Bronx-based companies, and giving back to our community.
By Great Performances
As we honor both Black Lives Matter Month and Soul Food Month, it is important to acknowledge the significant contributions of Black chefs and restaurant owners to the culinary world. From traditional Southern dishes to unique and creative fusion cuisine, Black chefs and restaurant owners have brought immense talent and creativity to the industry. We are honored to partner with Black chefs and restaurant owners who have made an impact on the culinary scene, both locally and nationally.
Join us as we celebrate their achievements, cultural heritage, and culinary mastery this month and every month.
CHEF INTERVIEW: AUZERAIS BELLAMY, BLONDERY By Georgette Farkas Have you had a culinary mentor, and if so, what is the most meaningful lesson learned from
People’s Kitchen partners with Tris Pies to bring our guests pies baked by Tristan Trowers right in the Bronx!
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH By Great Performances February marks Black History Month, an annual American initiative designed to bring awareness and recognition of the achievements
People’s Kitchen partners with Charles Pan Fried Chicken to bring our guests Harlem’s Finest Soul Food by Chef Charles Gabriel.
CHEF INTERVIEW: JJ JOHNSON, FIELDTRIP By Georgette Farkas Founded in 2019 by Chef JJ Johnson, FIELDTRIP is a community-based dining experience that celebrates culture through
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
Monday, June 12th at 7:00pm
Location: Apollo’s Historic Theater
The Spring Benefit, The Apollo’s signature fundraiser, is a spectacular celebration of the Theater’s rich legacy and its commitment to its future as a mission-led arts and cultural organization, a community anchor and an economic driver for Harlem and New York City. Known as one of the hottest events of the year, the event brings together New York City’s elite business, entertainment and philanthropic communities in support of The Apollo.
Proceeds from the Spring Benefit support The Apollo’s important performing arts, education and community initiatives. The Apollo is a not-for-profit organization.
Tuesday, June 13th at 6:30pm
Location: Apollo’s Historic Theater
Tickets: start at $44.70
Tribeca Film Festival presents the New York Premiere of the upcoming film The Blackening at The Apollo’s Historic Theater. Tickets are on sale now!
Tuesday, June 6th through Sunday, June 11th
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Tickets: start at $35
Part of 2023 Winter/Spring Season
“America’s most popular dance company” (The New Yorker) brings its passionate energy and dazzling technique to BAM with two must-see programs that include signature works by Alvin Ailey—including his masterpiece Revelations—as well as recent and rarely performed pieces by renowned choreographers Kyle Abraham, Ronald K. Brown, and Twyla Tharp. Ailey made his debut on the BAM stage as a dancer in 1956 and established close ties to the community when the company began a residency at BAM in 1969. Today, under the leadership of artistic director Robert Battle, the company that forever changed American dance remains a vital force in the city where Ailey put down enduring roots—and around the globe.
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, The Adam Space (BAMcafé)
QUITAPENAS – Friday, June 9th at 9:00pm
QUITAPENAS was formed under the warm California sun, and around a shared love of dance rhythms from the tropical Afro-Latin diaspora. Made up of first-generation sons of immigrant parents from Guatemala and Mexico, the group echoes then remixes history, inviting you to give in to rhythmic elation. QUITAPENAS borrows aesthetics from the sunny “California sound” of the 60s and 70s, and works with only one goal in mind: to make you get up out of your chair and dance.
Endea Owens – Saturday, June 10th at 9:00pm
Known as one of jazz’s most vibrant emerging artists, Endea Owens is a Detroit-raised recording artist, bassist, and composer. She has won Emmy, Grammy and Peabody Awards, and has taught around the world. A Juilliard graduate, Endea Owens is forging a new future for her genre while honoring the jazz greats who came before her. Don’t miss this bass virtuoso when she brings an ecstatic performance to BAMcafé Live.
Saturday, June 3rd, all day
This program is free; registration is required and includes Museum general admission.
Celebrate Pride Month and twenty-five years of First Saturdays with a lineup of queer and trans artists. Together we honor the heritage of LGBTQ+ creative communities in Brooklyn while imagining their incandescent futures.
Thursday, June 8th from 7:00pm to 9:30pm
Location: Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden, 1st Floor
Tickets: $35 and include after-hours admission to Oscar yi Hou: East of sun, west of moon, your own Brooklyn Museum tote, and a complimentary drink. Member tickets are $25.
Sip and sketch in our backyard Sculpture Garden this summer with a monthly series of life drawing classes. Drink and Draw—this month, Drag and Draw—is open to all levels and accompanied by a refreshing beverage and musical vibes by local DJs.
Celebrating the arts of drawing and drag in honor of Brooklyn Pride, the June installment features models from Yas Mama, Brooklyn’s favorite night of Latinx drag. Experiment with colorful materials in this casual class led by teaching artist Natalia Muñoz. While you draw, enjoy music and shows by some of NYC’s best drag performers, hosted by Chata, mother of the House of Bushwig.
Join us to launch Caramoor’s 2023 Summer Season with our celebratory Gala Benefit Dinner!
Show your enthusiasm for Caramoor and enjoy what makes it unique: exceptional live music with an equally exceptional culinary experience, all in our stunning gardens and grounds. After a pre-performance cocktail party, you’ll make your way into the Venetian Theater for an Opening Night Concert featuring the unparalleled Broadway and operatic sensation Audra McDonald. With Great American Songbook melodies still cascading through your ears, you’ll continue on to a seasonally-selected dinner paired with fine wines and dessert.
On this special night, we celebrate Peter and Kate Kend for their support and committed service. Caramoor’s current vice chairman, Peter has served on our Board of Trustees for over 15 years. Through their dedication and passion, Peter and Kate have built a Caramoor community around them to ensure that music and the arts are available to everyone.
Saturday, June 24th at 12:30pm
Tickets: start at $49
Overview
Caramoor’s annual American Roots Music Festival is back with a day overflowing with spectacular music performed throughout our grounds spanning the genres of blues, Americana, folk, and bluegrass. Spend the day in the gardens and discover the next artist you’ll add to your playlist. This day features multiple bands and ends with acclaimed singer-songwriter / ten-time Grammy-nominee Brandy Clark.
Monday, June 19th and Tuesday, June 20th
Tickets: start at $20
Bryan Carter’s vision for a transformative live music experience returns to Dizzy’s Club: “Jazz at Pride was birthed out of a desire to create an environment where queer people, especially youth, could see themselves represented.” The award-winning drummer, composer, and vocalist brings together creative artists working in concert to create safer spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community on and off the bandstand. Join Carter and his fellow artists as they share their music, their stories, and the creative and essential impact of intentional community building.
Bryan Carter, drums/bandleader
Bryan Carter Jazz Orchestra
Special Guest Vocalists
Friday, June 23rd and Saturday, June 24th
Tickets: start at $25
A celebration of music, culture, and evolution, the Caribbean Diaspora Big Band radiates vitality across the Dizzy’s Club stage for this two-night event. Led by New York-based bassist and music director Jonathan Michel, the ensemble bonds classic and modern big band music of the Caribbean diaspora, transmitting infectious rhythms and harmonic and textural explorations. Don’t miss this vibrant performance featuring some of the music’s most exciting voices, including Kali Rodriguez-Peña, Giveton Gelin, Christopher McBride, Willerm Delisfort, and Katy Rodriguez, among other rising stars.
Thursday, June 1st through Saturday, June 3rd
Location: Rose Theater
Tickets: start at $40.50
Music by Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dave Brubeck played by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra will open each concert with a 20-minute performance.
A free pre-concert lecture will precede each performance at 7 PM.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis pays homage to three of America’s most influential jazz artists—Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Dave Brubeck—who along with their integrated bands, traveled the globe to perform as cultural ambassadors.
This program is presented as part of the Ertegun Jazz Concert Series.
Friday, June 9th and Saturday, June 10th
Location: The Appel Room
Tickets: start at $80.50
A high-energy spectacle blending American jazz with the sights and sounds of Trinidadian Carnival
A multicultural celebration of life, freedom, and history
The Anglophone Caribbean is the subject of Carnival: The Sound of a People, by Trinidad-born, Juilliard-trained trumpeter Etienne Charles. Charles was fascinated by Jab Molassie (Molasses Devil), the blue-colored, horned, winged, pitchfork-carrying, fire-breathing carnival characters in Trinidad and Tobago—and the people who become them for Carnival. He went to the village of Paramin on Carnival Monday, to watch them compete—only to dive in and start playing the biscuit tin along with them, getting himself splattered with blue paint. A scholar of Caribbean music and conservator of traditions who also extends the traditions in everything he does, Charles says of Carnival: “It’s music. It’s dance. It’s costume. It’s improvisation. It’s history. It’s social commentary, political commentary. It’s all of that in one word. And the only way to do it in a show is to have as much of it as possible.” This show makes its Jazz at Lincoln Center debut, rescheduled from June of 2020.
