In Context: DanceAfrica 2015

America’s largest festival of African dance returns to the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House and beyond this weekend from May 22–25. Context is everything, so get even closer to the production with this curated selection of articles, videos, and original blog pieces related to the show. For those of you who've already attended an event, help us keep the conversation going by telling us what you thought below and by posting on social media using #DanceAfrica. Ago? Amée!!

DanceAfrica Street Style: A Recap

The annual DanceAfrica Bazaar marks the beginning of summer for us here at BAM. More than just a shopping and food-lover's paradise, the three day street fair is a veritable source of inspiration when it comes to fashion, and a preview of what everyone will be rocking over the next few months.

Street photographers and Instagrammers captured the many gorgeous looks and faces that came to BAM over Memorial Day Weekend, and here are just a few of our favorites, culled from Instagram (you can peruse thousands more here). Feel free to share links to your photos in the comments!

Designer Wunmi in one of her fabulous dresses (read our interview with her here):

DanceAfrica—Leadership Transition in 2016

(L) Chuck Davis; (R) Abdel R. Salaam

A big DanceAfrica announcement was made this past weekend: Abdel R. Salaam will succeed Chuck Davis as artistic director of DanceAfrica in 2016!

Davis founded the DanceAfrica Festival in 1977. It's the largest festival of its kind and has since presented more than 80 African and African diaspora dance companies and has expanded to several major cities.

Salaam founded Forces of Nature Dance Theatre in 1981; it has appeared in DanceAfrica eight times since 1986.

Read coverage of the announcement in The New York Times.

And don't miss this year's DanceAfrica, with its packed slate of dance performances featuring the Malagasy troupe Groupe Bakomanga, the fabulous bazaar—outdoors and at the Fisher, plus music at BAMcafé Live, art, and film.

The festivities take place as usual on Memorial Day Weekend, May 23—26. Ago! Amee!

DanceAfrica Eats:Nyota's Vegan Chopped Barbecue and Spinach Mushroom Curry

Nyota's Ting at the DanceAfrica Bazaar. 

Anyone who's ever been to the DanceAfrica Bazaar knows that the food is outstanding. Powdered sugar-dusted funnel cakes, flaky fried fish, roasted corn on the cob, green beans, and decadent mac and cheeses come to mind, not to mention the fantastic lemonade served by the bucketful.

For those who'd prefer to steer clear of meat this Memorial Day weekend while sauntering among the bazaar's over-300 vendors, keep Nyota's Ting vegetarian cuisine in mind.  

A Queens-based gourmet catering company in operation since 1978, Nyota's Ting has been a DanceAfrica Bazaar staple for almost as many years. Its specialty: a variety of non-dairy raw and vegetarian dishes prepared with a Caribbean and soul food spirit.

We caught up with Nyota this week and asked her if she might be willing to part with a few recipes for dishes she'll be serving this weekend. Lucky for us, she agreed. Have a go at Nyota's Vegan Chopped Barbecue and Spinach Mushroom Curry, or stop by her booth at the bazaar and let the master show you how it's done.

DanceAfrica Vendor Spotlight: WOW WOW by Wunmi

Wunmi wearing her clothing line WOW WOW

The DanceAfricaBazaar features many vendors from all over the world. One of our favorite vendors is Wunmi (aka Ibiwunmi Omotayo Olufunke Felicity Olaiya), a fashion designer who is also one of the most well-known Afrobeat singers today. She was kind enough to answer a few questions for us from the road, even while she was on tour. Look for her booth this Memorial Day weekend at BAM!

1. How many years have you been a vendor at DanceAfrica?

My first time vending at DanceAfrica was in 2006. I shared a booth with another vendor, so it is now seven years. Wow!

2. Tell us about your clothing line WOW WOW and what makes it unique.

WOW WOW is based on what I love to wear during summer. I began creating one-of-a-kind dresses for myself, and then designing for the majority of the top black dance companies in the USA—such as Alvin Ailey, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and Evidence, to name a few—thanks to my collaboration work with choreographer Ronald K. Brown.

I source all my materials from West Africa, especially Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, and Guinea. I use mainly 100% cotton hand-printed batik (known in Nigeria by the Yoruba tribe as Adire) and not the imported Dutch wax, which folks call Africa Print.

WOW WOW is unique because of the fact that the materials I use are indigenous to West Africa, and each dress I make is unique in its own way… because the fabrics are only made in 5/6 yard lengths and no two are exactly the same!

3. You’re an accomplished performer as well as a fashion designer—tell us about how your experiences on stage translate into your fashion designs.

My experience on stage translates into my fashion in so many ways… but I would say first and foremost because I love drama, and the material/textiles I use bring a lot of drama! WOW WOW stands for “Want it, Own it, Wear It, Wunmi Olaiya Wear.” Also, when folks wear WOW WOW the first thing people say when they see them is wow!

4. Lastly, what makes DanceAfrica a special event for the community?

DanceAfrica is a special event for the community because DanceAfrica truly embraces Africa and the diaspora. Everyone who attends every year that I know comes back… because every year there is something new! And it is also loved because of the inclusion of the youths of the community… it is truly a village.

DanceAfrica Eats: Lookman Mashood's Efo

A short film about Lookman Mashood, owner of Nigerian restaurant Buka in Clinton Hill

Promise you won't tell anyone.

What we have here is a secret recipe for efo, a Nigerian dish made from shredded spinach, onions, and dried fish, courtesy of DanceAfrica Bazaar vendor Lookman Mashood. Lookman (featured in the video above) is owner and chef of Buka ("Eating House") on Fulton Street in Clinton Hill, the current go-to place for foods like Nigerian Pepper Soup, listed by Lonely Planet as one of the world's 10 hottest foods, or a hearty goat stew served with "mashes" like fufu, amala, and eba, or a glass of ginger juice. Whip up some efo for yourself, then stop by Lookman's booth at DanceAfrica from May 26—28 to meet the man behind recipe.


Efo
Courtesy of Lookman Mashood
Buka Nigerian Restaurant in Clinton Hill

Frozen chopped spinach
1 onion
1 red pepper
Scotch bonnet pepper (to taste)
Smoked fish
4 tbsp Palm oil
Salt to taste


Heat oil in pot and sauté onion for 5 minutes. Chop all vegetables. Add all vegetables other than spinach and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Salt to taste and add smoked fish, cook for another 5 minutes, then add spinach. Cook for another 6 minutes, and stir from time to time so that it doesn't stick to the pan. Enjoy a beautiful plate of EFO.

Read the New York Times review of Buka here

Read the Village Voice review here