OH, YEAH!

HEH!

NO ONE'S DANCING NOW.

I'M A DANCER, AND I'M A TRAVELER, AND WHEREVER I GO, I EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ONE DANCE AT A TIME.

I'M MICKELA MALLOZZI, AND THIS IS "BARE FEET."

"BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: ROAD SCHOLAR, OFFERING EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL ADVENTURES FOR ADULTS SINCE 1975.

ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

...THESE GENEROUS SUPPORTERS.

ANNOUNCER: AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

♪ MALLOZZI: NEW YORK CITY IS THE EPICENTER OF THEATER, ART, AND LIVE PERFORMANCE, AND FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF, THOSE STAGES WERE CLOSED DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

ON THIS "BARE FEET IN NYC" ADVENTURE, AS NEW YORK REOPENS, WE JOIN THE PERFORMING ARTS COMMUNITY IN CELEBRATION OF WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THESE OPEN STAGES.

MY FIRST STOP IS TO ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS DANCE SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK AND IN THE WORLD, BROADWAY DANCE CENTER.

IT IS AN INSTITUTION HERE IN NEW YORK CITY, AND I'M EXCITED TO GET BACK INTO THE STUDIO FOR SOME DANCE CLASSES TODAY.

FOR A LOT OF US, IT'S THE FIRST TIME BEING BACK IN THE STUDIO SINCE THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN.

MAN: WE REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CLASSES FOR ALL LEVELS FROM ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS TO BEGINNERS TO PEOPLE WHO ARE ON BROADWAY AND TAKING CLASSES.

MAYBE THEY WANT TO TRY STREET STYLES OR HIP-HOP, OR "I'VE NEVER LEARNED TO TAP," AND SO IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO MIX ALL THE DIFFERENT DANCERS, AS WELL, UNDER ONE ROOF.

GO TO THAT SPOT... MALLOZZI: MY FIRST DANCE CLASS IS BEGINNER JAZZ WITH SUE SAMUELS.

SAMUELS: GOOD.

THE DIFFERENT JAZZ STYLES WERE BORN FROM THE MIX OF EUROPE AND THE AFRICAN MOVEMENTS.

THE DANCE ITSELF IS RHYTHMIC, IT'S STYLISH, AND HERE'S THE MOST FUN PART FOR ME.

OK. ONE DAY, I FEEL LIKE DOING LATIN.

I'LL DO LATIN JAZZ.

ONE DAY, I FEEL LIKE DOING THEATER.

WE DO THEATER STYLE.

SWING YOUR ARMS DOWN, UP.

THIS IS PURE JOJO.

PLIE.

MALLOZZI: SUE IS A LEGENDARY DANCER AND TEACHER, WHO HAS BEEN PART OF THE BROADWAY DANCE CENTER FAMILY FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

TOGETHER WITH HER LATE HUSBAND JOJO SMITH, DANCER AND PROMINENT JAZZ CHOREOGRAPHER AND TEACHER, THEY FOUNDED JOJO'S DANCE FACTORY.

SAMUELS: IN THE LATE SEVENTIES, PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO TEACH, SO THEY WOULD APPROACH JOJO, WHO HAD ALL THESE STUDIOS.

JOJO LET FRANK HATCHETT COME IN AND TEACH HIS JAZZ STYLE.

I GUESS THAT WAS THE BIRTH OF COMMERCIALISM IN DANCE.

WE HAD BEGINNER CLASSES, SO THEN PEOPLE WHO JUST WANTED TO DANCE, WHO WERE NOT INTERESTED IN THE SHOW BUSINESS, COULD COME.

FRANK HATCHETT-- HIS CLASS WAS THE FIRST CLASS I EVER TOOK AT BROADWAY DANCE CENTER MAYBE 20 YEARS AGO.

I MEAN, I'M DATING MYSELF RIGHT NOW, BUT IT REALLY WAS-- THIS IS A SPECIAL PLACE.

SAMUELS: 2, 3, 4.

SAMUELS, VOICE-OVER: DANCE IS MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.

YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THE STEPS, YOU'RE EXERCISING AND TRAINING YOUR BODY, BUT IT'S SO MUCH FUN THAT YOUR SPIRIT IS FULFILLED, SO I THINK THAT THE MIND, BODY, SPIRIT IS WHY I KEEP TEACHING.

SAMUELS: 4 AND 5, 6 AND 7, 8.

