CROWN HEIGHTS — Sometimes, Daniel Gjronko reads his poetry in Russian. Sometimes, people dance to it.
"It's not just artists doing their art, but a big party," Gjronko, 21, said of 'For Locals, By Locals,' a weekly summer art party set to start this Wednesday night on Rogers Avenue in Crown Heights. "The attitude is a positive, fun one."
The brainchild of Brooklyn's Hoover Dam Collective, local promoter Avi Werde's Event Connection Source and Franklin Avenue's Cool Pony, 'For Locals' will offer a melange of neighborhood talents — including photographers, poets, dancers and comedians — a place to perform and catch up-and-coming acts every Wednesday night this month.
"It’s for Crown Heights, by Crown Heights, and it’s in Crown Heights," Werde said. "It's about getting people familiar with talent and the amazing people and personalities that are here."
The event will debut on Wednesday, July 10 from 7:30 to 11 p.m. and retake the stage with new acts every Wednesday night through the summer at Mister Rogers, a just-opened gallery space at 231 Rogers Ave. between Union and President streets.
While the group had initially intended to host the event on Franklin Avenue, Werde said he and others were excited to see if they could make it a success on Rogers Avenue instead.
"It kind of goes with the whole scenario of community support that we’re basing this event on," Werde said. "Sticking this event in there is really what the whole space is there for."
What happens inside will be up to the performers.
"I've even had dancers do some interpretive things to me reading poetry," Gjronko said of the mixed-media style organizers expect to inform 'For Locals.' "I was skeptical at first, but it ended up being fantastic."
