Black Dance Stories announces its August 2020 lineup featuring dancers and choreographers who use their work to raise societal issues, strengthen community through their programming, and use history as a source of inspiration. This month the story sharing and discussion series brings together yonTande and Meredith Rainey (Aug 6); Sydnie Mosley and Raja Feather Kelly (Aug 13); Zane Booker and Oluwadamilare “Dare” Ayorinde (Aug 20); and Leslie Parker and Wanjiru Kamuyu (Aug 27) in discussion. Black Dance Stories will also present the world premiere video of nora chipaumire’s new work—[another] township manifesto (Aug 27). The piece was created specifically for the digital platform in response to our current world environment where Black artists are finding innovative ways to continue to address the politics of Black bodies and connect to their audience. The series streams live via Zoom every Thursday in August at 6pm.
For full schedule and artist bios click here
The Black Dance Stories team consists of Black creatives in the arts, including Charmaine Warren, Kimani Fowlin, Nicholas Hall, Cynthia Tate, and Gabe Dekoladenu. The series is consistent with the tradition of Black artists finding a way for their voices to be heard during turbulent times. When civil, moral, and social freedoms are challenged and at times stifled, Black artists find ways to use their talents as activism. Black Dance Stories upholds, highlights, and celebrates Black creatives.
The series launched in June 2020. Previous artists include Ayodele Casel, Stefanie Batten Bland, Jamar Roberts, Tiffany Rea-Fisher, Cynthia Oliver, Marjani Forté-Saunders, Lorenzo “Rennie” Harris, J. Bouey, Kyle Marshall, and Okwui Okpokwasili. Each session will be archived on the Black Dance Stories YouTube page.
Black Dance Stories streams live on Zoom, every Thursday in August at 6pm. For more information visit @BlackDanceStories or email blackdancestories@gmail.com. Sign up for updates here.
On May 11th, 2019, A Village United held its debut event entitled It Takes A Village – a musical showcase that gave eight rising artists a platform to shine and share their art. Founded by Bronx-native Eric Davon, the showcase was designed to create a village amongst likeminded individuals who are able to listen and learn from one another through art. The artists who took the stage consisted of a diverse group of singers and rappers who all put their own spin on their performances, some adding choreographed dancing, others bringing a full band – all for the love of their art.
A panel of four entrepreneurs, who are artists in their own respects, inspired the crowd by sharing their success stories, their plans for leaving a legacy in their fields and paying homage to their own village who has helped them throughout the way.
Now try applying that to self. We go through shit all the time. Sometimes every day, sometimes every hour, and sometimes it seems like we can’t keep it together for even a minute. But with all of these things that happen to us, we are like that bowl we made, broken, but never too far gone to the point of not being able to be repaired. I thought I was too far gone countless of times. I thought I had no more hope and no more reasons to be repaired. I figured, damn, I’m at rock bottom so often I might need to change my address. Until I realized, yo, fuck clay, get gold. The more shit I went through, I started thinking I had to be going through it for a reason. If not to help someone else around me, then to become even more fire than I was before.
We could go on with a bunch of dope adjectives to describe Sehiii, but the energy you’ll feel in the videos below pretty much sums it up! Ok, maybe we’ll gush a little. Sehiii, pronounced Say-Hi (don’t forget your 3rd eye), elevates the positive vibes of your life. At it’s core, it’s an artist showcase – singers, lyricists, poets, dancers, photographers, comedians, painters, illustrators, on and on and on on and on and… Generally hosted at For My Sweet Gallery & Event Space (which got dubbed Sehiii Gallery by some blogger and is now the name that shows when you google the address), Sehiii has grown to be a Brooklyn staple, a safe space for budding artists, a space for seasoned artists to test “new shit,” and an all around good time for those who attend. There are also artisans vending all of the good goods, as well as food and drinks for the low low. On top of all of this, the founder 
Brooklyn-based indie-soul/rock band Meridian Lights has been on the scene for about 3 years, constantly playing gigs around the U.S. Meridian Lights is the song writing team consisting of vocalist Bradley Valentin and guitarist Yohimbe Sampson. They have recently completed their “self titled” second release.
