Memorial Day has come and gone, but the memory of Dance Africa Festival sponsored by the Brooklyn Academy of Music is still very much alive. People came from near and far to be a part of the festival.
Stepping onto this quiet, unassuming street called Ashland Place in Brooklyn, N.Y. you find yourself in the heart of an outdoor market. Vendors are displaying their African wares, jewelry, and clothing. The aroma of African/Caribbean/American food fills the air from one end of Ashland Place to the other end. Both vendors and shoppers spill onto the side streets of Hanson Place, and Lafayette Avenue. The streets are packed with potential buyers looking for unique styles.
One vendor who keeps coming back to the Dance Africa Festival is Mr. Jabbie Kunda. He authenticates what an African marketplace looks like with his colorful fabrics and cloths, hand crafts, jewelry, and paintings displayed.
Mr. Jabbie has participated in Dance Africa outdoor Festival for four years. He rent three spots to show his wares. Mr. Jabbie said that he “returns each year not so much for the sales but to let people see his wares and give out cards for his business in Harlem.”
Jackie Johnson, a repeat customer of Mr. Kunda, says that “his fabrics are real African cloth.”
Shoppers are unable to pass by a young lady standing in the middle of the street wearing long extended eyelashes. As the shoppers tried to get around the young lady they end up stopping and asking questions about her lashes. She responds to their questions and directs them to the cosmetic booth behind her.
As the browsers continue to walk through they are drawn to the different booths of crafts, brightly colored items, and various types of food and drinks. One vendor displayed colorful and unique ready-made headties, another vendor sold reasonably priced straw hats with an African styling that can be worn formally or casually.
This outdoor festival is not the only entity that Brooklyn Academy of Music features during their annual Dance Africa festival. The festival also show case art exhibit, film series and live music performances. The festival is centered on the dance performances at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House.
The festival 2009 Dance Africa celebrated its 32nd year drawing people near and far to the community and this great attraction. Over 30,000 people attend the festival and 250 vendors participate. According to Adriana Leshko in BAM press department, “Dance African festival is one of America’s largest and most vibrant celebrations of Africa and African American dance, music, and culture.”
This event is worth putting on your list of things to do next year on Memorial Day weekend. You may be glad you made that decision.
Stepping onto this quiet, unassuming street called Ashland Place in Brooklyn, N.Y. you find yourself in the heart of an outdoor market. Vendors are displaying their African wares, jewelry, and clothing. The aroma of African/Caribbean/American food fills the air from one end of Ashland Place to the other end. Both vendors and shoppers spill onto the side streets of Hanson Place, and Lafayette Avenue. The streets are packed with potential buyers looking for unique styles.
One vendor who keeps coming back to the Dance Africa Festival is Mr. Jabbie Kunda. He authenticates what an African marketplace looks like with his colorful fabrics and cloths, hand crafts, jewelry, and paintings displayed.
Mr. Jabbie has participated in Dance Africa outdoor Festival for four years. He rent three spots to show his wares. Mr. Jabbie said that he “returns each year not so much for the sales but to let people see his wares and give out cards for his business in Harlem.”
Jackie Johnson, a repeat customer of Mr. Kunda, says that “his fabrics are real African cloth.”
Shoppers are unable to pass by a young lady standing in the middle of the street wearing long extended eyelashes. As the shoppers tried to get around the young lady they end up stopping and asking questions about her lashes. She responds to their questions and directs them to the cosmetic booth behind her.
As the browsers continue to walk through they are drawn to the different booths of crafts, brightly colored items, and various types of food and drinks. One vendor displayed colorful and unique ready-made headties, another vendor sold reasonably priced straw hats with an African styling that can be worn formally or casually.
This outdoor festival is not the only entity that Brooklyn Academy of Music features during their annual Dance Africa festival. The festival also show case art exhibit, film series and live music performances. The festival is centered on the dance performances at BAM Howard Gilman Opera House.
The festival 2009 Dance Africa celebrated its 32nd year drawing people near and far to the community and this great attraction. Over 30,000 people attend the festival and 250 vendors participate. According to Adriana Leshko in BAM press department, “Dance African festival is one of America’s largest and most vibrant celebrations of Africa and African American dance, music, and culture.”
This event is worth putting on your list of things to do next year on Memorial Day weekend. You may be glad you made that decision.