AND 1.

GOOD... HA HA HA!

[CHEERING] WOMAN: ♪ I WANT TO TELL YOU MY SECRET ♪ MALLOZZI: THE NEXT CLASS I TAKE IS WITH LLOYD CULBREATH AS PART OF THE VERDON/FOSSE LEGACY PROGRAM, OFFERED EXCLUSIVELY HERE AT BROADWAY DANCE CENTER.

CULBREATH: 5, 6, 7, 8!

A-1, 2, HOLD, 3, A-4, A-5, A-6, A-7.

I WANT TO SEE A CLICK, A CLICK, A CLICK.

THE MISSION OF THE VERDON/FOSSE LEGACY IS TO PRESERVE AND PROMOTE AND PRESENT THE MATERIAL AND REPERTOIRE OF BOB FOSSE.

MALLOZZI: LLOYD WAS A CAST MEMBER IN SEVERAL OF BOB FOSSE'S BROADWAY SHOWS NEAR THE END OF HIS LIFE.

LLOYD HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH HIM FIRSTHAND.

WITH HIS PROCESS, YOU WOULD LITERALLY BREAK DOWN EACH MOVEMENT TO THE BASIC MOLECULE OF IT.

EVERY MOMENT WAS REHEARSED METICULOUSLY, AND SO THERE WAS A FREEDOM ONSTAGE.

THERE WAS NO INDECISION.

A-1, 2, 3, A-4, A BACK, A BACK, A BACK YOU GO.

UP, DOWN, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

1, A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5, A-6, A-7, 8.

CULBREATH, VOICE-OVER: THEN THERE'S JUST THE BRILLIANCE OF THE WORK.

THERE COULD BE 20 THINGS GOING ON ONSTAGE, AND THERE COULD BE ONE GIRL IN THE CORNER, AND THEN THE LIGHT WOULD HIT HER IN A CERTAIN WAY, AND YOUR ATTENTION WAS MOVED THERE BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE PIECES.

THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT GOT TO DO THOSE DANCES.

NOW WE'RE PASSING THIS ALONG TO THE MASSES, AND I HOPE THAT THEY REALLY, REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRIVILEGE THAT IT IS BECAUSE THE WORK IS THAT SPECIAL.

WOMAN: I WAS TRAINING HERE, LIKE, FULL-TIME FOR ABOUT 4, 5 MONTHS, AND THEN I GRADUATED THAT PROGRAM AND STARTED SCHOOL, SO IT'S THE BEST RESOURCE.

IT REALLY, LIKE, PREPARED ME.

MAN: IT IS A PLACE WHERE I CAN COME AND GET MY EMOTIONS OUT.

WHATEVER EMOTION THAT IS-- WHETHER IT'S JOY, ANGER, SADNESS, FRUSTRATION-- I CAN LEAVE IT ON THE FLOOR, AND IF I BREAK DOWN CRYING MID-CHOREOGRAPHY, I DO IT, AND I KEEP DANCING.

CULBREATH: BROADWAY IS A COLLECTION OF THE MOST TALENTED PEOPLE ALL IN A SPACE.

YOU SIT IN A THEATER, AND THE LIGHTS GO DOWN, AND THE MUSIC STARTS TO PLAY, AND THE REAL ENERGY OF A LIVE AUDIENCE, ESPECIALLY WHEN SOMETHING IS WORKING WELL.

AT ITS MOST PUREST, BROADWAY IS MAGIC.

CULBREATH: AND BACK!

MALLOZZI: BROADWAY DANCE CENTER IS IN THE HEART OF HELL'S KITCHEN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD BORDERING TIMES SQUARE WHERE MOST OF THE THEATER COMMUNITY LIVES.

I HEAD TO MARSEILLE AT THE CORNER OF 9th AVENUE AND 44th STREET TO MEET WITH OWNER AND RESTAURANTEUR ROBERT GUARINO.

GUARINO: WE'RE CELEBRATING OUR 20th ANNIVERSARY NOW.

CONGRATS.

UH, THANK YOU.

SO WE'RE--YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD A LONG TIME, AND OUR BUSINESS IS BUILT AROUND THE THEATER.