Join Poster House on the First Friday of every month for free admission and extended hours! Explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, performance, or activity throughout the day. Every First Friday is different, offering unique opportunities to engage with rotating exhibitions and the permanent collection. This June, celebrate Pride at Poster House with any of our LGBTQIA+ themed offerings!
Tickets: $45
Did you know that the Black Panther Party had their very own cocktail? Panther Piss was the official drink of the BPP and would often make appearances at newspaper distribution events, community gatherings, and other important meetings. Taking note from the Party, Poster House is pleased to welcome DC-based restaurateur Andra “AJ” Johnson for an evening of cocktails inspired by Black Power to Black People: Branding the Black Panther Party. Enjoy three different cocktails developed by this expert mixologist, paired with an exclusive tour of the powerful exhibition led by Curator Es-pranza Humphrey! Come for the cocktails, stay for the posters! Poster House Members receive 20% off in-person events by entering their email address at check-out.
WORLD PREMIERE
Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed by Eric Ting
In Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ world premiere of The Comeuppance, the latest from “one of this country’s most original and illuminating writers” (The New York Times), a self-proclaimed “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group” reconvenes for the first time in years to pregame for their twentieth high school reunion. They refamiliarize themselves with new versions of old selves over drinks, other substances, and a not-so-innocent truth-telling game. From the start, Death looms over and speaks through them, describing their disquieting and darkly comedic fates. The Comeuppance marks Jacobs-Jenkins’ prolific decade as a Signature Premiere Resident playwright.
The Comeuppance takes the place of Jacobs-Jenkins’ previously-announced Grass.
Join us in celebrating Father’s Day with our custom picnic baskets available only at Wave Hill. To celebrate, Wave Hill opens the Wave Hill House Lawn for picnicking. Bring your blanket and relax while enjoying our custom menu with your loved ones. In addition to picnicking on the lawn, limited seating will be available at Wave Hill House in Armor Hall and the Kate French Terrace. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
Order today at https://wavehillpicnics.square.
Location: Great Lawn, rain site: Armor Hall
Tickets: Free, and admission to the grounds if free on Thursdays!
Amy Schroeder, violin
Domenic Salerni, violin
Nathan Schram, viola
Andrew Yee, cello
In a special collaboration with Carnegie Hall, Wave Hill welcomes the Grammy award-winning Attacca Quartet for a free concert on the Great Lawn. With the dexterity to glide between music of the 18th and 21st centuries, Attacca Quartet has become one of the most versatile and outstanding ensembles of the moment.
“Classical music observers say we’re living in a golden age of string quartets. It’s hard to disagree when you hear the vibrant young players in New York’s Attacca Quartet.” —NPR
Presented in collaboration with Carnegie Hall. Lead support for Carnegie Hall Citywide is provided by the Howard Gilman Foundation.
April 7th through October 9th
As reported in the New York Times:
CityPickle is bringing the country’s fastest growing sport to Wollman Rink in Central Park! The rink will house 14 courts – the largest pickleball offering in the Northeast – with 196 hours of pickleball daily. Come play with us!
Whether you’re a pickleball pro or a newbie looking for a fun way to stay active this season, we’re welcoming all skill levels. Lessons, clinics, open play, leagues, and private events are also available. Grab a friend, grab a paddle, and meet us on the court!
CityPickle is proud to offer a professional playing experience with the court surface provided by Pickleball United USA, the official court partner for MLP and APP professional leagues and the nets provided by CD Pickleball Nets, the official net partner of the PPA and APP.
Every Tuesday, starting June 6th
Get ready to taste the best of plant-based cuisine at NYC’s first-ever Vegan Night Market!
Starting June 6th, Wollman Rink will host the weekly series, from MHG Events, featuring the city’s top vegan vendors, live music, and rotating food and product tastings until October 10th. Every Tuesday from 4-10pm!
Whether you’re a seasoned vegan or just curious about the lifestyle, there’s something for everyone at the Vegan Night Market.
Come for the food, stay for the fun, and leave feeling inspired to make positive changes in your life and the world around you. Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to celebrate all things vegan in the heart of the city!
By Great Performances
Explore exciting community events around the Bronx this month.
Saturday, June 3rd from 2:00pm to 6:00pm
Celebrate the opening of the exhibition Darrel Ellis: Regeneration, with music, family portraits, and more!
Music provided by Uptown Vinyl Supreme
2-5PM Family Portrait Studio with Michael Young
3 PM Curatorial-led tour with Sergio Bessa and Leslie Cozzi
Saturday, June 17th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Travel through time with exhibiting artist Abigail DeVille and filmmaker Paul Leiber. Join us for the second film and archive screening that unearths lesser known aspects of the Bronx history through unseen documentary footage and recorded oral history narratives. This event is in conjunction with the artist’s survey Bronx Heavens.
This is a great activity for beginners and families to join. Canoes will be available for partners and families, and kayaks will be available for solo paddlers.
Saturday, June 3rd at Starlight Park
Saturday, June 10th at Concrete Plant Park
Saturday, June 17th from 11:00am to 6:00pm
Location: 940 Garrison Ave, Bronx, NY
The Fish Parade & Arts Festival is an annual procession through Hunts Point connecting the community to the Bronx River. Like shoaling fish, the community marches together in a family-friendly, vibrant celebration. The parade’s vibe combines activism, joy, and community building. Participants often use banners, costumes, and puppets representing marine life. The parade culminates in an arts festival featuring live music, dancing, and art-making. The event is also a platform for Bronx residents and organizations to raise awareness about environmental issues and to advocate for environmental justice.
2023 marks the 20th anniversary of the Fish Parade and Arts Festival. This year’s theme is Rooted Visions. It is an opportunity to honor the achievements and struggles of those who came before us while inspiring us to continue working toward a brighter future.
Friday, June 16th from 6:00pm to 11:00pm
SUMMER BEGINS AT THE BRONX ZOO!
Brew at the Zoo, your favorite after-hours party for adults ages 21+, is back! Join us outdoors at the beautiful Bronx Zoo for great food, great drinks, great friends, and great memories. There’s no other party quite like this in NYC – what are you gonna do first?
Visit some of your favorite Bronx Zoo animals until 7:30pm – and party with the sea lions all night!
Saturday, June 10th from 11:00am to 12:30pm
Location: Crotona Nature Center in Crotona Park
Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month with NYC Parks. Birding is a fun and all-inclusive activity for all to enjoy and experience. Join the Urban Park Rangers as we explore the park in search of some birds featuring the colors of the LGBTQ+ pride flag, among others.
Sunday, June 18th from 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Location: Crotona Nature Center in Crotona Park
Our Urban Park Ranger hiking guides will introduce you to the hidden gems of New York City and places often off-limits to the general public. On our hikes, you can learn new things, or just take time to unplug from the world. Take a stroll through Crotona Park and immerse yourself in tranquility. This hike will take you through some quiet areas inside the park and allow the participant to disconnect from stress and clear their mind.
Special Guest: Brenda K. Starr
Saturday, June 17th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Location: 497 Hutchinson River Pkwy (Entrance by Ferry Point Shuttle)
The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and NYC Parks have teamed up again to present a series of concerts to celebrate New York Music Month! Come join our special guest: Brenda K. Starr.
Tuesday, May 9th through Friday, June 16th
Location: the Garden
Tuesdays–Saturdays; 1:30pm to 5:30 pm
Sundays and Monday Holidays; 10:00am to 5:30pm
Visitors learn about plant parts and edible plant parts with a focus on salad crops, and are invited to pot up their own rainbow salad mix to take home.
Each season offers a new theme to investigate through hands-on activities and take-home projects at the Edible Academy!
Saturday, June 17th from 10:00am to 6:00pm
We are offering complimentary tickets for Bronx residents to visit on June 17. Distribution of tickets is on a first-requested, first-served basis.
