Boogie Down Dance Series at BAAD! Kicks Off This Month

The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance (BAAD!) has announced its lineup for the 22nd annual BOOGIE DOWN DANCE SERIES 2023 from April 21 to May 30 at BAAD!, 2474 Westchester Avenue in the Westchester Square section of the Bronx. With a diverse lineup of events, the BOOGIE DOWN DANCE SERIES promises to showcase the vibrant artistic community of the Bronx.

This year's series will open with the BRIO All Star Dance Concert, featuring an all-star lineup of previous BRIO (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) award winners and the BAAD! Bunny Dance Compilation, a curation of pieces by local choreographers set to the music of Puerto Rican megastar and ally Bad Bunny. In the spirit of Sankofa, Dancing While Black's three-part series: Past, Present, and Future, will honor the work and visions of artists who are shepherding Black dance and performance hubs across the United States. Make It Happen: An Alice Teirstein Memorial will celebrate the legacy of the New York dance icon, In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY will present Little Funerals and finally, BOOGIE DOWN DANCE will come to a close with the New York premiere screening of ¡FENOMENAL! ROMPEFORMA 1989-1996, co-sponsored by CENTRO, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College.

The events will take place in a combination of in-person, virtual-only, and hybrid formats, meaning some events will be accessible online via live stream. Ticket prices range from free to $20. BAAD! offers discounts to students and seniors, and free admission to residents of 10474 and 10461 zip codes. For ticketing and additional information, visit BAAD!'s website: www.BAADBronx.org. The Boogie Down Dance Series receives specific funding from the New York State Council on the Arts, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Mertz Gilmore Foundation with support for artist residencies by the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and the Cultural Immigrants Initiative of the New York City Council.

The schedule of events is as follows:

Friday, April 21 @ 8pm | In-person & Virtual | Free to $20 BRIO All Star Dance Concert

This dance concert will showcase the talent and creativity of BRIO (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) Award winners-Bronx artists who have been recognized for their exceptional work in dance by the Bronx Council of the Arts. The evening will feature eight choreographers including Aliesha Bryan, Rebecca Lloyd-Jones and more.

Saturday, April 29 @ 8pm | In-person & Virtual | Free to $20 BAAD! Bunny Dance Compilation

In this installation of BAAD!'s Dance Compilation series, local choreographers and dancers Beverly Lopez, Sage Rivera, Abril Amparo, Argelia Arreola, Leroy McLaurin, Nandito Cabrera, Catherine Messina and Honest Malcreada showcase original dance pieces set to the music of Puerto Rican megastar and ally, Bad Bunny.

Wednesday, May 10 @ 7pm | Virtual | Free to $20 Dancing While Black: Past-How We Do

Electrifying dance performances by three generations of Black women choreographers: Nia Love, Jaime Dzandu & Brittany Williams, and Onye Ozuzu as they revisit Dancing While Black: On Fertile Ground, a 2015-2016 collaboration with the New Orleans-based Junebug Productions.

Thursday, May 11 @ 7pm | Virtual | Free to $20
Dancing While Black: Present-How We Build

In a dialogue hosted by artist-organizer Shani Jamila, DWB: Present highlights the visionary work of artists who are shepherding Black dance and performance hubs across the United States.

Thursday, May 11 @ 7pm | In-person | $10
BAAD! and In Scena! Italian Theater Festival NY present: Little Funerals

A moving and sweet piece written and performed by Maurizio Rippa (voice) accompanied by Amedeo Monda (guitar) about welcoming pain and turning it into a rebirth. A goodbye, an intimate and personal moment, which finds strength in music. In Italian with English supertitles.

Saturday, May 13 @ 12:30pm-6pm | In-person | Free to $20
Dancing While Black: Future-How We Thrive

A three-part event featuring a panel discussion on the power and urgency of Black improvisational dance and a performance by a stellar lineup of Black dance improvisers including Dianne McIntyre, Marlies Yearby, Nia Love, Lacina Coulibaly, Christal Brown, Ana "Rokafella" Garcia, Jason Samuels Smith, as well as musicians Jocelyn Pleasant, Imani Uzuri sharing their collective embodiments of thriving. Finally, a celebratory dance party will close the event.

Tuesday, May 23 @ 7pm | In-person & Virtual | Free
Make It Happen: An Alice Teirstein Memorial

A memorial event honoring the life and legacy of New York dance icon Alice Teirstein, a beloved dancer, choreographer, and educator, and the founder of Young Dancemakers. The event features performances by dancers and choreographers influenced by Alice, as well as personal tributes and stories celebrating her impact on the dance community.

Friday, May 26 and Saturday, May 27 @ 8pm | In-person & virtual| Free to $20
BAAD! Muse: Edrimael Delgado

As part of the BAAD! Muse residency program, dancer/choreographer and founder of LaBoriVogue, Edrimael Delgado, develops a new work that explores ways to reconcile queer and Afro-Caribbean identities through his performance practices. In the piece, Delgado develops characters that show objects and memories that tie them to their race and gender journeys. Featured collaborators include Puerto Rican artists such as dancer Rafael Cañals, wardrobe designer Daniela Fabrizi and sound designers Armando Román and Alejandro Fundora. Friday night's event includes a post-show talk with the artists and Saturday night's post-show will feature an open floor and dance party.

Tuesday, May 30 and Wednesday, May 31 @ 7pm | In-person| Free ($10 suggested donation)
¡FENOMENAL! ROMPEFORMA 1989-1996 | Film Screening + Artist Talk

Directed by Viveca Vázquez and Merián Soto, this documentary revisits Rompeforma, a pivotal, experimental Latinx dance and performance festival held in Puerto Rico from 1989 to 1996. It featured over sixty Latinx artists in a variety of dance, performance, and visual arts including BAAD! Co-founder Arthur Avilés. The audience will have the opportunity to engage in a conversation with the filmmakers and the NY-based artists who appeared in the film about the social and political impact of their work. The screenings are co-sponsored by CENTRO, The Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College.