Program & Event Highlights, This Week in the Park

Memorial Day Music on Monday
World-renowned, Grammy-winning, bluegrass, country, and classical fiddler, Mark O'Connor, treats Bryant Park to an evening of strings at After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends.
6pm - 7:30pm, more info

Poetry Premiere on Tuesday
Featuring sunset readings by celebrated poets,Word for Word Poetry begins another sensational season at the Reading Room. Marilyn Hacker, James Tate, and Paul Muldoon share their latest poems on this special evening in the park.
7pm - 8pm, more info

Ping Pong Pros on Wednesday
Battle it out with the park's Ping Pong pros in our second tournament of the summer. Call (212) 768-4242 to sign up for one of 32 spots and the chance to winning bragging rights at the Bryant Park tables.
6pm - 9pm, more info

Unlock the Art on Thursday
Bryant Park is one of 24 sites in Key to the City, a scavenger hunt-like public artwork by artist Paul Ramirez Jonas, presented by Creative Time. Pick up a key in Times Square, then make your way through all five boroughs (first stop: Bryant Park!), unlocking surprises as you go.
7am - 11pm, more info

Fencing on Friday
En guarde! Learn the modern sport of fencing, completely free of charge, with masters from the Manhattan Fencing Center. Call (212) 382-2255 to pre-register or take a chance and drop by.
1pm - 2pm, more info

That's not all we have to offer! Multiple events and programs take place every day in Bryant Park. Visit bryantpark.org for the complete schedule.

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Bryant Park on the Web

Bryant Park's Sex Engineer (The Wall Street Journal)
Bryant Park Corporation President, Dan Biederman, explains why we conduct daily counts of men and women in the park

Great Dates in NYC (Time Out New York)
Play a game or two with your sweetheart at the park's Ping Pong area


On our radar

Tourists to Walk on 'Water' in Times Square, Thanks to Pedestrian Plaza Redesign (DNAinfo)
Renderings of the new look planned for Broadway's pedestrian plazas this summer

Plan Your Future Park (Gotham Gazette)
Learn about NYC's parks while building your own in this free online game

'Green' exercise quickly 'boosts mental health' (BBC News)
Study reveals the health benefits of exercising outdoors in parks

Scenes from Bryant Park 

 

Photo by Smaku from the Bryant Park Flickr Pool

Memorial Day Music at Bryant Park

Bill McGlaughlin introduces the Orion String Quartet on May 24 at Bryant Park

Mark your calendars for a Monday evening concert to top off your Memorial Day weekend.

The third concert in our new series, After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends, features world-renowned, Grammy-winning bluegrass, country, and classical fiddler, Mark O'Connor.

A product of America's rich aural folk tradition as well as classical music, O'Connor's major musical influences include Benny Thomasson, creator of the modern era of American fiddling, and French jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli, who is considered one of the greatest improvisers in the history of the violin.

Accompanied by a trio on violin, viola, and cello, O'Connor will bring his new American Classical style to Bryant Park. Peabody Award-winning radio host, Bill McGlaughlin, will be on hand to interact with the musicians and audience, and shed light on the significance of O'Connor's innovative multi-genre sounds.

Prolong your holiday weekend with post-concert refreshments at The Southwest Porch, located just steps away from the After Work stage on the Fountain Terrace. Present your concert program to your waiter or bartender to receive a 10% discount off any 'wichcraft sip or snack (valid only with the current evening's concert program).


After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends
Mondays, 6:00pm – 7:30pm
May 17 – June 14
Fountain Terrace

Bryant Park Events by Email

Keep up with this summer's programs and events in Bryant Park by having them sent directly to your inbox. Distributed on Fridays, our weekly events eblast is a helpful reminder of the upcoming week's activities and highlighted events.

Click here for a look at last week's eblast. If you like what you see, click here to sign up.

Bryant Park's New Litter Receptacles

In December we asked you to help us choose a new design and color for Bryant Park's litter receptacles. We received over 2,700 votes in our poll and many insightful comments about Director of Design Ignacio Ciocchini's patented receptacle prototypes, which were displayed in the park in three different colors and designs. (Click on an image to view a lager version in your browser).

