Lincoln Center Announces MIDSUMMER NIGHT SWING, 6/27-7/2

Lincoln Center's 23rd season of Midsummer Night Swing kicks off on Monday, June 27th with a FREE Dancer Appreciation Night. Fans of New York's hottest outdoor dance party can try out the new dance floor at the band shell in Damrosch Park as they lindy hop to the sound of the Jonathan Stout Orchestra featuring Hilary Alexander. Dancers are invited to visit MidsummerNightSwing.org and submit their email address in order to win a free pair of tickets. Winners will be announced on June 13th.

Next up is a tribute to the dance history-making TV show Soul Train on the occasion of its 40th Anniversary. On June 28th saxophonist Pee Wee Ellis and trombonist Fred Wesley - famous for their work with James Brown - will perform along with special guests Martha High and Fred Ross. Original Soul Train dancer Tyrone Proctor will be the dance instructor, and the legendary Biz Markie will deejay a set guaranteed to get the crowd bumpin'. The evening will also showcase video clips from the show that changed forever the way America dances.

On June 29th the classic music of the Big Band era will be showcased by the Swingtime Big Band, 20 of the best musicians around. On June 30th the sizzle builds with the Eternal Tango Orchestra, led by bandoneón master Hector Del Curto. By July 1st it can't get any hotter - the incendiary samba king Diogo Nogueria comes direct from Rio for his New York debut. The flames flare on July 2nd when Aurora y Zon del Barrio brings salsa greats Yomo Toro and Larry Harlow to the stage.

Each evening of Midsummer Night Swing is a ticketed event, with a special, free, ticketed event opening the season on Monday, June 27th. The night begins with a dance lesson at 6:30 pm for all levels with some of New York's foremost instructors. Lessons are included in the price of admission. Live music and dancing is at 7:30 pm until 10 pm. All events take place on an elevated dance floor in Damrosch Park.

Midsummer Night Swing 2011 is sponsored by Macy's.

Midsummer Night Swing is made possible in part by grants from Daisy and Paul Soros
and Charina Endowment Fund.
New this year: Developed by Restaurant Associates' very own celebrity chef Ed Brown (Ed's Chowder House, "Iron Chef"), Restaurant Associates will debut "Street Food BBQ" during the run of Midsummer Night Swing. Guests and dancers alike can dine on street food by the country or region that the music is from, including Texas barbecue, New Orleans po' boys, Japanese campfire dogs, tacos and much more - all for under $10!

Tickets and passes are on sale now. Multi-evening Swing Passes are priced at $90 for six nights, and $160 for the full season. Tickets for individual evening events are $17.

The Swing box office is located in the lobby of Avery Fisher Hall, Broadway and 65th Street. Tickets for individual events and passes can be purchased in advance at the Avery Fisher box office or beginning at 5:30 pm on the night of the event at a box office in Damrosch Park. All major credit cards will be accepted. Tickets and passes can also be purchased through CenterCharge, 212-721-6500, or by logging on to www.MidsummerNightSwing.org. Twitter users can sign up to follow Midsummer Night Swing @LCSwing for ongoing news and updates.

Rain Policy Midsummer Night Swing makes every effort to present each event of the season, as long as unpredictable weather allows. Performance cancellations due to inclement weather will not be announced until 8:30 pm on show night. In the case of cancellation, ticket holders are entitled to exchange for another performance or a refund. Pass holders are not entitled to a refund. If a performance has begun and is cancelled after 8:30 pm, exchanges or refunds are not offered.

The schedule for Midsummer Night Swing's Week One:

Monday, June 27
Jonathan Stout Orchestra featuring Hilary Alexander Big Band Swing Founded by two veteran swing dancers, the Jonathan Stout Orchestra is music for dancers, first and foremost. Both Jonathan Stout and co-founder Hilary Alexander recognize the excitement of music that begs to be danced to - the music of the 1930s and 40s - and they and their fellow musicians deliver it. The band follows the templates of Benny Goodman and Count Basie with their tight and aggressive sound. Their soloists bring the fire to every number.
Lesson: Heather Flock
DJ: Ryan Swift

Dancer Appreciation Night: June 27th is the night to celebrate summer and try out the new and improved dance floor - Midsummer Night Swing opens with this FREE special event. Entrance is by lottery; dancers should visit MidsummerNightSwing.org to submit their email address for a chance to win tickets. Holders of Swing Passes are encouraged to enter. Winners will be notified by email on June 13th and will receive admission for two.