IT WAS OBVIOUSLY A CHALLENGING TIME FOR THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT I THINK ONE OF THE ONLY INDUSTRIES THAT WAS IMPACTED MORE WAS THE THEATER COMMUNITY, AND BEING HERE IN HELL'S KITCHEN, THE WHOLE ENERGY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD REVOLVES AROUND THEATER, THE PERFORMERS, THE PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE PRODUCTIONS.

WE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, "WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP "AND SHOW THE COMMUNITY THAT WE SEE HOW HARD A TIME IT IS?"

WE OPENED HOUSE ACCOUNTS FOR ANY OF THE GUILD MEMBERS, SO THEY COULD COME ANYTIME AFTER 8:00, PUT THE MONEY ON THE HOUSE ACCOUNT, AND PAY US WHENEVER THEY COULD.

WE WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE AND FOR IT TO BE REBUILT AGAIN, AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM PERFORMING.

SO THIS IS OUR BEEF BOURGUIGNON.

IT'S MADE WITH SHORT RIBS, MARINATED IN RED WINE, AND THEN SERVED OVER POLENTA WITH ROOT VEGETABLES.

OH, MY GOSH.

MMM!

IT JUST MELTS IN YOUR MOUTH.

AND THEN I BROUGHT YOU A MUSHROOM AND GOAT CHEESE TART.

IT'S LIGHT, VERY BRIGHT.

THAT GOAT CHEESE MAKES IT VERY BRIGHT.

MM-HMM.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.

EXCELLENT.

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

THANK YOU.

AND THESE BROADWAY PERFORMERS AND WORKERS ARE LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO EAT THIS FOOD.

WE WANT THEM TO KNOW THEY'RE APPRECIATED AND COME HAVE A GOOD MEAL.

AND WE'RE GONNA TRY A FEW DISHES AT NIZZA... OH, AWESOME.

YOUR SISTER RESTAURANT BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS IN BOTH RESTAURANTS, RIGHT?

ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

MALLOZZI: NIZZA, MARSEILLE'S SISTER RESTAURANT, IS JUST 2 DOORS DOWN ON 9th AVENUE, AND IT FEATURES ITALIAN FOOD WITH A FRENCH RIVIERA TWIST.

WOW!

RIGATONI AMATRICIANA.

THANK YOU, SIR.

THAT'S OUR HOUSE-MADE RIGATONI WITH AN AMATRICIANA SAUCE.

WE'RE ALSO GONNA GIVE YOU OUR SOCCA.

IT'S A CHICKPEA CREPE THAT WE BAKE IN THE PIZZA OVEN WITH PECORINO CHEESE, CARAMELIZED ONIONS, AND SAGE.

WOW!

MY NONNA WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS.

ABSOLUTELY.

MMM!

MMM!

THE RIGATONI'S COOKED JUST PERFECTLY.

PERFECT!

MALLOZZI: FROM THE FOUNDATION OF BROADWAY'S COMMUNITY, I MEET WITH THE FUTURE OF WHAT DANCE AND PERFORMANCE IS.

I HEAD TO THE STUDIOS OF THE GIBNEY COMPANY COMMUNITY CENTER TO MEET WITH JERRON HERMAN, PROFESSIONAL DISABLED DANCER WITH CEREBRAL PALSY.

[CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING] HERMAN, VOICE-OVER: I'M A DANCER FOR-- NOW IT'S GOING ON 10 YEARS.

I STARTED REALLY SERENDIPITOUSLY.

I CAME TO NEW YORK AS A YOUNG PERSON TO STUDY DRAMATIC WRITING AND THEATER.

I WENT TO THE NEW VICTORY THEATER AND PARTICIPATED IN A WORKSHOP AND GOT AN AUDITION WITH HEIDI LATSKY.

THEN I SPENT 8 YEARS WITH HEIDI LATSKY.

WERE YOU TAKING DANCE CLASSES BEFORE THIS AT ALL?

NO.

YOU WERE TRAINED AS A STORYTELLER.

YEAH.

AND THERE'S NATURALLY THIS STORYTELLING IN YOUR WORK.

MM.

YOU THRUST YOURSELF INTO YOUR WORK, WHERE YOU'RE THROWING YOUR BODY AND LANDING ON ONE ARM AND THEN PUSHING YOURSELF BACK UP AND DOING IT OVER AND OVER, LIKE, 10 TIMES IN A ROW.

HA HA HA!

WHAT IS THAT STORY THAT YOU WERE TELLING?

IT WAS MY FIRST SOLO CALLED "PHYS ED."

