UB on the Green to Begin Second Season of Entertainment on July 22

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The vast green lawn in front of Hayes Hall on the University at Buffalo's South (Main Street) Campus will once again transform into an entertainment destination this summer as UB opens its second annual performance series for the community, "UB on the Green."

The free music and dance performances will be held from 6-8 p.m. on four Tuesday evenings: July 22 and 29 and Aug. 5 and 12.

In addition to providing all-ages entertainment, UB on the Green is an opportunity for the community to become more familiar with the university. It also is designed to educate, as well as entertain, with interactive demonstrations, and other hands-on activities, that are fun for the whole family.

Participants are encouraged to bring a picnic to enjoy during the performances. Refreshments will be available for sale. UB on the Green is an alcohol-free, family-friendly event.

The series will kick off on July 22 with a performance titled 'Mood Swings' by the Iacono Dance Company, Western New York's original ballroom and Latin dance company. Iacono will perform tango, cha-cha, swing and other ballroom dance styles. They will be followed by Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums featuring Carmen Getit, a high-energy swing ensemble out of San Francisco, Calif., boasting a live-wire performance style.

The acclaimed ensemble DanceBrazil, under Artistic Director Jelon Vieira, one of the first dance troupes to bring the Brazilian martial art capoeira to the United States, will headline the July 29 program. Outer Circle Orchestra, Buffalo's original World Beat music collective, also will perform that evening.

The Aug. 5 program will feature the Anat Cohen Quartet, a musical group combining jazz, classical, Brazilian, Argentine and Afro-Cuban musical styles. Esperanza Spalding, a talented bassist, composer and female vocalist whose unique sound incorporates the rich traditions of soul, pop and world music, also will perform on Aug. 5. Spalding will be seen on The Late Show with David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live in June.

The series ends on Aug. 12 with performances by two crowd-pleasing, culturally diverse dance companies. The Live In Color Dance Collective, featuring Caribbean, African, Latin and urban dance styles, recently was cast on the MTV show "Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew" and has won national video music and dance awards. Illstyle & Peace Productions, an urban dance ensemble that puts a unique twist on the spirit of old-school hip-hop, hails from Philadelphia, Pa.

"UB on the Green proved to be a great community builder last summer," said Sister Jeremy Midura, pastoral associate at St. Joseph's University Church. "I was delighted to mingle with families and singles and groups of work colleagues. It provided the perfect venue for gathering with neighbors -- relaxing, chatting and enjoying an evening of free entertainment. In addition, there was something truly nostalgic about sitting back in your folding chair on that broad green lawn in front of those magnificent stone buildings and enjoying the simple entertainment and presence of neighbors and friends on a warm summer night."

David Ellerbrock, president of the University Heights Collaborative, added: "UB on the Green is just one more reason residents and students can enjoy University Heights in a way they didn't expect. The campus green can be thought of as not only a pretty place to drive past, but a place to build a neighborhood with."

Robin Hibbert, assistant artistic director and choreographer with Le Ballet Touba, N'Dame Fall, was a performer at UB on the Green last summer. "Although my involvement in UB on the Green was personal and physical as a performer, I can definitely say it is a cultural event series that opens doors to the rich tapestry of our community's varied cultural heritages. This interdisciplinary performing arts series offers the community opportunities to appreciate and draw connections between their own cultural backgrounds with traditions, values, language, music, arts, dances and histories of other cultures."

For more information about UB on the Green, contact the UB Office of Community Relations at 716-829-3099 or visit http://www.buffalo.edu/YourUB.

The University at Buffalo continues to strengthen and sustain its impact as a public institution serving diverse communities locally and abroad by building stronger community partnerships that enrich and enhance UB's teaching and research mission. Through programming and these partnerships, the Office of Community Relations works to cultivate a culture of community awareness and engagement in our students, faculty, and staff, and to be a good neighbor to the communities adjacent to and beyond UB's campuses.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system, and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.