The prototypes, left to right: Organic in Grass Green, Plain in Fern Green, Linear in Reseda Green

In addition to the results of our public poll, Ignacio considered the opinions of design professionals, colleagues, and members of city agencies when making his final decision on the perfect receptacle to complement Bryant Park. 112 brand new litter receptacles arrived at the park last week. The final product, a combination of the Plain design, Fern Green color, and light green accents for the "Bryant Park" lettering, perfectly complements the park's vegetation.

 

Bryant Park's old litter receptacles, left, and new receptacles, right

It was hard to decide on just one receptacle, so Ignacio worked out a way to put all his designs to good use. By the end of June, you'll find attractive new recycling units throughout Bryant Park in Ignacio's Organic and Linear receptacle designs. 15 Organic receptacles in standard recycling blue will be available for bottles and cans, and paper recycling will be designated to 8 standard green Linear receptacles.

Bryant Park's new receptacles, left to right: bottles & cans recycling, regular litter, paper recycling

If you spend more time in the 34th Street area than Bryant Park, you'll still get to take advantage of shiny new litter receptacles. Herald and Greeley Square Parks, which are maintained by our sister company, the 34th Street Partnership, will boast Grass Green Organic receptacles, as well as Organic and Linear recycling units by the end of June.

New receptacles for Herald & Greeley Square Parks, left to right: bottles & cans recycling, regular litter, paper recycling

Bryant Park on the Web

Bryant Park Wins Landmark Award from American Society of Landscape Architects (asla.org)

A Tour of Jolly Green Monster One Bryant Park as It (Officially) Opens (The New York Observer)
Images from the interior of Bryant Park's newest neighboring building


On our radar

Walk this way, NYers (The New York Post)



Lincoln Center Finally Gets a Lawn (The New York Times)
Green grass for the public tops a new high-end restaurant at Lincoln Center


Scenes from Bryant Park

Photograph by lily_bart from the Bryant Park Flickr Pool

The Many Birds of Bryant Park

Migratory season is coming to a close which means we're wrapping up a second year of free Birding Tours at Bryant Park, conducted in partnership with the New York City Audubon Society.

This year we expanded the program to offer two Birding Tours a week, on Monday mornings and Thursday afternoons. Participation in the sessions ballooned as birders of all ages and experience levels visited the park to check out the wildlife in Midtown.

Included in the list of species caught making themselves at home in Bryant Park during the migratory season were the Catbird (right), Ovenbird, Northern Parula, Song Sparrow, and Common Yellow-throat, as well as a Wood thrush and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that were spotted for the first time by Monday morning's group.

Final Birding Tour of Bryant Park
Thursday, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
May 20
Meet at 42nd Street & 6th Avenue



Another opportunity for bird lovers to get their fix throughout the summer is at Meet the Birds in Bryant Park, on Tuesdays at Le Carrousel.

Meet the Birds showcases exotic species like Eclectus Parrots Desi and Ruby, pictured above, African Grey Parrots, Macaws, Conures, and Parrolets that were rescued and rehabilitated by the Arcadia Bird Sanctuary and Education Center. Arcadia Director and Certified Avian Specialist, Terri Jones, is on hand every week to answer questions and help you get to know the beautiful species she brings to the park.

Meet the Birds
Tuesdays, 11:30am - 2:00pm
May 11 - September 28
Le Carrousel

A New Look for the Blog

What do you think of our new look? To match Bryant Park's beautiful new website design that launched last Friday, our partners from Moment gave the blog a makeover too.

For Moment to integrate the blog into the new website (you can find us front and center on the homepage!), we transferred the blog and all our previous posts over to the Blogger platform. Some links and formatting didn't survive the move in the best shape, so as you browse through our archives please be aware that we are still in the process of making every post look perfect within the new layout.

Blogger allows readers to keep up with our content using Google Friend Connect and makes commenting on posts very simple, so we hope you'll take advantage of these features to interact with us, share your thoughts, and ask questions about Bryant Park.

Update 5/20/10: If you have been reading our blog in your RSS feed (Google Reader, for example) you may need to re-add us to your list. You can find our RSS link at the very bottom left corner of the blog.

Three Series Premiering This Week in the Park

As the weather gets warmer the list of things to do in Bryant Park grows longer and longer.

This week, in addition to Bryant Park Petanque Lessons, Ping Pong, Chess, Fencing, Birding Tours, Meet the Birds, After Work Music, Game Nights at The Southwest Porch, Tai Chi, and Yoga, we’re launching three more programs for you to enjoy.