This summer, experience the seductive beauty of gardens through the eyes of celebrated contemporary artist Ebony G. Patterson during …things come to thrive…in the shedding…in the molting… Known for her lavishly detailed mixed media installations, Patterson brings her signature style to the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, and NYBG’s landscape and galleries, in a major site-specific exhibition featuring breathtaking and provocative displays of art and nature.
Saturday, June 11th from 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Location: Section 2 Orchard Beach, Pelham Bay Park
Celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride Month with NYC Parks. Learn about the history and significance of Orchard Beach within the LGBTQ+ community.
Wednesday, June 21st from 9:00pm to 11:45pm
Location: North Picnic Area, Pelham Bay Park
Grab a blanket and come enjoy a movie in a neighborhood park or playground! This summer, NYC Parks and The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment will host family-friendly movie showings across the five boroughs.
In the 1970s, 12-year-old Gru schemes and plots (with the help of the Minions) to become a member of the Vicious 6, an infamous group of supervillians. Chaos, adventure, and hilarity ensue after he manages to steal a valuable object from their headquarters.
Movies begin at dusk. This event is FREE and open to the public.
Monday, June 26th from 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Location: Southwest Playground, Van Cortlandt Park
Join NYC Parks and Council Member Dinowitz for a Skate Party at Van Cortlandt Park South. Come out and enjoy an afternoon of music, dancing, and skating. Skates will be provided while supplies last or, feel free to bring your own.
Saturday, June 29th from 11:00am to 2:00pm
Location: Southwest Playground, Van Cortlandt Park
Children ages 5 years of age and older are invited to join NYC Parks in partnership with Bike New York for a free Learn to Ride a Bike event. Bring a bike, a child and a helmet and learn how to ride a two-wheeler using the “balance first” method.
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
Thursday, May 4th at 7:00pm
Location: Apollo’s Historic Theater
Tickets: start at $81
High Level Conversations is the show that will change your way of thinking forever. Brought to you by 19 Keys, your paradigm of thinking will grow exponentially and forever be changed. 19 Keys is a Global Thought Leader-and one of the pioneers in the space of Web 3, Business, Mindset, Holistic Wealth, Tech, Metaphysic and Financial literacy, having millions of followers across the globe. He is known for his relentless efforts in matters of wealth creation and is the co-founder of initiatives such as The Block World Order (BWO), Goldewater, and Crownz Society. When people think of 19 Keys, they think of a self-taught 21st-century polymath who believes work is the cure to all our problems.
Location: Apollo’s Soundstage
Tickets: $28.50 (Plus $10 food and beverage minimum)
The Soapbox Presents: Stoop Sessions – May 5th at 10:00pm
The Soapbox Presents an evening of your favorite Harlem musicians taking the famed Stoop Sessions indoors to the Apollo Music Café for an evening of old school and contemporary R&B. This indoor party will be complete with a full house band, red cups, a stoop full of singers and a checkerboard dance floor for when the spirit moves you.
Gene Noble – May 6th at 10:00pm
Renowned singer, songwriter and producer, Gene Noble is bringing his impressive vocal range and smooth sounds to the Apollo’s Soundstage. This singer, songwriter, and producer has previously performed background vocals for artists like John Legend and Sting and written songs for Diddy and Faith Evans. Don’t miss an unforgettable night of R&B and Soul as this multi-talented artist takes center stage as a solo artist.
Wednesday, May 3rd through Saturday, May 13th
Location: BAM Fisher, Fishman Space
Tickets: start at $45
NEW YORK PREMIERE
CIE FOCUS & CIE CHALIWATÉ
Magical and profound, Dimanche gives fantastical theatrical form to our precarious existence. Winds rage, rain pours down, and the storm has only just begun. Three wildlife reporters attempt to document the last wild animals on Earth. Meanwhile, in a quiet city center, one family is dead set on having their usual Sunday dinner…
Spinning dreamlike fiction and humor with urgent reality, Belgium’s Cie Focus & Cie Chaliwaté weave together low-fi effects, video, puppetry, and clowning in a wondrous work of physical theater.
Friday, May 26th through Monday, May 29th
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Tickets: start at $25
GOLDEN GHANA: ADINKRA, ANANSE, AND ABUSUA
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ABDEL R. SALAAM
“This festival heals, pumps up, and moves one to tears.”—Dance Enthusiast
This Memorial Day weekend, the vibrant artistry and revolutionary history of Ghana inspires an immersive, electrifying celebration of dance. Now in its 46th year, DanceAfrica presents a choreographic and musical journey through the past and present of Ghanaian culture, connecting ancestral traditions to contemporary achievements on the BAM stage. Featuring performances by the National Theater of Ghana’s National Dance Company, the DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers, and BAM RestorationART Dance Youth Ensemble, this year’s tribute to Ghanaian excellence promises to entertain, educate, and empower.
Saturday, May 6th, all day
This program is free; registration is required and includes Museum general admission.
Honor worldwide movements for freedom and liberation while celebrating the creative collectives, partnerships, and chosen families that illuminate Brooklyn’s vibrant Asian diasporas.
For twenty-five years, we’ve hosted First Saturdays—monthly evenings of free programming welcoming visitors from central Brooklyn and beyond—at the Brooklyn Museum.
Thursday, May 11th, 6:00-7:30pm and 8:00-9:30pm
Location: Biergarten at the Steinberg Family Sculpture Garden
Tickets are $35 and include after-hours admission to Monet to Morisot: The Real and Imagined in European Art, art materials in your own Brooklyn Museum tote, and a complimentary drink. Member tickets are $25.
Grab a brew and create your own art prints inspired by Monet to Morisot: The Real and Imagined in European Art. Teaching artist Sam Kelly leads a class on collagraph printmaking—where materials are collaged onto a board to create a 3-D plate that is then inked and can be reused.
Friday, May 12th at 8:00pm
Tickets: Start at $40
Overview
Acoustic fingerstyle guitarist Yasmin Williams brings her unorthodox, modern style of playing to Caramoor for a solo show in the Music Room. Using various techniques including alternate tunings, percussive hits, and lap tapping, her “radiant sound and adventitious origins have made her a key figure in a diverse dawn for the solo guitar” (The New York Times).
Sunday, April 21st at 3:00pm
Tickets: Adults $20 / Children: $10
Overview
Join us on Friends Field for a voyage to East Asia and around the globe as multi-instrumentalist Elena Moon Park and guests perform reimagined children’s music, folk songs, and original tunes in a variety of languages. Expect to sing, dance, and clap along to northern Japanese sea shanties, Tibetan jump rope rhymes, Taiwanese train songs, lullabies in English, and many other unique songs.
Elena Moon Park, vocals, jarana, violin
Akiko Hiroshima, vocals
John Foti, accordion, vocals
Yoshi Waki, upright bass
Nicole Patrick, drums
Saturday, May 13th and Sunday, May 14th
Tickets: start at $25
A singular voice, a singular artist, Joy Brown transports listeners to her world. Her sets deliver as much realism as they do showmanship. Drawing inspiration from a multitude of styles, her artistry layers lyricism, personal phrasing, and an expression at once technical and deeply emotional. For this two-night event, Brown, alongside music director Luther S. Allison, interprets selections from Duke Ellington’s enduring canon.
Joy Brown, vocals
Luther S. Allison, piano/music director
Frank Lacy, trombone
Bruce Harris, trumpet
Joe Miller, alto saxophone
Jason Marshall, baritone saxophone
Peter Washington, bass
Russell Malone, guitar
Kyle Poole, drums
Omar Edwards, tap dance
Tuesday, May 30th and Wednesday, May 31st
Tickets: start at $25
Five-time Grammy-nominated artist Karrin Allyson brings a rare intimacy to her performances. The internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, and band leader enchants listeners with her reverence for melody and penchant for spontaneity. Translating original compositions or classic swinging repertoire, Allyson demonstrates a heartfelt mastery over her material. She has collaborated with global icons, including Regina Carter, Kenny Barron, Helen Sung, Madeleine Peyroux, Anat Cohen, and countless others. Her Dizzy’s Club band features Miro Sprague, Marty Jaffe, and Jerome Jennings.
