JUST RELEASED: Target® Free Thursdays will preview Midsummer Night Swing with dance parties at the David Rubenstein Atrium this June!

The weather is getting warmer, and that means it will soon be time for dancing under the stars at Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center’s annual dance party, Midsummer Night Swing. To get ready (and break in the new dancing shoes) before Swing opens its season on June 25, Target® Free Thursdays presents two exciting dance bands this June at the David Rubenstein Atrium. On June 7, dance to the kickin’ sounds of rising young Cajun band Feufollet. On June 21, it’s sizzling swing dancing to the sophisticated sound of the Boilermakers Jazz Band, who have been past favorites at Midsummer Night Swing.

(Read the entire press release here.)

(Photo by Stefan Cohen)

JUST RELEASED: Free dance lessons from top instructors will be given at the David Rubenstein Atrium on June 6, 13 and 20, followed by dance parties, in anticipation of Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night Swing.

On these three Wednesday nights, dancers and aspiring dancers can learn how to swing dance or salsa before Lincoln Center’s outdoor dance party Midsummer Night Swing starts its 24th season on June 26. The “Dancing 101” evenings begin at 7 p.m. with music spun by a top DJ, then there is a dance lesson given by a noted professional instructor that runs from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Guests then enjoy dancing until 10 p.m. Cocktail specials will be offered, and refreshments will be for sale.

(Read the entire press release here.)

(Photo by Tony Cenicola)

JUST RELEASED: The debut of Orquesta Sarabia will be live streamed from the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center on May 17. The concert is a Target® Free Thursday performance, free concerts presented in the Atrium every Thursday sponsored by Target

The debut of Orquesta Sarabia will be live-streamed on AboutLincolnCenter.org. In addition, the Atrium’s Twitter account, @LCAtrium, will be engaging with live-stream viewers and Tweeting updates from the Atrium event. Online viewers are encouraged to join the conversation with #LCAtrium.

Known for his mash-up of Cuban-Jewish music, Roberto Rodriguez continues to evolve as bandleader composer with the debut of Orquesta Sarabia. Longing for the arrival of this dream project, Rodriguez pushes his prolific and cultural reality for a fresh dynamic sound with new arrangements from Baila! Gitano Baila! (his 2004 CD on the downtown Tzadik label), as well as new compositions.

(Read the entire press release here).

(Photo of Peter Giannakas and Dave Eggar)

JUST RELEASED: New free shows have been added to the May schedule at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center.

MusiKitchen with chef Peter Giannakas, cellist Dave Eggar, percussionist Chuck Palmer and songwriter Rachel Sage, plus special music guests, will take place on May 5 for family audiences and May 10 at Target® Free Thursdays.

(Read the entire press release here.)

(Photo by Todd White Photography, © Christian Marclay. Courtesy Paula Cooper Gallery, New York and White Cube, Masonʼs Yard, London)

JUST RELEASED: Christian Marclay’s celebrated work The Clock comes to Lincoln Center this summer; free and open to the Public

Following acclaimed showings in London, Seoul, Moscow, Paris, Boston, Los Angeles, Ottawa and Sydney, and last summer’s Golden Lion award for best art work at the Venice Biennale, Christian Marclay’s epic video installation, The Clock, returns to New York City with a free showing from mid-July to early August at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. The Clock is on loan from the collection of Jill and Peter Kraus. The exhibition will take place during Lincoln Center Festival 2012.

Dates and hours for The Clock will be announced shortly. Please visit: http://lincolncenterfestival.org/index.php/2012-the-clock for updates. Admission is FREE, on a first-come, first-served basis.

(Read the entire press release here.)

JUST RELEASED: The 2012 season of Midsummer Night Swing has been announced! The festival will run from June 26 –to July 14.

Highlights include:

- U.S. debut of The ABC&D of Boogie Woogie with Axel Zwingenberger on piano, Ben Waters on piano and vocals, Dave Green on bass and Charlie Watts on drums

- U.S. debut of Mestres do Forró Nordestino: a tribute to Luiz Gonzaga with the masters of Brazilian Forró: Maciel Melo, Biliu de Campina, Walmir Silva and the band Quarteto Olinda

- New: “Dancing 101s,” three pre-season nights of free dance lessons and DJs in the David Rubenstein Atrium

- New: “Silent Discos” following regular dancing on July 7 & 12, with dancers hearing music only through headphones

(Read entire press release here.)

JUST RELEASED: Eric Whitacre’s Virtual Choir 3 - Water Night will be launched at Lincoln Center on April 2

Composer Eric Whitacre will premiere Virtual Choir 3 – Water Night on Monday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m. in the David Rubenstein Atrium. Whitacre’s previous virtual choir projects, Virtual Choir 1 from 2009 and Virtual Choir 2 - Sleep, used videos from 12 and 58 countries, respectively. Virtual Choir 3 uses 3,746 videos uploaded from 2,945 singers from 73 countries, all singing Whitacre’s hauntingly beautiful choral composition Water Night, a 14-part piece he wrote in 1995 based on a poem by Octavio Paz.

Water Night will be viewed on the David Rubenstein Atrium’s 40-foot media wall. The premiere is a ticketed event and it is hosted by the Young Patrons of Lincoln Center (YPLC) and The Juilliard Club. This program is part of YPLC’s 101 series, a bi-monthly curated arts education series for young professionals.

JUST RELEASED: Asking For It, a one-woman show by Joanna Rush, will have a free performance at Lincoln Center’s David Rubenstein Atrium on March 29 at 8:30 p.m. as a special presentation of Target® Free Thursdays to mark “Women’s History Month.”

With humor and keen insight, award-winning actress Joanna Rush plays Bernadette O’Connell, who we meet for the first time as a 17-year-old. She also portrays a colorful cast of characters of both sexes, ranging from uptight clerics to sexy chorus dancers. WVOX radio said of Rush’s performance, “A delight … a fresh, wholesome sense of humor that is often missing Off as well as on Broadway…Asking For It … a big hit!”

(Read the entire press release here.)