IT'S A REVISIONIST HISTORY KIND OF STORY ABOUT P.E.

CLASS AND THE PUSH-UP AND THE JUMPING JACK... YEAH.

AND NOW THAT I'M A DANCER, THE FUNCTION OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION DOESN'T FEEL LIKE AN OMINOUS CREATURE.

IT FEELS LIKE A GENERATIVE FRIEND.

SO IT'S A BIT OF, UM, DEALING WITH THE COMPLICATIONS OF THAT.

LIKE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN THAT I NOW HAVE FACILITY TO DO THIS, AND WHY ARE CERTAIN THINGS CODED AS GOOD OR AS BAD?

BECAUSE, LIKE, WHEN I WAS IN P.E.

CLASS, THAT PUSH-UP WAS INSUFFICIENT, AND NOW I'M A DANCER, AND I'M DOING IT-- IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ART...

RIGHT.

THAT IS PART OF CHOREOGRAPHY THAT PEOPLE PAY A LOT OF MONEY TO SEE.

YES.

YES!

I HAVE MAKEUP IN MY EYE.

I'M NOT CRYING, BUT THAT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

WE'LL START OFF WITH WHAT I DO, AND THEN YOU'LL ADAPT TO, LIKE, INCLUDE YOUR LEFT ARM OR INCLUDE, YOU KNOW, OTHER EXTREMITIES THAT YOU HAVE.

SURE.

SO WITH THIS, YOU'RE KIND OF JUST MARKING YOUR PARAMETERS.

MM.

FROM HERE, THIS IS ELICITING KIND OF LIKE A SWOOP OVER, SWOOP OVER, SWOOP OVER, AND THEN FROM THERE, SWITCH FEET.

YOU BEND, LIKE, QUARTER, QUARTER, QUARTER.

AND LAND 1, 2, QUARTER AGAIN.

HERMAN, VOICE-OVER: I LOVE THE MODERN AESTHETIC BECAUSE IT ALSO HAS A WAY OF ACKNOWLEDGING DIFFERENT MODES AND FORMS OF BEING, OF, LIKE, WELCOMING AND OF EXPERIMENTATION, IT'S WAYS OF COMMUNITY AND COMMUNAL CREATING.

MALLOZZI: WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THAT IS YOU LEARNING DANCE LATER IN LIFE ALMOST IS YOU DIDN'T HAVE THOSE RULES.

YOU'RE SORT OF BREAKING ALL THE RULES BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOUR BODY IS GONNA DANCE.

YEAH.

WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE TO FIND EACH OTHER?

LIKE, SO IF YOU WERE FACING THAT WAY-- RIGHT?

YEAH.

SO HUH, HUH.

I DON'T KNOW.

LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

LIKE, IS IT-- ARE WE-- DO WE EVER REACH?

I DON'T KNOW.

HERMAN, VOICE-OVER: EVERY DISABLED DANCER CAN BE DIFFERENT.

THERE ARE DISABLED BALLET DANCERS, AND THEN THERE ARE DISABLED MODERN DANCERS, THERE ARE DISABLED CLASSICAL MODERN DANCERS, THERE ARE DISABLED CONTEMPORARY MODERN DANCERS.

ACCESSIBILITY IS STILL VERY NOMINALLY KNOWN AS, LIKE, ACCEPTANCE OR PERMISSION TO ENTER INTO SPACES, BUT AS IT PERTAINS TO, LIKE, DISABILITY CULTURE AND SPECIFICALLY DISABLED ARTISTRY, IT'S A WAY IN WHICH ARTISTS USE TOOLS AND ASL INTERPRETATION AND CAPTIONING AND AUDIO DESCRIPTION.

THEY'VE BEEN INTERPRETED AS SERVICES, BUT THEY'RE LANGUAGES.

YOU WERE JUST ON THE COVER OF "DANCE" MAGAZINE.

UNBELIEVABLE.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU!

WHEN I SAW IT, I GOT CHILLS.

I WAS LIKE, "JERRON'S ON THE COVER OF 'DANCE' MAGAZINE!"

THAT'S A HUGE MILESTONE IN ANYONE'S CAREER.

YEAH.

ONE OF THE QUALITIES I'M TRYING TO BYPASS IS THIS, LIKE, IDEALIZED SOLOIST BECAUSE I DON'T MAKE ANYTHING ALONE.