Tuesday, June 28 Soul Train: Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley* R&B, Funk, Soul
Extended DJ set by Biz Markie
Forty years ago Soul Train came into America's living rooms showcasing soul and R&B artists, with young people dancing along to the tracks. While the acts were great it was the dancing that captured the imagination and became part of American popular culture. The "line" - when individual dancers took their turns showing their best moves - was imitated at parties and clubs and to this day it is how America gets down. To celebrate Soul Train on its 40th Anniversary, Swing hosts a night of funk and soul starring two horn masters who had had a hand in creating much of the best funk ever recorded. Ellis and Wesley worked with James Brown, George Clinton, Bootsy Collins and others. They'll be joined by former Brown collaborators Martha High and Fred Ross, and the dance teacher will be original Soul Train dancer Tyrone Proctor. Spinning that night will be the one and only Biz Markie, the man who beat-boxed his way into the heart of hip-hop.
Lesson: Tyrone Proctor
DJ: Biz Markie
* Pee Wee Ellis and Fred Wesley play one set starting at 7:30pm, followed by an extended deejay set by Biz Markie.

Wednesday, June 29
Swingtime Big Band Swing, Ballroom
Long Island's authentic swing/ballroom orchestra - the 20-piece Swingtime Big Band - vividly brings to life the music of the swing era, featuring authentic recreations of classics from the libraries of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw, Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Woody Herman and other legends who made the 30s and 40s the golden age of swing. Swingtime plays all the music that Ballroom lovers want: fox-trots, waltzes, rhumbas, cha-chas and more. In December 2007, the Big Band Hall of Fame officially recognized Swingtime as "Ambassadors of Big Band Music" with a special award for the ensemble's efforts in "perpetuating, promoting & performing with integrity the sounds of the Big Band Era."
Lesson: Eva Carrozza
DJ: Michelle & Bob of MB Music Services

Thursday, June 30
Hector Del Curto's Eternal Tango Orchestra Tango
Hector Del Curto, Argentine master of the bandoneón, put together ten of the world's leading tango musicians to form the Eternal Tango Orchestra in 2003. His intent was to revive the great tradition of the orquesta tipica, or traditional tango orchestra, that played throughout Buenos Aires in the early to mid-20th century when the hypnotic music of the tango permeated every corner of Argentina. The Eternal Tango Orchestra now brings those sensuous rhythms to audiences around the world.
Lesson: Carolina Zakalski and Diego DiFalco
DJ: DJ KoTanaka

Friday, July 1
Diogo Nogueira Samba **New York Debut**
A supernova of Brazilian samba, singer/songwriter Diogo Nogueira hasn't been on the scene long but he has made an indelible impression. He won the Latin Grammy for Best Samba/Pagode in 2010, and he hosts a weekly show on TV Brasil, Samba na Gamboa, that showcases samba legends. That's a subject on which Nogueira is somewhat expert, as he is the son of celebrated composer João Nogueira. Nogueira raised his son singing and listening to samba at the informal rodas, or gatherings of samba composers and musicians. Diogo Nogueira has emerged as the most talented and sought after samba performer of his generation, and at last New York audiences will get a chance to see what the excitement is all about.
Lesson: Marizete and Kilby from Sambazina.com
DJ: Greg Caz
Sponsored by Samba 99 Antioxidant SuperFruit Bars.

Saturday, July 2
Aurora y Zon del Barrio, special guests Yomo Toro, Larry Harlow Salsa, Plena, Boogaloo
Dancing shoes will get a workout when Aurora & Zon del Barrio take the stage. Everything from funk-based classic salsa, merengue, plena, bomba and boogaloo are on their playlist. Aurora Flores, the gifted founder of the group, along with music director David Fernandez, explores Latin music from its roots in the African Diaspora to the urban streets of New York where Latinos live and play. They will be joined by "The King of Cuatro" Yomo Toro, whose 50+ year career playing the multi-stringed cuatro has taken him from his native Puerto Rico to all corners of the world. The group will also be joined by the legendary pianist/bandleader, Larry Harlow, "el Judeo Maravilloso."
Lesson: Jimmy Anton
DJ: DJ Turmix