Karrin Allyson, vocals
Miro Sprague, piano
Marty Jaffe, bass
Jerome Jennings, drums
Friday, May 5th and Saturday, May 6th
Location: Rose Theater
Tickets: start at $40.50
A celebration of two Latin Jazz icons lead by JLCO bassist Carlos Henriquez
There will be a free pre-concert lecture at 7pm for each performance
Tito Puente and Tito Rodriguez Centennial Celebration is Jazz at Lincoln Center’s centennial tribute to the iconic timbalero-vibraphonist and gregarious Nuyorican bandleader Tito Puente, a pioneering figure in Latin Jazz, and his sometimes rival, San Juan-born vocalist-timbalero-bandleader Tito Rodriguez, 1923 babies who revolutionized the Latin dance scene of the 1950s and 1960s. No musician is more qualified to re-interpret their music than Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra bassist-composer-arranger Carlos Henriquez, who assembles an all-star band for the occasion.
Friday, May 19th and Saturday, May 20th
Location: Rose Theater
Tickets: start at $40.50
In 2020, Cécile McLorin Salvant was one of 20 individuals to receive an honor, colloquially known as the “Genius Grant,” from the MacArthur Foundation. Recent JALC performances by the abundantly gifted singer-songwriter, one of the leading jazz artists of her generation, showcased her orchestral suite Ogresse and repertoire from her Nonesuch album Ghost Song. This season, she returns to Rose Theater to premiere a new collection of music showcasing her unique voice and sensibility.
Performance Line-Up:
Cecile McLorin Salvant, vocals
Sullivan Fortner, piano
Yasushi Nakamura, bass
Savannah Harris, drums
Weedie Braimah, percussion
Join Poster House on the First Friday of every month for free admission and extended hours! Explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, performance, or activity throughout the day. Every First Friday is different, offering unique opportunities to engage with rotating exhibitions and the permanent collection.
Tickets: $30
Poster House is pleased to welcome New York-based tea master Yoshitsugu Nagano for a tea ceremony situated within the world of chanoy that has been handed down from Oribe. This special tea room space will be designed by actively incorporating the colors and composition of 20th-century Japanese posters featured in Made in Japan.
Participants will get to enjoy a cup of powdered green tea prepared exclusively for this special experience of Japanese culture.
WORLD PREMIERE
Written by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins
Directed by Eric Ting
In Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ world premiere of The Comeuppance, the latest from “one of this country’s most original and illuminating writers” (The New York Times), a self-proclaimed “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group” reconvenes for the first time in years to pregame for their twentieth high school reunion. They refamiliarize themselves with new versions of old selves over drinks, other substances, and a not-so-innocent truth-telling game. From the start, Death looms over and speaks through them, describing their disquieting and darkly comedic fates. The Comeuppance marks Jacobs-Jenkins’ prolific decade as a Signature Premiere Resident playwright.
The Comeuppance takes the place of Jacobs-Jenkins’ previously-announced Grass.
Wonderfully timed to coincide with the arrival of spring, Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to pull out all the stops. Plan to spend the day in the gardens, with a special Family Art Project, a guided walk in the gardens, a session of spring birding, a free session of community yoga and a family nature walk.
Enjoy the very rare opportunity to picnic on the Wave Hill House Lawn. Bring your own feast or purchase a delicious picnic curated by our exclusive partner Great Performances. Reservations are required by end-of-day Saturday, May 6. If you would like to picnic on the Wave Hill House Lawn, you may bring your own blanket and outdoor folding chairs. Limited, first come, first served seating will also be available in Armor Hall and on the Kate French Terrace. Menus and reservations at wavehillpicnics.square.site.
Location: Glyndor Gallery
Tickets: Free with Admission to the Grounds
Join us for a gallery walkthrough of the exhibition This Place We Once Remembered featuring works by former Winter Workspace artists-in-residence who draw from lived experience and historical records to conjure memories that move between ancestral pasts and speculative futures. Exhibiting artists Dana Levy and Yelaine Rodriguez discuss their works on view as they relate to the permeable nature of memory, both on an individual and historical scale. Following the walkthrough, the artists will screen related video and film projects.
In the first screening, Levy presents three generations of family in This Was Home (2016): the artist’s maternal grandfather, the artist’s father and the artist herself as they return to their childhood homes in Sosnowiec, Poland; Cairo, Egypt; and Atlanta, Georgia, respectively, with each chapter contributing to the age-old history of Jewish wanderings. The second screening will present EBBÓ (Sacrifice), a short 2021 film directed and produced by Rodriguez that expresses and reinvents Afro-Caribbean religious, aesthetic and musical heritage. Based on the 1998 opera-oratorio by Cuban composer Louis Aguirre and librettist Rafael Almanza, the film is centered on the story of Queen Apetebí who, in refusing to sacrifice her fantastical pet bird to Orula, her protector Orisha and master of divination, brings on the destruction of her kingdom and her own demise.
April 7th through October 9th
As reported in the New York Times:
CityPickle is bringing the country’s fastest growing sport to Wollman Rink in Central Park! The rink will house 14 courts – the largest pickleball offering in the Northeast – with 196 hours of pickleball daily. Come play with us!
Whether you’re a pickleball pro or a newbie looking for a fun way to stay active this season, we’re welcoming all skill levels. Lessons, clinics, open play, leagues, and private events are also available. Grab a friend, grab a paddle, and meet us on the court!
CityPickle is proud to offer a professional playing experience with the court surface provided by Pickleball United USA, the official court partner for MLP and APP professional leagues and the nets provided by CD Pickleball Nets, the official net partner of the PPA and APP.
By Great Performances
Explore exciting community events around the Bronx this month.
Saturday, May 6th from 4:00pm to 6:00pm
Presented in partnership with NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, on the lower frequencies is a roundtable discussion centered on the recent lux et veritas: pushing a white wall exhibition curated by Bonnie Clearwater and publication by Skira. The conversation focuses on a group of art students of color who attended Yale University mainly between 2000 and 2010, and they will share stories on collaborating, in particular through collectives; supporting one another; and ways of achieving critical and personal success within institutional structures. Moderated by cultural practitioner, william cordova, this conversation features Abigail DeVille, Rashawn Griffin, Leslie Hewitt, Jamerry Kim, and Shoshanna Weinberger. Following the discussion will be a walkthrough by Abigail DeVille of her exhibition Bronx Heavens.
Saturday, May 6th from 8:00am to 2:30pm
Location: Shoelace Park to Starlight Park
Join us on Saturday May 6 (rain date: May 20) for a 4-mile paddle down the Bronx River to raise funds for the Alliance’s Paddling Program and the River!
Take advantage of this limited opportunity to paddle through the ONLY freshwater river in all of New York City. We hope to see you there!
Saturday, May 13th from 10:30am to 1:00pm
Location: River Garden (180th and Devoe Ave)
Celebrate the sites along the beautiful Bronx River during Bronx Week 2023! This tour will visit the longstanding and productive River Garden, one of the oldest community gardens in the Bronx which features large productive beds and sustainable gardening practices including rainwater harvesting and composting, and provides seasonal community events for all. Next we’ll walk to Starlight Park where you’ll enjoy a healthy food tasting and learn more about the Bronx River where dolphins were spotted earlier this year! We’ll close off the tour at the nearby Concrete Plant Park, a former concrete plant that now hosts the Bronx River Foodway, one of NYC’s only edible food forest, growing food and medicinal plants.
Saturday, May 6th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Location: Crotona Nature Center in Crotona Park
Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with NYC Parks! Join the Urban Park Rangers and learn about Ginkgo trees and their significance in Asian culture and folklore. Then end with creating your own Ginkgo-inspired craft!
Sunday, May 14th from 12:00pm to 1:00pm
Location: Crotona Nature Center in Crotona Park
Join the Urban Park Rangers for the Nature’s Workshop series. Each program in this series explores its topic in-depth and allows you to develop a skill, participate in a hands-on project, and indulge your curiosity. Join the Urban Park Rangers in appreciation of blooming flowers and learn how to press and preserve them. Bring your own book to take your blooms with you.
Sunday, May 28th from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Location: Ferry Point Park, 511 Balcom Avenue and Dewey Avenue
Join NYC Parks and Council Member Majorie Velazquez for a Family Day Celebration at Ferry Point Park! Activities will include games, obstacle courses, sports, and much more!
This event is FREE and open to the public!
Saturday, May 13th from 12:30pm to 3:00pm
Location: New Roots Community Farm
As spring approaches and the bees gear up for another season of pollination and creating delicious honey, this workshop will focus on herbal infusions with raw honey. We will dive in on the benefits and medicinal properties of different herbal infusions and how they can be used as immunity boosters, for healing wounds, fighting off cold and flu symptoms, and combatting infections and allergies, among many other benefits. We will be using locally sourced Bronx honey to create our own infusions to take home. The free workshop will be hosted by NYBG in partnership with New Roots Community Farm.
