Last year, Lincoln Center creatively turned its Josie Robertson Plaza into a huge public lawn made for lounging and free performances, and this year it’s taking that outdoor performance center concept up a notch with a humongous dance floor.
Called “The Oasis,” the disco dance floor was imagined by costume and set designer Clint Ramos. And now it’s officially open for the season! And it’s even more impressive in person than its renderings made it out to be…
The dancetastic creation is blue with hand-painted murals, along with lots of mirrors so New York dancing queens will be reflected all around the space as they jive! Captivating lighting designs by Andrew Grant brighten up the stage at night, turning it into a full NYC dance party.
It’s now the site of tons of amazing summer events, all part of Lincoln Center’s “Summer for the City” public programming, which runs from May 14 – August 14, 2022. The dance floor itself, however, opened June 1 with a live Salsa Dancing lesson.
Throughout the whole summer you can plan for live music, silent discos, adapted dance lessons, dance parties, salsa, swing, soul and more on the Lincoln Center campus. Performing artists include the Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra, Danny Jonokuchi & The Revisionists, Típico Urbano, Felicia Collins, MaxBanda, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Hot Sugar Band, Yanos and Beats, Rachael & Vilray, and others.
Here’s a taste of the event schedule for this month:
- The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Silent Disco with Mark Ronson: Saturday, June 4 at 8 p.m.
- Lulu and the Broadsides: Thursday, June 9, Dance lesson at 6:30 p.m., Live music at 7:30 p.m.
- The Notorious B.I.G. Silent Disco, Friday, June 10 at 9 p.m.
- Second Line and Performance Pretty for the People featuring Bruce Harris: Saturday, June 11. Processional starts at 4:30 pm at Columbus Circle and travels north on Broadway to Lincoln Center. A 45-minute performance at Lincoln Center begins at 5 p.m. Join anywhere along the route!
- Noche Flamenca: Sunday, June 12 at 4 p.m.
- Poets on the Plaza: Select Wednesdays at 6 p.m.: June 15, June 29, July 13, July 20, and July 27
- Típico Urbano: Thursday, June 16, Dance floor opens at 6 p.m., Dance lesson at 6:30 p.m., Live music at 7:30 p.m.
- Rachael & Vilray (Swing): Friday, June 17, Dance lesson at 6:30 p.m., Live music at 8 p.m.
You can see the full schedule on the Summer for the City website here.
In addition to these activities, the dance floor will be free and open to the public during the day for passersby to enjoy.
Summer for the City will “animate every corner of the outdoor campus across 10 stages, as well as some of the indoor venues, with more than 300 artistic and civic activations,” a press release shares. In addition to The Oasis dance floor, there’s also an underground pop-up bar and performance space called “The Speakeasy,” an outdoor cinema coming with popcorn and drinks, and more.
Entry to all Summer for the City performances and events at Damrosch Park, The Oasis on Josie Robertson Plaza, the David Rubenstein Atrium, The Deck, Hearst Plaza, and The Speakeasy on Jaffe Drive will be available for free via General Admission—first-come, first-served. In addition to General Admission, there’s also a free Advance Reservation option for select Summer for the City events held at Damrosch Park, “The Oasis,” and Hearst Plaza. With Advance Reservation, guests can get priority access to events by booking ahead of time.
Find out more at SummerForTheCity.org.