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Upcoming event, Tue. 6/29
Tue. 6/29: Dancing on the Plaza 2021: QUADRILLE
Since its inaugural installation, Dancing on the Plaza (Central Branch, Brooklyn Public Library) has showcased traditional and contemporary dances of the Caribbean region. Birthed to celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month, this festival shares a dominant practice of call and response expressions that is still alive across the Caribbean landscape.
This year the spotlight is on Quadrille with a focus on Landship Dance out of Barbados. The conversation will be co-moderated by Marcia Jeffers LIVE from St. Kitts and Maxine Hamilton-Alexander in Brooklyn. The show will begin at 7 PM on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, with special guests Archie Miller and Sam Clarke.
Throughout the program, videos that demonstrate this dance practice across the region will be shared and wedded to ethnographic content. Quadrille (possibly diminutive of the word quadra/small square), is a two-hand turn dance that was most fashionable during the 1800s. It’s said to have reached English high society in 1816 and is akin to Cotillion/Contredanse an earlier form of Square Dance. Typically it’s four couples in a square formation, figures intertwining with hands and turn or ladies chain, an opposite woman passes each other by the right hand, giving her left to the man opposite to her. We improv when we must.
To my delight, adopted versions of Quadrille around the Caribbean reveals consistently, deep connectivity to adapted African variations despite origin – Specificity to mutations of local cultural circumstances and with Africanization of the music; high pitched instruments like drum and fife. Caribbean American Artists and Culture Bearers are a community. They are proud practitioners who use their talent and time to nurture their community through their stories with Dance styles, Theatre Arts, Percussion Sounds, Literature, Film, and fine arts.
What I find most fascinating about this particular practice, is the modifications. This dance style stretches across African Diaspora communities that include Black Americans. It shows the connection in our shared history of captivity and will help open up space where we cultivate KINSHIP. Depending on where and who, despite the variation Quadrille/Kwadril/Contillian is part of the nexus of living traditions directly linked to our ancestral
The mission of Dancing on the Plaza is to buildup SOLIDARITY among Caribbean-American Artists. Dance and music language are particularly rich, analogous, and energetic within the African Diaspora, globally. As the pandemic rages on, Covid-19 heralded a no-touch and distance guideline. This is pushing us to discover, embrace and normalize new ways to present arts and culture programs. A virtual iteration of Dancing on the Plaza focus “dance & plaza” in a more symbolic manner – a metaphor for support, resilience, healing, and connectivity. We are dancing internally and externally – expressions of will, hope, faith… Relief! No matter who you are one of the most important things to humans is the feeling of, ‘I matter’.
My name is Maxine Hamilton-Alexander and partnerships are very important to my work as a Visual Artist. It allows me to bring enriched activities that utilize Caribbean Arts & Culture to my community. The conversation partners are going to be AMAZING
CAHM 2021
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, DC, May 31, 2021
MEDIA CONTACT: icsdcorg@gmail.com
U.S. Department of State to Open National Caribbean American Heritage Month
June 1, 2021
WASHINGTON, DC, May 31, 2021
National Caribbean American Heritage Month celebrations will open with an Official Ceremony on June 1st at 9:00 am EDT. The event will be hosted virtually on the Zoom platform and will feature keynote speaker, Laura Lochman, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, and Ambassador Her Excellency Jocelyne Fletcher, Minister of Diaspora Affairs of St. Lucia.
Other featured guest speakers include Ambassador Nestor Mendez, and Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization of American States. aDr. Claire Nelson, Founding President of the Institute of Caribbean Studies and Chair of the National Committee will bring Opening Remarks and Barbadian vocalist Lynette Lynch will perform the US National Anthem, as well as the Black National Anthem written by James Weldon Johnson who was also of Caribbean heritage.
Since 2006, June has been designated as National Caribbean American Heritage Month by Presidential Proclamation. Caribbean Americans have contributed to the development of the United States in extraordinary ways. Millions of people in the United States are connected to our Caribbean Neighbors.