Saturday, May 13th and Sunday, May 14th
Treat Mom to a One-of-a-Kind Garden Party
The most spectacular spring landscape New York City has to offer is the setting for live music, games, picnicking, and more.
Sunday, May 28th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Location: Pelham Bay Nature Center in Pelham Bay Park
Explore which plants are in bloom in our parks! Learn how to identify different species of flowers and pick up some botany basics on this engaging and educational hike with the Urban Park Rangers!
Location: Indian Field, East 233rd Street and Jerome Avenue
Grab a blanket and come enjoy a movie in a neighborhood park or playground! This summer, NYC Parks will host family-friendly movie showings across the five boroughs.
Minions: The Rise of Gru – Wednesday, May 3rd from 8:00pm to 11:00pm
In the 1970s, young Gru tries to join a group of supervillains called the Vicious 6 after they oust their leader — the legendary fighter Wild Knuckles. When the interview turns disastrous, Gru and his Minions go on the run with the Vicious 6 hot on their tails. Luckily, he finds an unlikely source for guidance — Wild Knuckles himself — and soon discovers that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.
DC League of Super-Pets – Wednesday, May 17th from 8:00pm to 11:00pm
Krypto the Super-Dog and Superman are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime side by side in Metropolis. However, when the Man of Steel and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a ragtag group of animals to master their own newfound powers for a rescue mission.
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
Thursday, April 6th at 8:00pm
Location: Apollo’s Historic Theater
Tickets: start at $88
Multi Instrumentalist, Brian Culbertson comes to the Apollo in his only area performance. Fusing, Jazz, Funk, Pop, and R&B, Brian burst on the music scene in 1994 and has garnered 40 Billboard No. 1 singles as a musician, songwriter, and producer. His most recent recorded work is titled The Trilogy, thirty songs that populate three albums describing the arc of a long-term relationship. The Trilogy Tour will feature a mix of songs from The Trilogy albums, as well as the greatest hits from Brian Culbertson’s catalog. Whether you’re listening to music from The Trilogy on record or live in concert, you’re hearing an eclectic, entertaining and engaging set from an artist at the peak of his power.
Saturday, April 15th at 4:00pm
Location: Apollo’s Soundstage
Tickets: $26.50 (Each ticket includes a complimentary drink.)
FEATURED FILM: TONTON MANU
The Apollo continues its collaboration with ImageNation by co-presenting the Cocktails & Sol Cinema Series, a social gathering that includes a film screening, cocktail reception, and a post-show conversation with the filmmakers.
This special Africa Now! edition of Cocktails & Sol Cinema features Thierry Dechilly and Patrick Puzenat’s 2021 documentary, Tonton Manu, which follows the daily life of composer, musician, journalist, and ambassador of the Francophone world, Manu Dibango.
Saturday, April 1st through Sunday, April 16th
Location: BAM Strong, Harvey Theater
Tickets: start at $35
NEW YORK PREMIERE
BAM IN ASSOCIATION WITH A.R.T.
PRESENTS
THE WIFE OF WILLESDEN
ADAPTED BY ZADIE SMITH FROM CHAUCER’S THE WIFE OF BATH
KILN THEATRE
DIRECTED BY INDHU RUBASINGHAM
In her debut play, bestselling author Zadie Smith—whose books include the Man Booker Prize-nominated novel On Beauty— gives us Alvita, a Jamaican-born British woman in her mid-50s holding court at a North West London pub. After a sold-out, critically acclaimed run, this modern translation of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales comes to the Harvey Theater at BAM Strong. Directed by Indhu Rubasingham, with an ensemble cast starring Clare Perkins in a stunning, exhilarating performance, this exuberant and verbally inventive play showcases the pleasures of Smith’s quick wit. Rich with frank sexuality, it celebrates free expression and the human urge both to live stories and share them.
Saturday, April 8th at 7:30pm
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Tickets: start at $35
FEATURING ARCHIE SHEPP, LINDA SHARROCK, AND CLAUDIA RANKINE
Part of Eldorado Ballroom, curated by Solange Knowles for Saint Heron
“Freedom is something that has to be constantly monitored and watched.”—Archie Shepp
We invite sonic commotion for civic disruption through performance, poetry, and revolutionary thought. This show’s lineup features three artists who empower audiences to decipher the sorrow, rage, and angst of an era. The Cry of My People conveys aural imagery of Blackness and Black life in America for audience contemplation. With majestic composer, pianist and organist Amina Claudine Myers accompanying on piano along with a 10-piece band, Archie Shepp presents a selection of his spiritual yet radically charged works including the fiery and intriguing Algiers-inspired “Yasmina, a Black Woman.”
In her first live New York City performance since the 1970s, Linda Sharrock’s powerful vocal projections offer the audience a moment of witness to the voice as an instrument. Honoring Linda’s incomparable virtuosity—which prominently shaped Sonny Sharrock’s 1969 Black Woman album—the performance will activate an emotionally charged atmosphere of self-determination in a searing suite of empowerment.
Claudia Rankine shares select readings from her poetic works The End Of The Alphabet (1998) and Just Us: An American Conversation (2020).
Program Notes from Saint Heron
Thursday, April 20th from 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Tickets: $45 and include a specialty cocktail, small bites, and after-hours admission to Arts of Asia and the Islamic World. Additional beverages are available for purchase. Member tickets are $40.
Our season of Art History Happy Hours concludes with a celebration of flowers, just as spring blossoms are reaching full bloom. Learn about the language of flowers in Asian art with Joan Cummins, Lisa and Bernard Selz Senior Curator of Asian Art, and hear insights from Valentine Leung of Park Deli about this neighborhood destination for flowers and creativity. Plus, enjoy a special cocktail from Kenta Goto’s local spot Bar Goto Niban, known for incorporating Japanese ingredients into its unique drinks and bar snacks.
Tuesday, April 25th from 6:30pm – midnight
Location: Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion and Lobby, 1st Floor, and Beaux-Arts Court, 3rd Floor
The Brooklyn Artists Ball is one of the art world’s most beloved, fun, and inspiring events of the year. From the cocktail reception to our legendary gala dinner and not-to-be-missed After Party, it’s sure to be a high-energy, celebratory night!
6:30pm – Cocktails
7:30pm – Dinner and program
9:00pm – After Party, hosted by the Young Leadership Council
Cocktail attire
Sunday, April 23rd at 3:00pm
Tickets: Start at $40
Overview
The world-renowned Takács Quartet, now in their 48th season, return to the Music Room. The acclaimed Quartet brings a program including Haydn, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, whose works have recently begun to move out of her brother Felix’s shadow, and Schubert’s final quartet, in G Major.
Program
Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in F Major, H. III:82
Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel: String Quartet in E-flat Major
Franz Schubert: String Quartet in G Major, D. 887
An All-Bach Program
Sunday, April 30th at 3:00pm
Tickets: Start at $40
Overview
“Rachel Podger, the unsurpassed British glory of the baroque violin,” (The Times) has established herself as a leading interpreter of Baroque and Classical music. Podger was the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Royal Academy of Music/Kohn Foundation Bach Prize in October 2015, Gramophone Artist of the Year 2018, and Ambassador for REMA’s Early Music Day 2020. She performs an all-Bach solo program in the perfect setting for it, Caramoor’s Music Room.
Program
J.S. Bach: Sonata No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001
J.S. Bach: Cello Suite No. 3 in G major, BWV 1009
J.S. Bach: Partita No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1002
Thursday, April 13th and Friday, April 14th
Tickets: start at $25
Feeding each other’s creative fires, saxophonist-composer JD Allen and guitarist-composer Charlie Hunter explore a broad and integrative legacy of the blues through very personal, often experiential connections to the music, its lineage, and its staggering influence. Together, they deliver a ruminative and exploratory set, primed for new inventions of familiar melodies and original repertoire.
JD Allen – Saxophones
Charlie Hunter – Guitars
Greg August – Bass
Rudy Royston – Drums
Thursday, April 20th through Sunday, April 23rd
Tickets: start at $25
A rare and treasured artist and storyteller, Grammy-nominated vocalist, lyricist, and composer René Marie traverses complex themes and lush harmony with an otherworldly sense of space and time. Her sets leave listeners transformed. The sincerity and warmth she brings to her music has allowed her to collaborate over the years with iconic, stylistically diverse artists, as well as heavy hitting large ensembles, including Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra, Chicago Jazz Orchestra, and New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, among countless others.
