Photo Andrew Fassbender
Bryant Park Picnic Performances
Juneteenth Celebration
Part of the Contemporary Dance Series
Featuring: Josh Johnson, Music From The Sole, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance and More
First-Come, First-Served Entry
All Bryant Park Picnic Performances Are FREE
Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America continues on June 18 with the final performance of the Contemporary Dance Series, a special Juneteenth Celebration. The performance features Tap sensation and Harlem native Josh Joshson, Tap with Afro-diasporic roots from Music From The Sole, and community-minded dance company Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance. Programming Note: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Music From The Sole’s previously scheduled performance has been moved from its previous date, June 11, to June 18.
Attendees may bring their own food or purchase from on-site food and beverage vendors near the Lawn. At most performances, attendees can purchase food from a rotating line-up of local NYC vendors curated by Hester Street Fair. COVID-19 vaccinations and masks are not currently required but Bryant Park will continue to monitor and follow updated New York City and New York State COVID-19 guidelines throughout the summer as necessary.
The 2022 Picnic Performances season is possible due to the generous support of Bank of America. “Bank of America is a long-standing supporter of the arts because we believe that a thriving arts and cultural community benefits both society and the economy,” said José Tavarez, President, Bank of America New York City. “So we are thrilled to once again sponsor Picnic Performances and combine our commitment to the arts with our partnership with Bryant Park. Together we’re helping New York City’s iconic cultural scene to thrive, while promoting green spaces and providing free access to live New York City music, dance and theater.”
Performance Details
Juneteenth Celebration
Featuring Josh Johnson, Music From The Sole, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, and More
Josh Johnson is a Harlem native who tap-danced on the trains of New York City to pay for college at Penn State University. The New York Times and Reader’s Digest have covered his amazing story of hard work, persistence and positivity. Since Spring of 2012, Josh has appeared on many national television shows sharing his life story and performing for audiences. Josh Johnson has been featured on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer and has made multiple appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. He’s been a Red Carpet Correspondent on the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, and has been featured on Dancing With the Stars in an AT&T Spotlight Performance.
Music From The Sole is a tap dance and live music company that celebrates tap’s Afro-diasporic roots, particularly its connections to Afro-Brazilian dance and music, and its lineage to forms like house dance and passinho (Brazilian funk). Led by Brazilian choreographer Leonardo Sandoval and by composer Gregory Richardson, their work embraces tap’s unique nature as a blend of sound and movement, incorporating wide-ranging influences like samba, passinho, Afro-Cuban, jazz, and house.
The mission of Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, Inc., is to provide an environment where student artists from diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds can achieve the highest levels of excellence through positive collaborations with teachers and peers. The mission is achieved through various programs including year-round mentorship and support. EMDOD’s teachers and staff ensure that every student is welcomed and celebrated in a non-competitive environment that supports value over volume. The organization strives to build a community of dance that enables each student to connect both technically, artistically, and spiritually with their own art and individuality. Participants collaborate with their peers as they learn from one another and their teachers/artists in programs that model mutual respect and celebrate diversity. EMDOD creates a community where participants can feel safe to explore and cultivate their dreams. Growing together, participants prepare for the challenges that lie ahead for them in the world of dance and life.
Complete Bryant Park Picnic Performances
Line Listings
May/June
June 10: Contemporary Dance: EMERGE125 and Ayodele Casel
June 11: Contemporary Dance: Ballet Hispánico’s Social Latin Dance Class and Dance Heginbotham
June 17: New York City Opera: Pride in the Park
June 18: Contemporary Dance: Juneteenth Celebration with Josh Johnson, Music From The Sole, Earl Mosley’s Diversity of Dance, and More
June 24: Emerging Music Festival Curated by AdHoc: Benét, Dougie Poole, and Daneshevskaya
June 25: Emerging Music Festival Curated by AdHoc: 95 Bulls, Talia Goddess, and Reyna Tropical
July
July 1: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Afro Latin Jazz Ensemble
July 8: Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Baylor Project
July 15: Carnegie Hall Citywide: Squirrel Nut Zippers
July 22: Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Broadway Sinfonietta
July 23: Jazzmobile: Bobby Sanabria Multiverse Big Band
July 28: Performers TBA
July 29: Carnegie Hall Citywide: The Hot Sardines Featuring Nellie McKay
August
August 5: Performers TBA
August 12: New York City Opera: La traviata
August 19: Asian American Arts Alliance: Rafiq Bhatia and Ian Chang
August 26: Habibi Festival: Esraa Warda & The Châab Lab, Firas Zreik, Yacine Boularès, and AJOYO
August 29: The Town Hall: Eighth Blackbird Celebrates John Cage
September
September 2: New York City Opera: Lucia di Lammermoor
September 8: Steinway Artists Aaron Diehl and Orrin Evans
September 9: Classical Theatre of Harlem
September 16: Accordion Festival: Heart of Afghanistan and More
September 17: American Symphony Orchestra
About Bryant Park Corporation
Bryant Park Corporation (BPC), a private not-for-profit company, was founded in 1980 to renovate, finance and operate Bryant Park in New York City. BPC is funded by income from events, concessions, and corporate sponsors, as well as an assessment on neighboring properties, and does not accept government or philanthropic monies. In addition to providing security, sanitation, and horticultural services, BPC offers restaurants, food kiosks, world-class restrooms, and a wide range of free events throughout the year. The Midtown Manhattan park is visited by more than 12 million people each year and is one of the busiest public spaces in the world. BPC’s website, bryantpark.org, offers more detailed information and a schedule of upcoming events.
Follow Bryant Park
Website: https://bryantpark.org
Twitter: @bryantparknyc
Instagram: @bryantparknyc
Facebook: facebook.com/BryantParkNYC
YouTube: youtube.com/BryantParkNYC
Location and Subway Directions:
Bryant Park is situated behind the New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd Streets & Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Take the B, D, F, or M train to 42nd Street/Bryant Park; or, take the 7 train to 5th Avenue.
