The City of Rochester announced a new program today that
will bring “pop-up” performing arts events into neighborhood parks and
playgrounds. The Art/Life initiative is a partnership between the City and the
Multi-Use Cultural Community Center, with support from Young Audiences,
that will present eight free, family-friendly performances in different
Rochester neighborhoods during July and August.
The first performance is Saturday, July 19, 2 p.m., at
Edgerton Park Playground, 41 Backus Street. Storytellers Reenah
Golden, Delores Radney, and Reuben Tapp will perform.
“We are blooming as a city of the arts,” Mayor Lovely A. Warren
said. “It is my mission to deliver artistic experiences to the residents of our
neighborhoods. Improving the vitality of our neighborhoods improves the health
of our city.”
The eight performances will include storytelling, dance,
theater, wildlife exhibits, and DJs.
The mission of Art/Life is to push the arts beyond the walls
of established institutions and into the community, engaging audiences and
families by “getting art to places people congregate,” said Doug Rice, MuCCC founder and general manager. “With a little bit of
effort, you can make a big impact.”
The full list of performances follows:
Saturday, July 19 — Reenah Golden,
Delores Radney, Reuben Tapp
(2 p.m.; Edgerton Park Playground, 41 Backus Street)
Tuesday, July 22 — Mounafanyi West
African Dance (7 p.m.; Merriman/University Park Playground)
Wednesday, July 30 — Rochester Latino Theatre Company,
Avenue D Players, and TheTruArt
Cypher Dancers (6 p.m.; Samuel Torres Park, Sellinger
Street)
Tuesday, August 5 — James Ryan’s Children’s Show with
Wildlife Educators Coalition featuring live animals (7 p.m.; Meigs/Linden Park)
Tuesday, August 19 — DJ Alykhan
and The Rochester DJs (7 p.m.; Genesee Valley Park, 1000 East River Road, near
the pool)
Saturday, August 23 — BanyokGuimilere Afro Cuban Music (2 p.m.; Ontario Beach Park
Bandstand, 4800 Lake Avenue)
Saturday, August 23 — Rochester Latino Theatre Company,
#Self-E School No. 19 Students, Avenue D Afro-Caribbean Dancers (7 p.m.; Ibero Family Center, 177 Clifford Avenue)
Thursday, August 28 — FuturPointe
Dance (University of Rochester Pedestrian Bridge, Genesee River Trail near UR
River Campus)
This article appears in Jul 16-22, 2014.