Rene Marie, vocals
John Chin, piano
Elias Bailey, bass
Quentin Baxter, drums
FEATURING THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
Friday, April 14th and Saturday, April 15th
Location: Rose Theater
Tickets: start at $55.50
New works created by global jazz composers and brought to life by the JLCO.
There will be a free pre-concert lecture at 7pm for each performance
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Special Guest Paquito D’Rivera perform a pair of exclusive JALC commissions by mid-career masters—Tres Aguas by Cuban pianist Elio Villafranca and Colors of Colombia by Colombian harpist Edmar Castañeda. Castañeda is a transformative virtuoso of the Llanera harp, a traditional instrument from the Eastern Plains of Colombia and a fixture on the international jazz arena for more than a decade; he’ll mix the diverse rhythms of his homeland with the various dialects of swing, reminding us that Colombia and New York are in the same hemisphere. Villafranca’s Tres Aguas features dancers from Cuba, Peru, and the U.S. moving to music influenced by the rich Afro-Diasporic musical streams from Venezuela, Cuba, and New Orleans jazz. The common thread is long-time Jazz at Lincoln Center extended family member Paquito D’Rivera—himself a distinguished composer and authoritative interpreter of a wide range of Pan-American idioms on clarinet and alto saxophone—whose Panamericana Suite, which debuted at JALC in 2000, helped launch Jazz at Lincoln Center’s long-standing relationship to Pan-American music.
WITH DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER AND KURT ELLING
Friday, April 21st and Saturday, April 22nd
Location: The Appel Room
Tickets: start at $90.50
The world’s longest-running jazz festival returns to The House of Swing
Enjoy swinging tunes and stunning views in The Appel Room
Monterey Jazz Festival On Tour: Dee Dee Bridgewater and Kurt Elling with special guests Lakecia Benjamin, Christian Sands, Yasushi Nakamura and Clarence Penn is the latest iteration of once-in-a-lifetime ensemble performing under the distinguished imprimatur of the Monterey Jazz Festival, one of the world’s longest-running and most iconic jazz events, now celebrating its 65th year. Tony and Grammy Award-winning NEA Jazz Master vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and Grammy Award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling bring together the traditions they represent; with instrumental commentary from critically acclaimed rising star saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin and visionary young pianist Christian Sands, anchored by his longtime rhythm section, bassist Yasushi Nakamura and drummer Clarence Penn.
Join Poster House on the First Friday of every month for free admission and extended hours! Explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, performance, or activity throughout the day. Every First Friday is different, offering unique opportunities to engage with rotating exhibitions and the permanent collection.
Tickets: $15
Poster House is thrilled to partner with Randy Cohen of Person Place Thing for a live recording of this popular public radio series. Tonight, he will be joined by Poster House Advisory Board member and tartan legend, Nicholas “Nicho” Lowry. Nicholas wears many poster-related hats: auctioneer, specialist, lecturer, curator, historian, enthusiast, and collector. He is perhaps best known, though, as the President and Principal Auctioneer of Swann Auction Galleries, where he is also the Director of its vintage posters department. As one of the world’s foremost authorities on vintage posters, he has spent nearly 25 years serving regularly as a poster appraiser on the PBS television series Antiques Roadshow.
Join us to celebrate the trees in our gardens and neighborhoods with walks, art-making, a cooking demo, kid-friendly activities and more! By popular demand, arborists from Almstead Tree, Shrub & Lawn Care return this spring to host a family-favorite activity, the Junior Arborist Station.
Location: Wave Hill House
Tickets: Free with Admission to the Grounds
Nuts are an energy-rich food used by humans and wildlife alike. Walnuts, pine nuts and almonds are just a few examples of versatile tree nuts that can be used in savory and sweet dishes, and even nutritious drinks. Sample some tree-themed recipes, including bite-sized chicken nut puffs and a mixed-nut appetizer, then learn how to make homemade almond milk in this tasty demo with Chef Nick Acosta from Great Performances.
April 7th through October 9th
As reported in the New York Times:
CityPickle is bringing the country’s fastest growing sport to Wollman Rink in Central Park! The rink will house 14 courts – the largest pickleball offering in the Northeast – with 196 hours of pickleball daily. Come play with us!
Whether you’re a pickleball pro or a newbie looking for a fun way to stay active this season, we’re welcoming all skill levels. Lessons, clinics, open play, leagues, and private events are also available. Grab a friend, grab a paddle, and meet us on the court!
CityPickle is proud to offer a professional playing experience with the court surface provided by Pickleball United USA, the official court partner for MLP and APP professional leagues and the nets provided by CD Pickleball Nets, the official net partner of the PPA and APP.
April 26th through April 30th
CYCLE FOR SURVIVAL is a team stationary-cycling event and 100% of every dollar raised goes directly to rare cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). Teammates take turns riding, cheering, dancing, and hearing powerful speeches from rare cancer patients and survivors, MSK doctors, and MORE.
By Great Performances
Explore exciting community events around the Bronx this month.
Monday, April 24th from 6:00pm – 11:00pm
Location: Ziegfeld Ballroom
Honoring Olivia W. Douglas, Angel Otero, and Will Calhoun!
6:00pm – Cocktails
7:00pm – Dinner & Live Auction with musical performances by Eddie Montalvo and Orchestra
9:00pm – Dessert and Dancing featuring Angel + Dren
Thursday, April 20th from 9:30am – 12:00pm
Location: Burke Ave Bridge in Bronx Park
Join the Bronx River Alliance on Thursday April 20, for this Earth Week planting event in the Bronx River Forest made possible by DoubleVerify and the Arbor Day Foundation.
Saturday, April 22nd from 11:00am – 3:00pm
All are welcome to join Super Stewards and volunteers at Burke Avenue Bridge in Bronx Forest for a planting day and trail clean-up.
All tools and supplies will be provided to work on the Blue Trail. We will identify native plants, ecological function and plant to activate the watershed plan for Bronx Forest.
Saturday, April 29th from 8:00am – 2:00pm
Each year, the WCS Run for the Wild raises awareness of the threats facing wildlife while fundraising to help WCS’s conservation work at the Bronx Zoo and around the world.
The 5k race for individual runners will begin at 8:00 a.m.; casual runners and walkers can take part in the 3K Family Fun Run/Walk at 9:30 a.m.
More than 5,000 runners and walkers are expected to participate in this year’s event. All are welcome to stay after the race to take part in post-run activities and visit the Bronx Zoo.
Runners, walkers, and wildlife supporters are invited to participate and/or support a participant.
Wednesday, April 12th from 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Even when school’s out, our parks are still the city’s natural classroom! Bring your kids to parks throughout the city for Kids Week during Spring Break. With programs led by our Urban Park Rangers, kids will get to experience nature in a hands-on and fun way. Spend an afternoon of fun with the Urban Park Rangers playing and learning new and exciting nature themed games.
Saturday, February 18th through Sunday, April 23rd
Be Enveloped in Lily Kwong’s Fantastical Vision
Acclaimed artist Lily Kwong, the designer for The Orchid Show’s 20th year, presents a meditative and captivating design inspired by her ancestral connections to the natural world. Kwong’s vibrant and fantastical vision will envelop visitors in thousands of orchids, allowing them to reconnect to nature amidst picture perfect beauty.
Don’t miss this chance to be immersed in a mesmerizing array of orchids, enfolded into rolling mountains throughout the historic Enid A Haupt Conservatory, and to feel enwrapped in this one-of-a-kind experience. On select nights during The Orchid Show, adults 21 and over can experience the exhibition through Orchid Nights, with music, cash bars, and food available for purchase. Stay tuned for dates.
A former student in NYBG’s Adult Education program, Lily Kwong works at the intersection between landscape, wellness, and art, connecting people to nature through transformative projects and site-specific botanical art installations. Her work has been featured in the New Yorker, Vogue, Architectural Digest, Domino, Forbes, Fast Company and more, and her designs have been featured in New York City at the High Line and Grand Central Station, as well as in venues and gardens around the world.
Saturday, April 15th from 10:00am – 5:00pm
Fresh, homegrown vegetables are healthy and flavorful, and don’t have to be difficult to grow. Learn how to properly prepare beds and soils; gain key tips on planting and sowing seeds; discover ecologically friendly ways to keep pests at bay so you can have the vegetable garden you’ve always wanted! Please bring lunch.
