New Yorkers can enjoy performances, talks and more online from the comfort of their home all summer long.
Starting July 6, the City Parks Foundation’s SummerStage Anywhere will highlight genres that were born in or deeply represent New York – Mondays: Contemporary Dance, Tuesdays: Global, Wednesdays: Indie Rock, Thursdays: Latin, Fridays: Hip Hop and Saturdays: Jazz. the content will be shared across the SummerStage Anywhere social media channels and will vary between exclusive digital performances, in-depth conversations, one-on-one interviews, DJ sets, and arts engagement programs for youth and families.
Every Sunday at 2 p.m., the SummerStage Instagram channel will host #PeopleSpeakSundays with featured guest curators of diverse backgrounds and cultures from various arts organizations and communities. Summerstage Anywhere’s Instagram channel will also host live Monday Meditations at 12 p.m. led by Karine Plantadit, former Alvin Ailey and Broadway Tony Award-nominated dancer, instructor, choreographer, certified yoga teacher and life coach.
“We are truly honored to bring the distinctly New York, curated lineup that our live NYC shows are known for to the rest of the world with our new SummerStage Anywhere digital series,” shares Erika Elliott, Executive Artistic Director of SummerStage. “Reimagining SummerStage digitally allows us to dive deeper through in-depth discussions with artists, arts engagement for families, and a look behind the scenes with curators and industry leaders, and of course, plenty of performances. We are truly going to be able to share the rich diversity of New York City with the rest of the world in ways we never thought possible.”
Starting off the series on July 6 is Dwight Rhoden, Founding Artistic Director/Resident Choreographer of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Rhoden will join SummerStage Dance Curator Danni Gee for our first live episode of Soundcheck: Curator Conversations at 7 p.m. EST on the SummerStage Instagram channel and will discuss Rhoden’s artistic vision, making work that reflects the times, and how the company has been staying engaged during the COVID-19 pause.
On July 7 at 7 p.m., SummerStage Anywhere will stream their first SummerStage Anywhere Session with performer and activist Femi Kuti. The event will kick off with a DJ Rich Medina of The Originals with a live DJ set starting at 7 p.m. EST, followed by Femi’s performance at 7:30 p.m. EST on the SummerStage YouTube channel and SummerStage Facebook channel.
Electro-pop singer Shura will hit the stage at 8 p.m. on July 8 for a special performance on the SummerStage Instagram channel. On July 9, Salsa dancers Ernesto and Denisse will host the first live SummerStage Studio: Digital dance class, which will be streamed on the SummerStage YouTube channel and SummerStage Facebook channel. On July 10, Fab 5 Freddy and A$AP Ferg will lead the first Hip-Hop Culture Talk at 8 p.m. on the SummerStage YouTube channel or SummerStage Facebook channel. A live Q&A will take place at 8:30 on the Facebook stream.
Finishing off the week is SummerStage Anywhere’s Jazz Culture Talk with Sheila Jordan & Christian McBride on July 11 at 8 p.m. EST available the SummerStage YouTube channel and SummerStage Facebook channel. SummerStage Anywhere will collaborate with VP Records for #PeopleSpeakSundays to host a beats workshop and a dub yoga session.
For updates and more information, visit cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage-anywhere.
