Senate Resolution No. 2848

BY: Senator PARKER

COMMENDING the Brooklyn Academy of Music upon the
occasion of hosting the 2022 DanceAfrica Festival to
be celebrated May 27-30, 2022

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to call attention
to those events which serve to enhance the cultural enrichment of the
State of New York and preserve the heritage of African Americans; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commend the Brooklyn Academy of Music upon the occasion of hosting the
2022 DanceAfrica Festival to be celebrated May 27-30, 2022, at the Peter
Jay Sharp Building in the Howard Gilman Opera House in Brooklyn, New
York; and

WHEREAS, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a multi-faceted arts
center committed to serving the Brooklyn community; for over 150 years,
it has provided world-class programming in theater, dance, music, opera,
and film, while showcasing the work of emerging artists and innovative
modern masters; and

WHEREAS, The 2022 DanceAfrica Festival is organized by Afropop
Worldwide, a Peabody award-winning radio program and online magazine
dedicated to music from Africa and the African diaspora; and

WHEREAS, The vision of Afropop Worldwide is to increase the profile
of African and African diaspora music worldwide, and to see that
benefits from this increased profile go back to artists, music industry
professionals, and the countries that produce the music; and

WHEREAS, Dance Africa is dedicated to African dance and music and
this year it returns to the stages and streets of Brooklyn for its 45th
year; and

WHEREAS, Five different guest companies from Brooklyn, Harlem, the
Bronx, and Washington, DC, will perform, each offering a home-grown
vision of traditional dances; they will bring to the stage movement and
musical styles from Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, and the Caribbean,
supported by an all-star orchestra created by members of each company;
and

WHEREAS, In addition, the DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers will take the
stage and the beloved RestorationArt Dance Youth Ensemble will mark
their 25th Anniversary; and

WHEREAS, The DanceAfrica Arts Festival is a cherished event which
provides a uniquely warm and safe environment in which to enjoy the
music, dance, arts, crafts, flavors, colors, laughter and love of the
African Diaspora with family and visitors from across the globe; now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Brooklyn Academy of Music upon the occasion of hosting the

2022 DanceAfrica Festival to be celebrated May 27-30, 2022; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Brooklyn Academy of Music and Afropop Worldwide.