10:00am-12:00pm – Seed Starting Primer
12:00pm-12:45pm – Break for Lunch
12:45pm-2:45pm – Vegetable Gardening Basics
3:00pm-5:00pm – Protect Your Plants from Pests
Even when school’s out, our parks are still the city’s natural classroom! Bring your kids to parks throughout the city for Kids Week during Spring Break. With programs led by our Urban Park Rangers, kids will get to experience nature in a hands-on and fun way.
Seed Bomb Making – Monday, April 10th from 1:00pm-2:00pm
Come learn how to make seed bombs with the Rangers and grow native wildflower seeds. Learn how wild flowers are vital for pollinators in our area.
Birding for Kids – Thursday, April 13th from 1:00pm-2:00pm
Bird watching can be fun, especially during the spring season. Learn all about different ways to identify birds in our parks.
Even when school’s out, our parks are still the city’s natural classroom! Bring your kids to parks throughout the city for Kids Week during Spring Break. With programs led by our Urban Park Rangers, kids will get to experience nature in a hands-on and fun way.
Nature Puppet Show – Tuesday, April 11th from 1:00pm-2:00pm
The Urban Park Rangers welcome you for some nature-themed puppet shows! Learn more about animals that can be found in our local parks.
Stories by the Camp Fire – Friday, April 14th from 1:00pm-2:00pm
Gather by the campfire to enjoy an afternoon of story telling and fireside activities.
By Liz Neumark
It’s hard to unpack the range of emotions on the 3rd year anniversary of the Covid Pandemic rupture. On the one hand, we love to simply forget trauma and hard times and move ahead. Conversely, the impact on our routines and lives has been so profound, it is impossible not to acknowledge the historic disruption that continues to permeate our world. The physical world and social environment has changed dramatically and we are still digesting the impact; professionally, personally and emotionally.
The 3 year story is as varied as we are. In this moment of look-back, we wanted to hear the stories from all corners of our GP community (friends, colleagues, co-workers). Remembering the details of how we felt, what we experienced and how we lived through the first global pandemic of our generation is essential.
Death, illness, financial hardship, academic disruption, mental illness, family upheavals are a part of the landscape. Some were shielded and speak of growth, discovery, even economic success.
The 3 year mark coincides with the official ‘end’ of the pandemic. Restrictions are lifted, the state of emergency is over. Crowded gatherings have returned, supply chain woes are replaced by other global disasters. The push towards ‘normalcy’ feels more urgent so that the mechanisms of our society can resume. For us, the ‘war’ might be over but the scars remain. Covid is not gone and the issues it exposed with great urgency, from equity and social injustices to quality of life issues to the fractures in our county, will continue to gnaw at our bonds.
What will we remember? What will we individually take away as lessons? How will we be changed? What have we learned as a society?
Below we share the stories our colleagues, partners, and friends have shared with us. And if you’d like to share yours, send them to us at marketing@greatperformances.com. We’d love to hear from you.
By Great Performances
Explore Great Music, Art and More at Our Partner Venues This Month!
Thursday, March 2nd at 10:00pm
Location: Apollo’s Soundstage
FEATURING: SAL HOLMES, MARIA SANCHEZ AND NEMA WILLIAMS
HOST: DARRYL DAMN
The Apollo Comedy Club, curated by the legendary Bob Sumner (producer of Def Comedy Jam, creator of Laff Mobb on Aspire), presents a night of comedic sets by Sal Holmes, Maria Sanchez and Nema Williams. This month’s host is comedian and writer, Darryl Damn. Jumpstart your weekend on Apollo’s Soundstage for a thrilling night of laughter, drinks, and tasty bitesin this long-running series that shines a spotlight on the best up and coming talent in comedy today.
Perfect for date night, or a night out with friends, don’t miss your chance to heat up your Thursday with the hottest ticket in Harlem. Doors open at 9pm; Showtime is 10pm.
The Apollo Comedy Club is a continuation of the Apollo’s 2022-2023 season, The Next Movement, an exploration of what’s new, now and next in music, comedy, dance, art and ideas.
Saturday, March 18th at 8:00pm
Location: Apollo’s Historic Theater
As a revolutionary virtual club that safely brought millions together to experience community amidst isolation, since March 2020 D-Nice’s Club Quarantine has been a global rhythmic respite. A multigenerational and multi-genre experience, Club Quarantine is a global celebration of music, life, and love. Since its inception, CQ has been a cultural linchpin, serving as a catalyst for innovation in music and social media to create a wholly unique event. Now, Club Quarantine will come offline again for CQ3, a special once-in-a-lifetime evening with D-Nice at home in Harlem at The Apollo’s historic theater. Celebrating three years of community, connection, and culture, join The Apollo, BrandNice and D-Nice for this Harlem Chic affair.
Following sold-out performances across the country, CQ3: The Harlem Renaissance will feature D-Nice with a special guest lineup to be announced. Tickets will go fast.
Saturday, February 4th through Sunday, March 19th
Location: BAM Strong, Harvey Theater
Tickets: start at $35
BY LORRAINE HANSBERRY
WITH OSCAR ISAAC AND RACHEL BROSNAHAN
DIRECTED BY ANNE KAUFFMAN
Oscar Isaac (Scenes from a Marriage, Hamlet, Star Wars) and Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Dead for a Dollar, Othello) star in Lorraine Hansberry’s (A Raisin in the Sun) sweeping drama of identity, idealism, and love. With direction by Anne Kauffman, BAM’s production marks the first major New York revival since the original Broadway run.
Hansberry invites us into Greenwich Village in the 60s, crafting a razor-sharp portrait of a diverse group of friends whose progressive dreams can’t quite match reality. At the center are Sidney and Iris Brustein, fighting to see if their marriage—with all its crackling wit, passion, and petty cruelty—can survive Sidney’s ideals. As if reaching across the decades, Hansberry’s incisive final work offers shockingly contemporary provocations.
Discover this “astonishing force” (The Chicago Tribune) from one of America’s greatest playwrights when it finally returns to New York.
March 3rd through March 19th
Location: Peter Jay Sharp Building, BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Tickets: start at $45
US PREMIERE
A PIECE BY PINA BAUSCH
TANZTHEATER WUPPERTAL PINA BAUSCH
The company that exploded the possibilities of dance, Pina Bausch’s Tanztheater Wuppertal, returns to BAM for the first time in six years with a US premiere from the late visionary choreographer. Created during a residency in Brazil in 2001, Bausch refracted the landscapes, sounds, movements, and music she encountered into a color-saturated fantasy. While infused with hints of danger, there is a joyfulness here that stands out among Bausch’s oeuvre, highlighting the legendary choreographer at her most exuberant.
A virtuosic work performed with fearless abandon, Água offers all audience members—from longtime fans to curious newcomers—the pleasure of immersing themselves in Bausch’s utterly singular vision.
Saturday, March 4th, all day
Celebrate Women’s History Month and twenty-five years of First Saturdays! This month’s theme honors the pivotal role of women and nonbinary people in social, political, and aesthetic movements for liberation. The evening’s programs highlight our recently opened exhibitions A Movement in Every Direction: Legacies of the Great Migration and Mary Enoch Elizabeth Baxter: “Ain’t I a Woman.”
Thursday, March 16th from 6:00pm – 7:30pm and 8:00pm – 9:30pm
Location: Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion, 1st Floor
Tickets: $35 and include after-hours admission to DEATH TO THE LIVING, Long Live Trash (last entry: 9:30 pm), art materials in your own Brooklyn Museum tote, and a complimentary drink. Member tickets are $25.
Grab a brew and create your own art prints inspired by DEATH TO THE LIVING, Long Live Trash, an exhibition featuring works by Brooklyn-based artist Duke Riley. Teaching artist Sam Kelly leads a class on collagraph printmaking, in which materials are collaged onto a board to create a 3-D plate that can be repeatedly inked to generate prints. Emulate Riley’s unique approach to his maritime crafts, made with materials collected from beaches in the northeastern United States.
Sunday, March 12th at 3:00pm
Tickets: Start at $30 / Free for children 18 and under
Mediterranean
In this mentoring program, Artistic Director Steven Blier selects four young singers and a pianist for a week-long residency at Caramoor. The week includes daily coaching, rehearsals, and workshops, culminating in this performance entitled Mediterranean — a musical voyage around the Mediterranean Sea, with stops in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Egypt, and Tunisia.