After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends
Mondays, 6:00pm – 7:30pm
May 17 – June 14
Fountain Terrace

After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends debuts this evening with jazz from the Karrin Allyson Quartet. Award-winning public radio host Bill McGlaughlin curated the series which also features the Orion String Quartet, Mark O’Connor, Imani Winds, and Tara Helen O’Connor.

Don’t forget that The Southwest Porch is offering a 10% discount to concert goers on Monday evenings, tonight through June 14. More details here.




Piano in the Park
Weekdays, 12:30pm – 2:30pm
May 17 – October 15
Upper Terrace

Talented New York area pianists, including Junior Mance, Frank Owens, Roy Eaton, and Ayako Shirasaki, return to entertain lunchtime crowds at Piano in the Park. Each weekday throughout the summer a different musician fills the Upper Terrace with toe-tapping jazz and ragtime tunes. Terry Waldo kicks off the first week of this season’s program, today at 12:30pm.




Word for Word Author
Wednesdays, 12:30pm – 1:45pm
May 19 – August 25
Reading Room

Bestselling authors, celebrity writers, and expert panelists will appear at the Reading Room this summer for our popular Word for Word Author series. Former Met and Yankee, Darryl Strawberry, visits the park this Wednesday to speak about his autobiography Straw: Finding My Way, answer audience questions, and sign copies of the book.

Visit www.bryantpark.org for a full schedule of programs and events in the park

Bryant Park on the Web

Dr. Ruth Will Dish Love Advice to Bryant Park Love Birds (DNAinfo)
A special host for our June 30 event celebrating couples that met, married, or became engaged in Bryant Park

With Wolf’s Help, Bryant Park Opens the Lawn (WSJ.com)
Photo coverage of last week’s lawn opening stunt

Artist Struts Her Stuff in Others’ Shoes (The New York Times)
Roberta Smith reviews Kate Gilmore’s performance-based artwork, Walk the Walk, at Bryant Park

On our radar

Streetside Bin Made From Recycled Chewing Gum (PSFK.com)
London tests new receptacles for used chewing gum, created from used chewing gum

After dark, the dirty work at Disneyland begins (Los Angeles Times)
Why the public never sees maintenance work happening at Disney parks

Scenes from Bryant Park

With Bryant Park’s art installation as backdrop, Brooklyn’s Joseph Setton proposes to girlfriend
Story and photograph from the NY Daily News

Notice Something New?

Our website, bryantpark.org, got a makeover today!

Created in 2002 by Moment, our original website was no longer able to support the vast amount of information we wanted to share with the public about the park. Moment returned to help us with the new site and the result is sleek, modern, and easy to navigate.

New features include an attractive isometric map to let you explore the park from home and a calendar section that displays all the park’s many programs and events. Everyday activities and amenities can be found under “Things To Do” and the homepage highlights the current day’s events.

Please keep in mind that the site is brand new and you may encounter some bugs here and there. We are also working to update all the events links on the blog to the new website’s calendar. Thank you for your patience while we iron out the kinks in the new system.
Not to be outdone, next week you can expect to see a new look here on the blog, too!

Monday Night Music & Porch Deals at the Park

Monday nights at Bryant Park are known for classic movies, but this season we’re adding music to the mix before the big screen is set up on the Fountain Terrace.

After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends is a new series of free concerts by exceptional jazz and classical music performers, curated and hosted by Public Radio’s Bill McGlaughlin.

The series begins on Monday, May 17 with jazz from the Karrin Allyson Quartet. Allyson is a three-time Grammy Award-nominated artist who has worked for more than a decade with an ensemble of fearless and powerfully committed jazz virtuosi. Click here to read more about After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends.

Enjoy a post concert sip and snack!

To celebrate our new music series, our friends at ‘wichcraft and The Southwest Porch are offering a deal for attendees of the After Work with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends concerts. The Porch is a comfortable outdoor lounge, just steps away from the After Work stage on the Fountain Terrace, offering a unique food and beverage menu from Tom Colicchio’s ‘wichcraft.

Enjoy a Monday evening After Work Music performance, then bring your concert program to The Porch and show to your waiter or bartender to receive a 10% discount off any ‘wichcraft sip or snack. The discount is valid only with a program from the current evening’s concert.

