Lincoln Center To Host Summer Dance Party Series

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Lincoln Center may be the home of the Metropolitan Opera, but the performing arts organization still knows how to let loose and have some fun. For the 29th consecutive year, Lincoln Center will host Midsummer Night Swing — a series of nighttime dance parties held in Damrosch Park.

This year's first dance party will be held June 27 and the series will run for three weeks until the last dance party on July 15, Lincoln Center announced Tuesday. There will be 15 total Midsummer Night Swing events featuring a variety of live performers.

Some performers and styles for this year's Midsummer Night Swing series include: Margi & the Dapper Dots performing ballroom dance staples, Cuba’s Issac Delgado Orchestra performing during one of four Latin nights and Dale Watson and Ray Benson performing the Texas two-step and Western swing.

Each event will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a beginner's dance lesson, according to a Lincoln Center press release. After the dance lesson, live music will start around 7:30 p.m. and the party will rage until 10 p.m., according to the press release.

"For three weeks every summer, Damrosch Park transforms into New York City’s dance floor, bringing together people of all skill levels, ages, and ethnicities," Jill Sternheimer, director of public programming for Lincoln Center, said in a statement. "The beauty of Midsummer Night Swing is that the dancers on the floor, whether they’re beginners or long-time aficionados, are as much of the art as the musicians on stage. Night after night, we’re thrilled to be able to foster a community through the joy of music and dance."

Tickets for the Midsummer Night Swing series went on sale Tuesday.

Check out a teaser video for 2017's Midsummer Night Swing series below:

Check out the Lincoln Center website for ticket prices and a full lineup of performers.

Photo by Chun-Hung Eric Cheng via Flickr/Creative Commons