Summer Concerts Begin at Reeves-Reed Arboretum

Bring your blankets, lawn chairs & picnic baskets as Reeves-Reed Arboretum kicks off another summer series of concerts in the garden.

This summer, Sounds of a Summer Night 2016 will feature three extraordinary evenings of site-specific dance performances by the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble (njdte.org), and then the series will close on a high-rocking reggae note with a performance by the Massive Reggae Band (massivereggaeband.com).

Under the direction of Artistic Director Nancy Turano, the NJDTE returns to the Arboretum for a very special three-performance series that is the result of INKUBATE, a renowned summer dance festival featuring dance artists and choreographers in a "think-tank" that enables them to grow their ideas into a body of work.

On Wednesday evening June 22, emerging contemporary choreographers Patrick Coker of Jessica Lang Dance, Samuel Asher Kunzman of Peridance Contemporary Dance Company, and Julliard graduate Magdalyn Segale, will interact with and highlight the historic and beautiful Arboretum grounds through a series of intimate duets and trios.

July 27 pairs renowned electric violinist, Valerie Vigoda (on a national CD release tour) with Turano, in presenting a new work that explores the interplay of live music and the sounds of nature with the aesthetic sculpture of movement, and featuring thirty five dancers from the NJDTE's Summer Dance Intensive program.

The final dance performance, on August 31, master guest choreographer and legendary Alvin Ailey dancer, Elizabeth Roxas, will create an new work inspired by the Arboretum's water-themed art installation, THE BLUE PLANET, with movement reflecting the flow and power of water, and featuring a multi-generational cast of dancers from NJDTE.

September 14 will bring the summer series to a close with a special return engagement of The Massive Reggae Band based in Morristown, NJ. Massive specializes in reggae idioms with continuous music and infectious vibes, so bring your dancing shoes and come ready to rock.

Rain or shine (unless otherwise noted); Grounds open at 6pm for concertgoers to picnic. Performances are 7-8pm. RRA Members (thanks to underwriting support from Investors Bank) are FREE. Non-members are $10/person donation ($5 for students, free for children under 3). These concerts are made possible, in part, by support from The Grand Summit Hotel and Tracy and Nick McKee.

Visit reeves-reedarboretum.org for more information and to register.