I HAVE, LIKE, THIS CADRE OF DISABLED ARTISTS AROUND ME THAT I'M RESPONDING TO HABITUALLY, WHICH IS JUST SO EXCITING.

YES!

♪ MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION ARE WHAT THE ARTS ARE EVOLVING INTO, INCLUDING THEIR SPACES.

I HEAD TO THE MEAT PACKING DISTRICT OF MANHATTAN TO THE NEWLY-OPENED LITTLE ISLAND, SITTING ON THE EDGE OF THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY AND WEST 14th STREET.

MAN: I'M DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION, WHICH MEANS THAT MY JOB IS TO MAKE FRIENDS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY FEELS WELCOME HERE.

MY WORK ALSO EXTENDS TO THINKING ABOUT DIVERSITY AND HOW EVERYONE CAN FEEL REPRESENTED AT LITTLE ISLAND BUT ALSO JUST THINKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN BE THE GREATEST GIFT AND ASSET TO NEW YORK.

IT HAS LOTS OF DESIGN FEATURES THAT ENCOURAGE DISCOVERY, ESPECIALLY AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE.

AS YOU'RE COMING IN THROUGH THE BRIDGES, I THINK THERE'S A VIEW ON OUR MAIN LAWN, AND YOU'LL SEE CHILDREN JUST IMMEDIATELY ROLLING DOWN THE HILL.

PEOPLE TELL US HOW THEY WANT TO USE THIS PARK.

[PLUCKED CELLO PLAYING] [SINGING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE] WIGGINS: WE HAVE PERFORMANCES IN 3 SPACES.

WE HAVE A GLADE, WE HAVE A LARGE AMPHITHEATER CALLED THE AMPH FACING THE SUNSET, AND WE HAVE A PLACE WE CALL THE PLAY GROUND, WHICH REALLY IS A PUBLIC PLAZA, AND THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE MEET.

SO WHEN YOU COME INTO LITTLE ISLAND, YOU MEET ON THE PLAY GROUND.

MALLOZZI: LITTLE ISLAND IS COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE FOR WHEELCHAIR USERS, AND AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE TRANSLATORS ARE PROVIDED FOR PERFORMANCES.

WIGGINS: THE ISLAND IS REALLY HERE TO INCREASE THE THINGS THAT BIND US TOGETHER, TO REALLY BE A BACKDROP OF FUN AND JOY.

I WATCHED PEOPLE DURING COVID COME HERE AND MEET PEOPLE THEY HADN'T SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

[CARIBBEAN MUSIC PLAYING] THERE'S A REALLY POWERFUL THING AT WORK HERE IN THIS VERY SIMPLE IDEA, THAT IT IS JUST A PARK WITH ART IN IT, AND YOU'RE INVITED.

MALLOZZI: OUTDOOR SPACES HAVE ALSO BEEN REINVENTED, INCLUDING THE RESTART STAGES AND THE GREEN AT THE WORLD-RENOWNED INSTITUTION OF LINCOLN CENTER.

WHEN WE WERE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO WE TRANSFORM LINCOLN CENTER, WE GOT A GROUP OF ARTISTS TOGETHER, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED.

HA HA HA!

[JAZZ PLAYING] WE WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE WORLD HAS CHANGED.

WE NEED TO CHANGE, TOO, AND LINCOLN CENTER NEEDS TO BE HERE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO BUILD A NEW FOUNDATION, ONE THAT EMBRACES AND ACTIVATES ALL OF OUR CAMPUS AND GETS ALL OF NEW YORK TO COME HERE AND ENJOY.

AND YOU REALLY MADE THIS A WELCOMING, OPENING OUTDOOR SPACE...

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

FOR A REALLY SPECIAL TIME WHERE NEW YORKERS NEEDED AN OUTDOOR SPACE TO BE WELCOMED IN.

MALLOZZI: ONE OF THE RESTART STAGES' ACTIVATIONS IS TONIGHT'S SILENT DISCO WITH DJ RICH MEDINA.

[HIP-HOP PLAYING] MEDINA: IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK OUT IN THE BUSH AGAIN, YOU KNOW, AND EVERYBODY'S SEEKING NOISE, AND HERE WE ARE DOING A SILENT DISCO IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT INSTITUTIONS IN THE WORLD, YOU KNOW.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY.