Artists
Shelén Hughes, soprano
Maggie Reneé, mezzo-soprano
Colin Aikins, tenor
Joseph Parrish, baritone
Yihao Zhou, piano
Steven Blier, Artistic Director & piano
Bénédicte Jourdois, Associate Director & piano
Presented in Collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center
Friday, March 24th at 8:00pm
Tickets: Start at $40
Join us in welcoming Jazz at Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Sean Mason leading his own ensemble at Caramoor. A sought-after sideman, he has performed and toured with jazz legends including Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, and Herlin Riley, among many others, and is noted for his ability to switch fluently between many different styles of music. Mason will be joined by the stellar members of his quintet in performances of his original music.
“WINDS OF CHANGE”
Thursday, March 9th through Sunday, March 12th
Tickets: start at $25
Pianist and composer Billy Childs releases his third album for Mack Avenue, The Winds of Change. With 16 Grammy nominations and five wins, Childs takes his rightful place among the lineage of piano masters. To hear his compositions is to know his singularity. But listeners find his resonance as a soloist — in full blossom on The Winds of Change — equally unmatched. His band features Hans Glawischnig on bass, Ari Hoenig on drums, and special guest Sean Jones on trumpet.
Billy Childs, piano
Sean Jones, trumpet
Hans Glawischnig, bass
Ari Hoenig, drums
Saturday, March 18th and Sunday, March 19th
Tickets: start at $25
Endea Owens evolves the legacy of great leaders behind the bass. Citing her mentors as Marcus Belgrave, Rodney Whitaker, and Ron Carter, she approaches her sets with commanding presence, sensitivity, and an elastic foundation primed for spontaneity. In recent years, Owens’ leadership has expanded to include community organizing, artistic curation, and facilitating cultural exchange as a global ambassador of the music.
Endea Owens, bass
FEATURING THE JLCO WITH WYNTON MARSALIS AND LEW TABACKIN & TOSHIKO AKIYOSHI
Friday, March 10th and Saturday, March 11th
Location: Rose Theater
Tickets: start at $40.50
A concert honoring iconic pianist/composer and NEA Jazz Master Toshiko Akiyoshi
There will be a free pre-concert lecture at 7pm for each performance
On The Music of Toshiko Akiyoshi with The JLCO with Wynton Marsalis and special guest Lew Tabackin music directed by Ted Nash, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis play the monumental compositions of the iconic pianist-composer Toshiko Akiyoshi, as they are joined by her on stage for part of the performance.
Manchuria-born, ethnically Japanese, Akiyoshi has been a force on the international scene since 1952, when the iconic pianist Oscar Peterson, on tour with Jazz at the Philharmonic, heard her in Tokyo and insisted that JATP impresario Norman Granz record her.
Akiyoshi—who moved to the U.S. in 1956, and will be 93 at the time of the concert—has impressed both for the comprehensive mastery and fierce distillation of the language of bebop master Bud Powell that she was able to assimilate early on in isolation from the U.S. scene and for her evocative corpus of sui generis works since 1973 for the Akiyoshi-Tabackin Orchestra with Lew Tabackin (who will play tenor saxophone and flute on this evening), combining swing, bebop, classical, and elements drawn from her Japanese heritage.
Friday, March 24th and Saturday, March 25th
Location: The Appel Room
Tickets: start at $70.50
Return of Brazilian vocalist and guitarist in The Appel Room since her sold-out performance in 2016
You can purchase the 9:30 performances on March 24 and 25 as part of the 9:30 in The Appel Room series – three 9:30 Appel Room shows for $99 (includes all fees) for any seat in the house while seats are available. Your Appel Room ticket stub can be used for a free cover to that evening’s Dizzy’s Late Night Session
Rosa Passos with Kenny Barron and Ron Carter brings the iconic Brazilian vocalist and guitarist to the Appel Room for the first time since her sold-out 2016 appearance with NEA Jazz Master pianist Kenny Barron. Their spellbinding simpatico will be enhanced by Passos’ reunion with Ron Carter—also an NEA Jazz Master who bass virtuoso Stanley Clarke once described “as the most important bass player of the last fifty years.”—after their lauded 2003 “Entre Amigos” album. While Passos has been called the “female João Gilberto” she is a prolific and distinct vocalist and guitarist with a playful yet sophisticated style, marked by perfect pitch and spacious elegance. Enhancing this first-ever meeting of these three masters is first-call Brazilian drummer, Rafael Barata.
Join Poster House on the First Friday of every month for free admission and extended hours! Explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, performance, or activity throughout the day. Every First Friday is different, offering unique opportunities to engage with rotating exhibitions and the permanent collection.
Did you know that teens always get free admission into Poster House? In celebration of our new exhibitions Made in Japan and Black Power to Black People, teens are invited to create a counterculture collage on notebooks.
Artists Yokoo Tadanori and Tanaami Keiichi, featured in Made in Japan, and many designers featured in Black Power to Black People contributed to the growing anti-establishment movement of the 60s, known as counterculture, in response to the civil rights movement, anti-war efforts, and anti-censorship movements. These artists utilized collage, digital media, and radical imagery to make bold and progressive demands to change the status quo.
Inspired by their work, teens will design their own radical counterculture message using collage. After they complete their notebooks, teens are encouraged to take what they create into the exhibits to explore.
OFF-BROADWAY PREMIERE
MacArthur Fellow Samuel D. Hunter, whose first work in his Premiere Residency – the world premiere of A Case for the Existence of God – ran at Signature to great critical acclaim, returns with the Off-Broadway premiere of A Bright New Boise. As i n Case, Hunter here captures a region of his home state Idaho – in the negative space of a depersonalized work environment – through the people who inhabit it. This dark comedic work depicts a Boise Hobby Lobby thrown into chaos by the arrival of a new employee sorting through a tragic past. Like Hudes, audiences can experience Hunter’s stage work alongside his unique dramatic vision on-screen: Darren Aronofsky’s film adaptation of his play The Whale, starring Brendan Fraser, is expected to be released by A24 sometime in 2022.
WORLD PREMIERE
MacArthur Fellow Sarah Ruhl begins her Spotlight Residency with the world premiere adaptation of her 2018 epistolary book, Letters from Max: A Poet, a Teacher, and a Friendship, “a resonant and profound contribution from two fully formed artists to the literature of illness” (Slate). Ruhl, whose accomplished body of work includes Eurydice and Pulitzer Prize finalists In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play) and The Clean House, shares letters and poems passed between herself and her former student Max Ritvo, as he candidly discusses terminal illness and tests poetry’s capacity to put to words what otherwise feels ineffable.
Location: Wave Hill House
Tickets: Free with Admission to the Grounds
Prickly pear, aloe, agave and dragon fruit are a few examples of culinary cacti and succulents. Find out how to select, prepare and serve some of these unlikely edibles with Chef Nick Acosta from Great Performances. Delicious samples include grilled cactus paddles (nopales) and a dragon fruit smoothie. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Succulent Sunday event.
Location: Armor Hall
Tickets: $30 Adult/$16 Student with ID/$14 Child (8-18), including admission to the grounds. Advance tickets $2 off. Wave Hill Members save 10%
With a welcoming sound that embraces cumbia, vallenato, rancheras, jazz and American pop, singer-songwriter Alea moves her audiences with messages of the spirit, calls for social change and free-flowing love. Originally from La Guajira, Colombia, Alea’s performance encompasses an entire generation of ethno-futuristic and folkloric music accentuated by buttery vocals, deep-rooted grooves and uplifting guitar. Alea’s in-person performances are powerful encounters of the spirit, passionate travelogues that link downtown New York to a tropical Colombian cantina.
October 24th through March 15th
Tickets: start at $10
Time to get your tickets for the wonderful season ahead!
As stewards of the historic gathering space that is Wollman Rink, we pledge to spark bliss that exhilarates the community’s sense of connection, positivity and possibility. We can’t wait to get this season started!
Thursday, March 2nd
Ice Theatre of New York® to present Pop-Up City Skate Concerts at Wollman Rink on February 2 & March 2, 2023 at 6:30pm in Central Park. (Rain dates are February 9 and March 9.)
ITNY repertory works will include Of Water and Ice, When Atoms Embrace, Take Five, as well as a new duet for Liz Yoshiko Schmidt and Danil Berdnikov by choreographer Lorna Brown, and more. ITNY will also give opportunities to guest artists and long-time performance apprentices Oona and Gage Brown.
These short Pop-Up concerts take place immediately after the ice resurfacing and are designed to inspire and delight the public waiting to skate the next session, while introducing them to the art of dancing on ice.