BAM bazaar extends Memorial Day weekend’s DanceAfrica
Caribbean Life, May 29-June 4, 2020 11
DanceAfrica, New York’s
biggest Memorial Day celebration
of African culture might
have suffered a setback when
the Brooklyn Academy of Music
announced its altered state of
holiday weekend presentations
imposed due to the coronavirus
restrictions.
However, with technological
adjustments designed for
at home viewing some of the
key offering of the 43-year-long
multi-cultural festivities have
been extended through June
enabling digital access to discussions,
dance lessons, a fashion
bazaar, classic films and a
virtual dance party in appreciation
of essential workers and
conscientious neighbors.
The latter, a two-hour Memorial
Day event with DJ YB featured
an online, live experience
with encouragement to
donate to the Mutual Aid Group
Bed-Stuy Strong, a network of
neighbors helping neighbors
in central Brooklyn during the
COVID-19 crisis.
The first ever event featured
music of every genre including:
Afrobeat, funk, soul, r&b, jazz,
rock, and hip-hop mixed into a
rhythmic set to deliver an unrivaled
holiday, party treat.
Documentaries that retrace
past performances and significant
highlights of the national
treasure will deliver at home
streams of the annual FilmAfrica
series associated with the
dance festival.
“DanceAfrica: Yesterday,
Today & Tomorrow” a feature
presentation by Coco Killingsworth,
BAM Vice President
of Education and Community
Engagement, Charmaine Warren,
DanceAfrica’s associate
producer and Abdel R. Salaam,
artistic director offers a retrospective
into a discussion about
the beloved program and the
passing of the torch following
the death of Baba Chuck Davis,
the founding artistic director.
The conversation will be complemented
by video clips from
last year’s presentation.
Conversations with creatives
and members of the Council of
Elders, online dance classes, and
other programs that annually
endeared patrons to gather in
Brooklyn throughout the Memorial
Day weekend are included in
the digital offerings.
According to BAM organizers
and sponsors more than 20
small business operators will
provide unique creations by artisans
and crafts persons from
the Caribbean, Africa and the
African-American community.
Structured to accommodate
the digital bazaar unique creations
are available to ensure the
community engagement that
has become a hallmark of the
nation’s largest African dance
festival.
Slated for availability thru
June 15, the virtual marketplace
will replicate the free, unique,
outdoor offerings of food, jewelry,
crafts and fashion patrons
were accustomed.
For more information, visit
bam.org/bazaar.
CANCELED FROM CONEY
BOARDWALK – LIBATIONS
WILL PAY TRIBUTE TO THE
ANCESTORS EVERYWHERE
June is Black Music Month,
Caribbean Heritage Month
and for devoted patrons who
annually anticipate a slow, ceremonial,
stroll from Brooklyn’s
Coney Island boardwalk to the
Atlantic Ocean in celebration of
the 31-year tradition of paying
Tribute to the Ancestors social
distancing will alter the ritual
in 2020.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic
organizers decided
against inviting gatherings to
commemorate the brutal transatlantic
crossing to enslavement
and instead urge patrons to
conduct private ceremonies to
honor recent ancestors lost to
the coronavirus.
According to a press release
from the People of the Sun Middle
Passage Collective, at noon
on June 13 libation should be
poured “from wherever you are”
to pay tribute to the tragic losses
of elders and recent ancestors
who died because of the pandemic.
“We ask that you pay a special
tribute to our recent ancestors
especially those we lost from
Covid 19.”
Catch You On The Inside!
Baba Chuck with drummers.
Inside Life
By Vinette K. Pryce
/bazaar