Faces in DanceAfrica

Janice Hart-Brathwaite, 2nd from left, with Charles Moore Dance Theater.
Photo courtesy of the artist 

By David Hsieh

In February 1976, dancer/choreographer Charles Davis held three performances in the Lepercq Space in today’s Peter Jay Sharp Building at BAM. He constructed an African village to honor the ancestry of African-Americans. From there, a tradition and institution grew steadily. This year the DanceAfrica Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary (May 26—29). It is not only BAM’s longest running program, but also has wide-ranging elements for everyone—performances (including for students during schooltime), classes, a bazaar, films, community events, scholarships, and a Memorial Room. All contribute to spread Baba Chuck’s, and current Artistic Director Abdel R. Salaam’s, enduring central messages: love, respect, and tradition. Here are stories from a few people whose lives have been touched by DanceAfrica.

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William Mathews, “Baba Bill”
Council of Elders

I met my future wife Mama Lynette [White] in 1981 and she invited me to an African dance class taught by Chuck. After a while sitting on the side, Chuck asked me to get up and dance with them. I was not a dancer and knew nothing about African dance. But his presence was so illuminating and his personality so inviting that I did as he said. After that, he said I was to come back next week, which I did. Some time after that, Lynette told me I was going to be on this “Council of Elders.” Since I was courting her, I did as told. That’s how I became involved with DanceAfrica. I remember asking Chuck once why he wanted me to be a member. He said, “Anyone that can make my premier dancer smile and look so happy is part of my family.” The Council of Elders is an important part of the festival. We instill the sense of respect for tradition, culture, and elders in all participants. I oversee arranging the Memorial Room and have set up two mentorship programs (Crowns and Seeds) at Bed-Stuy Restoration. Chuck really makes you want to participate. He makes you feel loved, like you’re in a family. I call it the magic of Chuck.

About the Other Night: The Alan Gala

The Howard Gilman Opera House transforms for The Alan Gala. Photo: Beowulf Sheehan

Brooklyn, New York—it’s a helluva town!

On Tuesday, April 4th, we celebrated the incomparable legacy of our very own "no-holds-barred, take-it-to-the-limit Chairman” Emeritus, Alan H. Fishman. After nearly 30 years of service on BAM’s Board of Trustees (14 of which he spent as chairman), the Brooklyn-bred Fishman stepped down at the end of 2016–leaving us no choice but to fête him in style.

Alan & Judith Fishman arrive. Photo: Elena Olivo

Silent Voices—Composers' Notes

In Silent Voices, the Brooklyn Youth Chorus will sing 10 commissioned songs by composers such as Toshi Reagon, Shara Nova, Nico Muhly, and DJ Spooky, giving powerful voice to the disenfranchised. Helga Davis hosts, writers Hilton Als (a recent Pulitzer Prize winner) and Claudia Rankine (2017 Guggenheim Fellow) contribute text, and the International Contemporary Ensemble will play as well. Silent Voices was conceived, and is conducted, by Dianne Berkun Menaker, and directed by Kristin Marting.

The following notes are by the composers, including some lyric excerpts:

so quietly

Music by Caroline Shaw
Text by Caroline Shaw

“so quietly” is an unfolding and an amplification of the voices of individuals who do not feel empowered to speak up, to contribute to a conversation, to perhaps point out an injustice or offer a solution. It could be a tendency to swallow words or backtrack when voicing an idea or opinion in a meeting, or a broader discomfort with engaging politically in society. This piece begins with text that is blurred, muted, and unsure of itself, eventually transforming into something focused, bright, strong, and joyfully outspoken.

Eat, Drink & Be Literary: Walter Mosley

For the past twelve winter spring seasons, audiences have shared a meal with some of today's leading contemporary authors in BAMcafé. Proudly presented by BAM and the National Book Foundation, Eat, Drink & Be Literary features both long established and newer voices as they read from and reflect on their work to date. Each evening starts off with a seasonal, farm fresh dinner by Great Performances, wine from Seghesio Family Vineyards, and live music and features a reading, an interview, a Q&A, and a book signing with the featured author.

On February 21, the 13th season kicked off with Walter Mosley—author of more than 50 critically acclaimed books and the winner of numerous awards, including a Grammy and PEN America’s Lifetime Achievement Award. His iconic Easy Rawlins detective series celebrated its 25th anniversary this year with the publication of Charcoal Joe. He spoke with Lorin Stein, editor of The Paris Review, about his illustrious career to date:





While the series sells out quickly (though a few tickets for the remainder of the series were recently released—grab them fast!), we hope you'll stay tuned for highlights from the rest of this season's authors, which include Ben Lerner, Claudia Rankine, and Elif Batuman.

DanceMotion USA—A Lucky 7

Yeman Brown of Reggie Wilson/Fist & Heel Group with a student in Santo Domingo, DR. Photo: Ariana Hellerman

By Sarah Horne

The seventh season of DanceMotion USA^SM (DMUSA) has just been announced, with participating companies Bebe Miller Company, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, and Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company. DMUSA, the US State Department’s cultural diplomacy program that is produced by BAM, fosters mutual understanding, acceptance, and community engagement through dance and movement exchange. Season seven companies will continue this work with residencies in Colombia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Peru, Russia, and South Korea in early 2018.

By the end of 2017, this partnership between the US State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and BAM will have sent 20 dance companies to 55 countries reaching more than 115,000 people directly in workshops and performances, and over 20 million people through digital platforms and social media.

Thank You, Alan Fishman

Judith and Alan Fishman address Merce Cunningham and company at a BAM gala in 2009. Photo: Elena Olivo

By Susan Yung

News flash: Brooklyn is riding a wave of popularity as a place to live, work, and play. BAM is central to this evolution both culturally and geographically, as it has been for much of its 156 years of existence. For the entire 21st century, Alan H. Fishman led the institution as chairman of the board until recently ceding the seat to Adam Max. During his tenure, attendance has grown to reach 700,000 visitors annually, and programming has blossomed in variety and reach. The Fisher building opened at 321 Ashland in 2012; its main performance space is named for Alan and Judith Fishman, and has drawn its own fan base for its intimate size and surprising versatility. Under Fishman’s watch, Katy Clark succeeded Karen Brooks Hopkins as president, and the BAM Endowment has grown to nearly $100,000,000.

Fishman was born and raised in Brooklyn. He attended Erasmus Hall in Flatbush, where he was a star and captain of the basketball team. While he has had an impressive career in the financial services industry, he has distinguished himself by supporting an astonishing number of Brooklyn’s philanthropic and cultural endeavors, as well as organizations that encourage growth and reinvestment in the borough and its citizens.

In Context: Sanam Marvi

Pakistani superstar Sanam Marvi presents an evening of folk and Sufi devotional music at its most intensely sublime, singing poetic texts in Urdu, Sindhi, and Saraiki. Context is everything, so get closer to the production through our series of curated links, videos, and articles. After you've attended the show, let us know what you thought by posting in the comments below and on social media using #SanamMarvi.