Twitter contest!

We’re also giving our @BryantParkNYC Twitter followers a chance to win free drinks and an appetizer for two at The Southwest Porch after the concert on Monday, May 17.

Follow us on Twitter and retweet the message below by 5pm on Friday, May 14 to be entered to win:

RT @BryantParkNYC: FREE new music series: #BPAfterWork with Bill McGlaughlin
http://ow.ly/1KDxC Retweet to win ‘wichcraft sip&snack May 17

Lawn Opening, With A Twist

Bryant Park’s lawn, the crown jewel of Midtown, opened last Tuesday, May 4, for the first time this season.

To add a little humor and speculation to the kick off, we teamed up with notorious Improv Everywhere prankster, Charlie Todd, and a special guest…

You can find this video and more on the Bryant Park NYC YouTube Channel

Announcing the 2010 HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival

It’s the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the unveiling of this year’s movies in the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival.

Drum roll please…

June 21 GOLDFINGER
The third James Bond movie has it all: Sean Connery, a catchy theme song, ingenious gadgets, scary villains, an iconic Bond girl, and a hair-raising climax inside Fort Knox. Honor Blackman achieves cinematic immortality as Pussy Galore. (1964)

June 28 CAROUSEL
Shiftless carnival barker Billy Bigelow (Gordon MacRae) returns from purgatory to right some wrongs in this musical of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway smash. Shirley Jones co-stars as the woman who makes Billy want to change his ways. (1956)

July 5 THE FRENCH CONNECTION
Gene Hackman won an Oscar for his portrayal of Popeye Doyle, a profane NYC narcotics cop obsessed with stopping an international drug ring. Much of the action was filmed in NYC, including the greatest car/subway chase of all time. (1971)

July 12 MY MAN GODFREY
Socialite Carole Lombard hires “tramp” William Powell as her wealthy family’s butler. Not quite what he seems to be, Powell ends up teaching her frenetic household valuable life lessons. A wonderful mix of crazy screwball comedy and trenchant Depression-era social commentary. (1936)

July 19 THE CHINA SYNDROME
Ambitious TV reporter (Jane Fonda) and her radical cameraman (Michael Douglas) work to expose the cover-up of an accident at a nuclear plant, aided by an earnest shift supervisor (Jack Lemmon). Prophetically released just two weeks before the real-life disaster at Three Mile Island. (1979)

July 26 MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
A huge hit that introduced many throughout the world to the Python troupe’s insanely funny characters including King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the taunting Frenchmen, Knights who say “Ni!”, shrubbery, and one nasty rabbit. (1975)

August 2 ROSEMARY’S BABY
Roman Polanski’s satanic shocker still packs a punch. Winsome Mia Farrow is married to a selfish actor (John Cassavetes) who will do just about anything to land a role. Ruth Gordon and Ralph Bellamy lend creepy support, as does the Dakota apartment building. (1968)

August 9 THE GOODBYE GIRL
Struggling NYC actor Richard Dreyfuss unhappily shares an apartment with an unemployed dancer (Marsha Mason) and her precocious 10-year-old daughter. Neil Simon’s romantic comedy testament of just how the ones we grow to love drive us crazy. (1977)

August 16 12 ANGRY MEN
Henry Fonda is the lone holdout on a jury deliberating a murder trial on a hot summer day in NYC. A stellar cast of character actors lends superb support as jurors initially convinced that the accused is guilty. Can Fonda persuade them otherwise? Sidney Lumet’s first directorial masterpiece. (1957)

August 23 BONNIE AND CLYDE
Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway are the two most attractive bank robbers ever to rampage across the Midwest. The supporting cast includes Estelle Parsons (who won an Oscar), and Michael J. Pollard as the gang’s none-too-bright accomplice. One of the most influential movies of the 1960’s. (1967)

Film Festival Contest!
Now that you’ve checked out the line up, hop over to our Facebook page at facebook.com/bryantparknyc and enter to win reserved seating for two at one of this summer’s films in Bryant Park.

Just leave a comment on our Facebook wall mentioning which film you’re most excited to see at the park and you’ll be entered to win. The contest will close at noon on Monday, May 10, so make sure to enter this weekend.

