NEW ROCHELLE, NY (June 17, 2025) — The New Rochelle Public Library, located at 1 Library Plaza, and Friends of the Library will host the International Music and Dance Festival from July 8 to August 12, 2025. The free six-week series, held every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in the air-conditioned Ossie Davis Theater, features performances showcasing global music and dance traditions.
“For more than two decades, the International Music and Dance Festival has brought the world to New Rochelle through the universal language of performance,” said Tobe Sevush, Programming Coordinator at the New Rochelle Public Library. “This year’s lineup continues the tradition with a vibrant mix of music and dance that reflects the many cultures and backgrounds that make our community so unique.”
The festival opens July 8 with a Kaleidoscope of Eastern Europe Music and Dance, featuring live music, soaring vocals, and high-energy steps. On July 15, the Aloha Hula Spectacular brings Pacific Island spirit with graceful hula movements and colorful attire. July 22 showcases dancer Aszmara with Souren Baronian’s Transition Ensemble, performing folkloric music from Armenia, Turkey, and Egypt, with musicians Robert Boghosian on oud, Souren Baronian on clarinet, kaval, and dooduk, and Mal Stein on doumbek.
On July 29, flutist and composer Carlos Jimenez leads his Mambo Orchestra in a concert of Cuban salsa, mambo, cha cha cha, bolero, and Latin jazz. August 5 features two-time Latin Grammy nominee Araceli Poma presenting Afro-Peruvian music and dance, with traditional instruments like quijada, cajita, and cajón, and styles including marinera, festejo, landó, and tondero. The festival closes August 12 with a finale by Calpulli Summer Mexican Dance workshop participants, performing outdoors on the Library patio near Ruby Dee Park in colorful costumes celebrating Mexico’s regional dance traditions.
Admission is free, but registration is requested at bit.ly/IMD_2025 or by calling 914-813-3706.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