MEDINA: WELCOME TO LINCOLN CENTER RESTART STAGES, AND, UH, THIS IS SILENT DISCO, KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

MEDINA: IT'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO DANCE LIKE NOBODY'S LOOKING.

HA!

YOU KNOW?

YEAH.

[NO MUSIC AUDIO] ♪ WHOA, YOU GOT THE BEST OF MY LOVE ♪ ♪ DO DO DO DO ♪ ♪ HIGHER, HIGHER ♪ MEDINA: FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, WE WERE ALL LOOKING AT EACH OTHER ON ZOOMS AND THROUGH TWITCH AND INSTAGRAM AND ALL THE OTHER PLATFORMS, AND THAT'S NICE, BUT IT'S ALSO KIND OF LIKE CORNFLAKES WITH NO MILK, YOU KNOW?

MALLOZZI: YEAH!

NOW WE GET BACK OUT HERE, WE GET A LITTLE MILK IN THE CEREAL, YOU KNOW?

IT TASTES BETTER THAT WAY.

LEIGH: I HOPE THAT WHEN YOU WALK AROUND HERE AT LINCOLN CENTER, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR MULTIPLE LANGUAGES, MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM ALL THE 5 BOROUGHS AND AROUND THE WORLD, AND THAT WE ACTUALLY REALLY ARE NEW YORK CITY.

[MUTED HIP-HOP PLAYING] [PERCUSSION MUSIC PLAYING] MALLOZZI: ONE OF NEW YORK CITY'S MOST POPULAR OPEN-AIR PERFORMANCE SERIES IS SUMMERSTAGE, HOSTED IN CENTRAL PARK AND OTHER OUTDOOR VENUES THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

ONE OF TONIGHT'S PERFORMANCE GROUPS INCLUDES SOLES OF DUENDE.

[RHYTHMIC CLAPPING, STOMPING, AND RATTLING] WHAT IS SOLES OF DUENDE?

WE ARE AN ALL-FEMALE, MULTICULTURAL PERCUSSIVE DANCE TRIO ROOTED IN THE RHYTHMS OF FLAMENCO, KHATAK, AND TAP.

PERCUSSIVE DANCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE USED TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES.

WE BRING OUR CULTURES AND OUR DANCE DISCIPLINES WITH US AS WE DO IT, BUT WHEN WE'RE IN THIS SPACE, WE ARE REALLY TALKING TO EACH OTHER.

MALLOZZI: YEAH.

I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT I JUST SAW WHEN I WALKED IN HERE.

IT WAS, YOU'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR FEET AND YOUR HANDS AND YOUR BODIES.

NOT HERE TODAY IS AMANDA CASTRO, OUR RESIDENT TAP ARTIST, BUT NOW WE HAVE YOU.

YEAH!

NO PRESSURE!

NO PRESSURE.

NO PRESSURE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA LEARN TODAY, THIS IS GONNA BE PULLING A LITTLE BIT FROM THE FLAMENCO INFLUENCE.

SO WE HAVE WHAT'S CALLED A LLAMADA, WHICH IS A CALL, AND WHO ARE WE CALLING?

OUR MUSICIANS AND OUR FELLOW DANCERS IN BETWEEN TO FIGURE OUT WHEN ARE WE STARTING, WHEN ARE WE STOPPING, WHEN ARE WE TAKING A BREATH, WHEN ARE WE SPEEDING UP, AND ALL IN BETWEEN, SO WE'RE GONNA GO CLAP.

ESO ES.

CHEST, CHEST, LEG, LEG, STOMP, STOMP.

6, 7, AND... DUM DUM BAN BAN.

FROM HERE.

RIGHT, LEFT.

LEFT, RIGHT... Y UP, DOWN.

UP, ESO ES.

2, 3, 4.

HEY, HEY.

COME ON, NOW!

OLE.

ESO ES.

AND IF YOU CAN HOLD THAT BASE RHYTHM DOWN, WE CAN PLAY ON TOP OF IT.

WHAT IS THE MISSION OF SOLES OF DUENDE?

AT FIRST, I FEEL WE WERE MORE HEAVILY BASED ON THESE CULTURAL STYLES THAT WE REPRESENT, AND WE'VE EVOLVED TO REALLY BRING IN OUR OWN PERSONAL NARRATIVES INTO IT AND OUR OWN LIFE EXPERIENCE OF BEING NEW YORKERS.