See you at the movies!

HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival
Mondays at Sunset
June 21 – August 23
Lawn opens at 5:00pm for blankets (no plastic tarps please) and picnicking

Bill McGlaughlin Hosts Monday Night Music at Bryant Park

Peabody Award winning radio personality, Bill McGlaughlin, shifts his hosting duties to Bryant Park for a special series of jazz and classical music performances by some of his closest counterparts.

Since 2003, McGlaughlin has made learning about music fun with his daily syndicated radio program, Exploring Music with Bill McGlaughlin. On the program, McGlaughlin delves into classical music by providing historical context and sharing his insight as a top-notch musician, conductor, broadcaster, and composer.

Join us at Bryant Park for After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends, five free Monday evening concerts on the Fountain Terrace, curated and hosted by Bill McGlaughlin. The sensational performances will be accompanied by McGlaughlin’s special insight, personality, and enthusiasm for helping audiences develop a deeper appreciation for music.

May 17 Karrin Allyson Quartet
Jazz with a distinctive flair from four extraordinary players, headlined by the three-time Grammy nominated singer.

May 24 Orion String Quartet
One of the world’s most sought-after classical music ensembles remains on the cutting edge of programming with wide-ranging commissions from John Harbison to Wynton Marsalis.

May 31 An Evening of Strings with Mark O’Connor
The world-renowned, Grammy-winning bluegrass, country, and classical fiddler exhibits his multi-genre sounds.

June 7 Imani Winds
The quintet performs incredible classical compositions which encompass blends of European, American, African, and Latin American music.

June 14 Tara Helen O’Connor
The Grammy nominated flutist and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center regular has an incredible repertoire featuring music from many eras.

After Work Music with Bill McGlaughlin & Friends
Mondays, 6:00pm – 7:00pm
May 17 – June 14
Fountain Terrace

Games & Tournaments at Bryant Park

Bryant Park is a great spot for some friendly competition over games like chess, backgammon, ping pong, and petanque. To make it easy, we provide all the equipment for you and set up tournaments so you can test your skills throughout the season. Here’s a sampling of games and upcoming tournaments in the park:

Bryant Park Chess

Aficionados from the Marshall Chess Club monitor the Chess Area on the south side of the Fountain Terrace at 6th Avenue. Chess, checkers, backgammon, and Scrabble boards are available for a small fee, weekdays from 11:00am to 7:00pm. Lessons can be arranged by calling the Marshall Chess Club at (212) 477-3716.

1st Bryant Park Open Chess Tournament
Saturday, May 8
Register on site: 11:00am – 11:45am
Rounds: 12:00–12:50–1:40–2:30–3:20pm
Entry fee: $20, $10 under age 21
Five round, Swiss-System tournament. 20 minutes games. USCF membership not required. Prizes include trophies and memberships to the Marshall Chess Club. Call (212) 477-3716 for more information.

The Southwest Porch

A gift to New York City by Southwest Airlines, The Porch offers a comfortable lounge-like atmosphere free and open to all at the southwest corner of Bryant Park. Bring your own snacks or order from ‘wichcraft’s special food and beverage menu from 12:00pm to 9:00pm Monday through Saturday, and 12:00pm to 7:00pm on Sundays.

Game Nights at the Southwest Porch
Wednesdays
6:00pm – 9:00pm
Giant Jenga, Scattergories, Uno, Taboo, and more of your favorite games are available to play, no purchase necessary.

Bryant Park Ping Pong

Test your skills at the Bryant Park Ping Pong Court, located near 42nd Street and 6th Avenue. An attendant monitors a sign up sheet from 11:00am to 7:00pm daily for games at our two state of the art ping pong tables. Paddles and balls are provided free of charge, or you may use your own.

Ping Pong Spring Open Tournament
Wednesday, May 5
6:00pm – 9:00pm

Call (212) 768-4242 to sign up for one of 32 tournament spots. Earn bragging rights as top dog at the Bryant Park Court.

