Bronx Arts Ensemble is celebrating Black History Month by spotlighting three of its Black teaching artists in livestream performances.
On Feb. 11, Yahaya Kamate, joined by his African drumming/dance group, will present the African diaspora through music, dance and call and response. Also joining Kamate is an orator, explaining the origins of America’s Black History Month. Kamate will explain how he shares his personal story of the African experience with his students.
Kamate is a native of the Ivory Coast. As a former member of the National Ballet of the Ivory Coast, he first came to the United States to honor his country by touring with the ballet in 1994.
He practices African dance, drumming, modern dance and ballet. Currently, he is an instructor at Alvin Ailey and a performer and dance teacher at Friends Academy.
On Feb. 18, there will be presentations by BAE teaching artist Kika Wright. She will perform her favorite Negro spirituals, including “Go Down Moses” and recite an essay about her experiences as an Afro Latina. Wright will be joined by Ashley Adams, who will recite “The Hill We Climb” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.”
Wright is a performer and double reed instructor in New York City. She serves as the oboe and bassoon teaching artist for Bronx Arts Ensemble and the bassoonist of the Incidental Chamber Players in Pittsburgh.
Adams is an actor and theater educator from South Carolina. She has been with Bronx Arts Ensemble for five years and has worked with regional theaters throughout the country.
Currently, she is the theater junior scholars instructor at NYPL’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture and will soon step into the position of advocacy program coordinator at Drama Club NYC.