WE PLAY IN HOUSE, WE PLAY WITH HIP-HOP, WE PLAY WITH SALSA, AND SOMETIMES, THAT COMMONALITY BRINGING IN THESE 3 WORLDS IS THE GLUE.

MALLOZZI: YEAH.

IT ALSO GIVES US THE COURAGE AND THE BRAVERY TO UNAPOLOGETICALLY MAKE NOISE.

VERY LITERALLY, AND THEN ALSO VERY FIGURATIVELY, THIS IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO SPEAK FOR MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, BEING ABLE TO STAND WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES THAT WE'RE SO PROUD OF BEING A PART OF, YOU KNOW.

[SPEAKS SPANISH] HEY, HEY.

SALSA.

HEY.

SALSA.

THIS VERY TANGIBLE THING THAT WE DO, WHICH IS MAKING NOISE AND INADVERTENTLY HAVING TO LISTEN TO EACH OTHER IN ORDER TO GET THE PERMISSION TO MAKE THAT NOISE IS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN REALLY MOVE FORWARD, RIGHT?

6, 7, 8!

BA BA BA!

RA TA TA!

HEY!

HEY!

HEY!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] WOMAN: WHAT'S UP, FAMILY?

WELCOME BACK TO SUMMERSTAGE.

HA HA HA!

MALLOZZI: I MEET WITH DANNI GEE, PRODUCER OF SUMMERSTAGE'S DANCE PROGRAMMING FOR THIS SEASON'S LONG-AWAITED RETURN.

GEE: SUMMERSTAGE IS NEW YORK CITY'S LARGEST FREE OUTDOOR PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL, SUMMER FESTIVAL.

IN A TYPICAL SEASON, WE DO ANYWHERE FROM 80-100 PERFORMANCES ALL OVER ALL 5 BOROUGHS.

WE DO EVERYTHING FROM TAP, CONTEMPORARY BALLET, CLASSICAL BALLET, HIP-HOP, AFRICAN BECAUSE WE'RE IN A VERY MULTICULTURAL CITY.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE REPRESENT EVERYONE, AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN OF ALL NATIONALITIES, ETHNICITIES, DISCIPLINES.

WE TRY TO HIT THEM ALL.

HA HA HA!

I LOVE IT.

[DANCE MUSIC] MAN: ♪ FALLING TEARS ♪ ♪ ARE RAIN ♪ GEE: IT JUST MEANS THE WORLD TO ME TO SEE THESE DANCERS.

THEY'RE SO HAPPY TO BE BACK PERFORMING AND DOING WHAT THEY DO.

[PERCUSSION MUSIC] WOMAN: ♪ AHH, YOU'VE GOT TO BELIEVE IT ♪ MALLOZZI: AND TONIGHT'S GONNA BE A SPECIAL NIGHT.

GEE: IT IS.

I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE WITH US.

ME, TOO!

THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS WITH US.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, DANNI.

NEW YORK IS BACK, DANCE IS BACK.

YES!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] WOMAN: THANK YOU, SUMMERSTAGE!

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] IT HAS BEEN OVER 500 DAYS THAT BROADWAY HAS BEEN CLOSED, AND TONIGHT, WE ARE HERE FOR THE REOPENING OF "MOULIN ROUGE!

THE MUSICAL."

I AM SO EXCITED.

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HERE.

ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR THE SHOW?

[CHEERING] AMAZING.

THE REOPENING OF BROADWAY HERE TONIGHT AT "MOULIN ROUGE!

THE MUSICAL."

HOW DO YOU FEEL RIGHT NOW NOW THAT BROADWAY'S OPENED UP?

I FEEL ECSTATIC.

YEAH?

YES.

I'VE BEEN WAITING 18 MONTHS TO BE BACK.

BROADWAY IS BASICALLY MY SECOND HOME.

WOMAN: I ACTUALLY CAME FROM ARIZONA, SO... MALLOZZI: JUST TO COME SEE THE SHOW?

YES.

IT FEELS SO NICE, TOO, LIKE, KIND OF A CELEBRATION AND LIKE A REWARD FOR ALL OF US.

I COULDN'T SLEEP FOR TWO NIGHTS, I WAS SO EXCITED.

OH, NO!

YES!

MAN: BROADWAY IS THE HEART AND SOUL AND THE RHYTHM OF NEW YORK CITY.

IT'S A REBIRTH, IT'S A REOPENING.