Visit www.bryantpark.org for a full schedule of summer events and programs in the park

Shop Bryant Park: Kinokuniya Bookstore

You know it’s not your usual bookstore when store manager John Fuller answers his phone and starts speaking Japanese. And it’s not just John: all employees who work at Kinokuniya, Japanese native or not, are fluent in the Asian language. Impressive! But you don’t need to speak Japanese to buy at Kinokuniya, because they’ve got lots of English books, too, including translations and English literature.
I sat down with John last week to find out more about this welcome addition to the park’s retail landscape. This Japanese bookstore moved to Bryant Park from Rockefeller Center a few years ago, and is one of only two on the East Coast (the other is in West Nyack). Kinokuniya is also Bryant Park’s retail partner for the Word for Word series at the Reading Room, so you’ll be able to find any of the books featured in our series at the bookstore right across the street.
It wasn’t the store’s hugely popular manga comics that first drew me in, but the stationery department on the lower level. Warning: give yourself some time, because it’s full of fabulous gift items, including plenty of Hello Kitty and even little stuffed characters from the world of Miyasaki, the great Japanese animator. And Kinokuniya also houses a popular Midtown lunch destination, Cafe Zaiya, where you can get not just bento boxes but also sandwiches like paninis.
A list of topsellers at Kinokuniya is below. If you’re interested in the fashion magazines, call ahead because they sell out fast. And the Japanese art publication KIE arrived a few weeks ago, so buy yours soon as it, too, goes quickly.

• Nippon Vogue - Japanese fashion
• ViVi - Japanese fashion for teens and young women
• Free & Easy - Japanese men”s fashion and lifestyle magazine
• KIE - Japanese art magazine published twice a year
• Naruto - an ongoing Japanese manga series
• Little lined notebooks that sell for $1.40! John says they’re difficult to keep in the store, so now they order plenty to fulfill the big demand.

Thanks to John Fuller, Manager of Kinokuniya, for talking with us about this great bookstore!
Kinokuniya, 1073 Sixth Avenue at 41st Street
Shop Bryant Park is written by Fashion Herald’s Tricia Lewis.

Walk the Walk at Bryant Park

Bryant Park is excited to host a new performance-based public artwork by Kate Gilmore.

Presented by the Public Art Fund, Walk the Walk is a dynamic installation activated by seven women who will walk, shuffle, and stomp atop a cubic structure on the park’s Fountain Terrace for five business days in May.

Clothed in simple yellow dresses and beige pumps, Gilmore’s performers transform the workday into a visual spectacle and dissonant symphony. Once inside the structure, visitors will hear the reverberations of the stomping feet overhead, inserting them into a dramatic, improvisational audio piece.

Walk the Walk draws attention to the vast number of women who work in New York City every day. It questions the notions of work, its limitations and possibilities, and the themes of female identity, physical endurance, and personal expression.

The artist is best known for her single-channel videos of private performances. As the main subject in these videos, Gilmore attempts arduous physical tasks while wearing stereotypically feminine clothing and shoes. One such piece, Standing Here (2010), is currently on view in the 2010 Whitney Biennial.

Walk the Walk is Gilmore’s first public installation and the first time she has orchestrated her work for other performers. For more information, visit www.publicartfund.org.

Walk the Walk by Kate Gilmore
8:30am – 6:30pm
Monday, May 10 – Friday, May 14
Fountain Terrace

Artist talk with Kate Gilmore
12:30pm – 1:30pm
Tuesday, May 11
Fountain Terrace

Visit www.bryantpark.org for a full schedule of summer events and programs in the park

The Most Peaceful Way to Start Your Day in Midtown

Master Chu leads students on World Tai Chi Day at Bryant Park, April 24, 2010

Bryant Park Tai Chi returns this summer with bi-weekly classes on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:30am on the Fountain Terrace. Tai Chi is an excellent system of health and self defense, and helps students acheive the optimum degree of harmony between mind and body.

In the park you’ll practice slow, focused movements of the arms and legs as you flow through a series of postures and work on correct body alignment. Movements are repeated, making it easy to pick up in no time and great for beginners.

Taught by members of the Tai Chi Chuan Center, classes are open to people of all ages and abilities. All you need to bring is yourself! Though most people choose to practice in loose, comfortable clothing, we’ve seen our fair share of ’suits’ stopping by to join in on their way to work.

Master Chu leads students on World Tai Chi Day at Bryant Park, April 24, 2010

Bryant Park Tai Chi
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7:30am – 8:30am
May 4 – September 30
Fountain Terrace

Visit www.bryantpark.org for a full schedule of summer programs and events in the park