“Our Shared History, Our Shared Future” is the theme for the June 2021 Caribbean Heritage Month, being celebrated across the United States in recognition of the contribution of the Caribbean Peoples to the culture and economy of the nation. The month of activities is being organized by the Institute for Caribbean Studies (ICS), a non-profit based in Washington DC. Other regional associations are coordinating activities in local boroughs and communities with high levels of Caribbean American Nationals. This year’s activities will be held almost entirely virtually due to the Coronavirus pandemic. While the COVID-19 has presented some major challenges for the ICS, it has also created a corresponding number of opportunities. “SMART Caribbean Gathering: A Futures BrainFest” is the intellectual component of the celebrations in which Caribbean-American people and knowledge area experts will come together on virtual platforms to discuss issues affecting the Caribbean Region and Caribbean Americans residing in the United States.
“This year’s events reflect the growing consciousness of our community on the need to show up and be counted,” said Dr. Claire Nelson, who received a White House Champion of Change, in part for her leadership of this movement. “Since the beginning, ICS has worked together with our partners and stakeholders to successfully grow awareness of the commemoration; and more importantly signal a sea change in Caribbean immigrant relationships with the political and policy elite here in the US. The onus is on us as Caribbean community leaders to be present in the room, and if needed bring our folding chair, as the powers-that-be attempts to construct a path forward in the post COVID world. Our SMART Caribbean Forums on the Blue Green Economy, the Creative Economy and the MSME Economy will play like an innovation mas camp for Caribbean joy makers and change artistes”, Dr. Nelson added.
ICS, the architect of the Campaign to Celebrate June as National Caribbean American Heritage Month (NCAHM), and its partners will convene the second all virtual series of events beginning on JUNE 1st with the Opening Celebrations with the U.S. Department of State and continuing with Opening Celebrations in South Florida, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, and Wilmington.
It is expected that members of the Congressional Caribbean Caucus administration officials and national experts and scholars will participate in timely discussions of major policy issues affecting the Caribbean American community in Legislative Week, June 21-26th. The month-long celebrations will bring together Caribbean peoples across the world to address common concerns; to allow Caribbean peoples everywhere to feel a sense of place in the public discourse on the post-COVID global future, and to strengthen the Caribbean Voice in the World.
Dr. Amala Luncheon,
Communications Director,
ICS, Amala.Luncheon@icsdc.org
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| This show is a module extrapolation from the Elevate Entrepreneurs Workshop modules. We share value aspirations inside the mindset of their spiritual and belief system emanating from historical reasoning, and includes the current chaotic behavior happening now in our environment. Like, share, donate or be a sponsor. Send an email to elevateentrepreneurs4@gmail.com to learn more on the show and how you can benefit from the program and services. To book a session or hire Aubry, fill out the contact form. Your conversation is deemed confidential at all times. |
The Slave Dwelling Project
| Dear Friends of the Slave Dwelling Project: |
I believe we can confront this past with the kind of narrative that builds bridges, not walls.As the founder and director, I know the Slave Dwelling Project can forge a more truthful and inclusive narrative of American history. My colleagues and I have been tackling these difficult issues for 10 years, and we are ready to continue and expand our work, close divides and address inequities.
We need your help.When the pandemic forced us to cancel much of our in-person programming for 2020, we kept going. Online conversations and virtual tours expanded our reach and impact. At the same time, we miss the transformation which occurs when we are physically together around our fireside conversations or sleeping in historic structures.We head into 2021 ready to build upon our virtual reach no matter what and to expand our in-person impact when the health crisis subsides. We see opportunities to strengthen our outreach efforts — especially to schools and community groups – through a focus on strategic planning and capacity building. Your contributions are vital to this effort.
Seeing the value of our work to change the narrative and confront the past, anonymous donors have offered $15,000 as a dollar-for-dollar match for any contributions received from our supporters by December 31, 2020.Your contribution will help ensure that we can continue our work in a time that has been very difficult for so many of us. Please join us in meeting this match—and encourage your friends and family to do the same—knowing that every dollar you give will double in value.
Your ongoing commitments of time, experiences, best wishes, and financial support keep us going and are greatly appreciated. Thank you!Look for the coming release of our 2021 schedule, and plan to gather with us at some of those events. In the meantime have a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season!
Joe McGill
Founder and Director
The Slave Dwelling Project
| I Am With You Joe. Match My Gift to The Slave Dwelling Project |
The Slave Dwelling Project is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to a more truthful and inclusive narrative of American history, honoring the contributions of all our people by interpreting slave dwellings and fostering dialogue on slavery and race relations. Your continued interest and support help make this important work possible.
Our mailing address is:
The Slave Dwelling Project
P.O. Box 1469
Ladson, SC 29456
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