IT JUST SAYS THIS CITY IS BACK IN FULL FORCE.

WOMAN: COME ON IN.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

HI.

HI!

FIRST DOOR TO YOUR RIGHT.

MALLOZZI: OH, MY GOSH!

IT'S BEAUTIFUL!

YOUR SON IS THE LEAD IN TONIGHT'S SHOW.

HOW DO YOU GUYS FEEL?

WE'RE SO EXCITED FOR THEM TO BE BACK.

THEY'VE WAITED SO LONG AND WORKED SO HARD, AND WE'RE JUST SO VERY PROUD.

YEAH.

MALLOZZI: WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE BACKSTAGE RIGHT NOW?

EXCITEMENT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

THAT'S DEFINITELY HAPPENING.

I'M EXCITED TO FEEL THE ENERGY OF THE AUDIENCE.

YES.

I HEARD TALES OF TWO-HOUR SHOWS TAKING 3 HOURS... WOW!

BECAUSE PEOPLE WOULD GET ON THEIR FEET AND JUST WOULDN'T GET BACK DOWN.

OH, MY GOD.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI: WHOO!

THE SHOW HASN'T EVEN STARTED YET, AND THEY'VE ALREADY GOTTEN A STANDING OVATION.

WHOO!

NGAUJAH: IT'S ABOUT TELLING STORIES.

STORIES WERE STILL TOLD WHILE WE WERE IN LOCKDOWN, BUT THIS IS PEOPLE COMING TO SIT TOGETHER TO HEAR STORIES BEING TOLD.

THE BIG FIRE PIT, YOU KNOW...

YES.

YEP.

WITH OLYMPIAN STORYTELLERS.

YEP.

YEP.

NOW HERE'S A STORY TAKING PLACE AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.

[SPOTLIGHT SWITCHES THUMPING] IN THE MIDST OF THE UNCERTAINTY, WHAT EMERGES?

FREEDOM, BEAUTY, TRUTH, LOVE.

[CLAPPING RHYTHMICALLY] I HOPE FOR PEOPLE AND FOR THEATER THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOME REFLECTION AND WITH THAT REFLECTION COME BACK INTO OUR LIVES WITH MORE GUSTO, YOU KNOW, WITH MORE FEARLESSNESS, WITH MORE HEART, WITH MORE EMPATHY.

WE'LL SEE.

AMEN TO THAT.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI VOICE-OVER: NEW YORK CITY IS BACK, AND ITS FUTURE IS AS BRIGHT AS THE LIGHTS ON BROADWAY!

WE WON'T GO BACK TO BUSINESS AS USUAL-- WE CAN'T--BUT INSTEAD, WE CAN MAKE THE SPACES AND THE STAGES MORE ACCESSIBLE AND REPRESENTATIVE OF THE PEOPLE WHO THEY SERVE.

THE ARTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE PROSPERITY, JOY, AND RESILIENCE OF OUR CITY AND FOR EVERY COMMUNITY.

AND I'LL SEE YOU ON MY NEXT "BARE FEET" ADVENTURE, WHEREVER IT MAY TAKE ME!

♪ HEY!

♪ YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED WITH US AT TRAVELBAREFEET.COM, WHERE YOU'LL FIND EXTRA BONUS VIDEOS, JOIN OUR "BARE FEET" SERIES CONVERSATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND STAY UPDATED WITH OUR NEWSLETTER.

WE GOT TO TALK ABOUT A LOT OF AMAZING STUFF.

YEAH, WE DID.

AND MY FOOT FELL ASLEEP BY THE WAY.

I KNOW.

MINE, TOO.

I WAS, LIKE, MOVING, BUT THAT'S THE OTHER THING, TOO.

IT'S LIKE WE CAN DO, LIKE-- WE CAN TOTALLY DO-- HOLD ON.

HA HA HA!

WE DON'T--YOU ALL-- YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW OUR FEET FALL ASLEEP WHILE WE'RE DOING INTERVIEWS.

WHEN YOU SIT DOWN ON YOUR LEG--ON ONE LEG, YOUR BUTT AND YOUR FOOT FALLS ASLEEP.

MALLOZZI: "BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: ROAD SCHOLAR, OFFERING EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL ADVENTURES FOR ADULTS SINCE 1975.

ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

...THESE GENEROUS SUPPORTERS.

ANNOUNCER: AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

[BABY BABBLING]