THPAC's 35th Season Presents Thirty5-in-5 SOULS OF OUR FEET: PEOPLE OF COLOR DANCE FESTIVAL June 19th -23rd, 2011 @ 7:30PM (NYC)

Official Website:
Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center

Click Image To Enlarge

THELMA HILL PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

In Celebration with Kumble Theater

35th
ANNIVERSARY
SEASON 2011


thirty5-in-5
SOULS OF OUR FEET:
PEOPLE OF COLOR DANCE FESTIVAL

SAVE THESE DATES!!!

June 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd & 23rd, 2011
All Performances @ 7:30PM

All performances at
Kumble Theater at LIU
Downtown Brooklyn Campus
@ Flatbush Ave/between DeKalb Ave. & Willoughby St.
Ticket prices:
$15 General Admission / $12 Students & Seniors

June 19th Performance & Pre-Production Reception-$20
Reception Time: 6:00PM

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!!!!

Kumble Theater Box Office:
718/488-1624 or www.kumbletheater.org

For info:
Call 718/875-9710 or www.thelmahill.com


EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN
ALEX SMITH, JR

ARTISTIC ADVISOR
WALTER RUTLEDGE

LIGHTING DESIGN
NICK HUNG

KUMBLE PRODUCTION COORDINATORS
RODNEY K. HURLEY
HOLLY KO


Major Funders:
New York City Dept. of Cultural Affairs;
Mertz Gilmore;
Brooklyn Arts Council;
Office of Sen. V. Montgomery;
Council-member Letitia James

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

About Alex Smith

Alex Smith was appointed Executive Director by the THPAC board in 1995 and later Executive Chairman. Under his tutelage and passionate commitment over 150 artists have been presented in performance including Ron Brown, Valerie Winborne, George Faison, Louis Johnson, Marlies Yearby, and Fred Benjamin, seven new programming formats have been added, and THPAC’s annual Life Time Achievement Awards, whose recipients include Louis Johnson, George Faison, Ella Thompson Moore, Dianne McIntrye, Fred Benjamin, and Kathy Grant and Dudley Williams, were established. During the coming summer 2010 season Smith will present, A Ramp to Paradise, a commissioned choreographed work by Kyle Abraham designed to pay homage to New York City’s ultimate dance experience, the legendary underground dance club Paradise Garage.

About Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center

THPAC, www.thelmahill.com, an independent non-profit organization, was formed in 1976 to forge and temper creative talent. Over 34 years the organization has attracted both emerging and established artists of color who developed a perpetual evolutionary cycle in which more than 300 alumni have gone on to successful careers as dancers and choreographers in the U.S. and abroad. The mission of THPAC is to build bridges of understanding through the presentation and celebration of choreographic works by artists of color. From fostering grassroots involvement at home to expanding awareness of the arts abroad, THPAC facilitates artistic collaborations, such as performances, workshops, seminars and community projects. Through these efforts, new channels of creative dialogue inspire free-flowing dynamic cultural expressions.

22nd Annual Tribute To Our Ancestors Of The Middle Passage Saturday, June 11th, 2011 Coney Island, Brooklyn (NYC) 12 Noon To Dusk

22nd Annual
Tribute To Our Ancestors Of The Middle Passage
Saturday, June 11th, 2011
Coney Island, Brooklyn (NYC)
12 Noon To Dusk

Coney Island Boardwalk @ West 17th Street
Ancestor's Circle)
D, F, N or Q Trains To Coney Island/Stillwell Avenue
(Last Stop)

GOOGLE MAP

Click Images To Enlarge

FUN! FUN! FUN! At BAM's DanceAfrica 2011

I always have so much FUN at BAM's DanceAfrca every year.

This year was especially FESTIVAL for some reason for me. I took some quick pics on my camera phone I want to share...

These Dolls Were Awesome!

This Was Majorly Interesting And Puzzling?
Is this a Heterosexual Couple (A Dude with Big Breasts)
Or A Same Gender Loving (SGL) Display of Affection With Two Sisters?
What Do You Think?

This Was Nice To Watch

Lieutenant Uhura DJing!!!
I Had To Snap A Picture Of This!! LOL! HAH AHAHAH!

Sistah Ma-JaDe With Her Incredible Sa
(An Egyptian Word For Jewelry)

Ma-JaDe: A Sistah Who Makes Outstanding African "Sa" (Jewelry)

Ma-JaDe is an incredibly talented sistah who makes some of the best sa (an Egyptian phrase for jewelry) I've ever seen - and I'm not a big sa person either, but for some reason I've been wanting to rock some African sa. I've also gotten inspired by a few bruthaz I've seen in passing on the subway train with some nice neck wear, too.

So below is a sample of some of the Sa pieces she has made. You can visit her website here: azzaziel.com and her contact email address is majade@live.com. Tell her BIG ROD sent ya.

I Met Ma-JaDe At BAM's DanceAfrica Street Festival Bazaar
In Downtown Brooklyn on Saturday, May 29th, 2011,
One Day After My Birthday

This Is The Neck Wear That I Bought From Ma-JaDe
At DanceAfrica. It's Smokin' Qool And Quite Powerful
In Appearance

I Bought These Earrings For My MOM's Birthday

This Is a Very Nice Sa Piece! It's Powerful!
Prince, His Purple Heiness Would Be Proud! LOL!

The Seven Chakras

GRAND RE-OPENING: Juice Bar Uptwon Veg NEW BUSINESS: Island Salad In Harlem on 125th Street Two Vegetarian Black Businesses

YES! The old Uptown Juice Bar has moved and meta-morphed into Juice Bar Uptown Veg. I kept hearing rumbling rumors that Uptown Juice Bar was in trouble due to escalating commercial rents in Harlem on 125th Street, and that it was on the verge of closing. Periodically, I would head over there to show my LOVE and monetary support by picking up some good tasting and healthy vegetarian dishes as well as my Vita Coco coconut water before I would head to BMX-NY (Black Men's Xchange-New York) on Friday evenings to socialize with my SGL brotherhood.

However, my money has been funky as of late, and so I really haven't been to Uptown Juice Bar for a few months now. I was saddened to hear these rumors and the possibility of yet another Black business going down the tubes via white supremacy and gentrification by jacking up the rent.

Anyway, I had just gotten off the 6 train at 125th Street and was headed to see sistah Ma-JaDe, an African street vendor who makes superb "jewelry" or otherwise known as "Sa" in Egyptian language from what another sistah told me. Check out the pic of me to the right to see how awesome her freakin' work is --->

Before I got to Ma-JaDe's table which was a few blocks away, (her website is azzaziel.com and her contact email address is majade@live.com) I saw what seemed like a new vegetarian joint. I was like "Qool! Let me stop in and see what they have". And I immediately saw this sistah behind the counter that I recognized from Uptown Juice Bar. I waited until she fisnished with a customer and asked her if she switched jobs or something, and she was said "Nah, we moved to this new location from the old block. The land owner is eventually going to make everyone from the old block move because of major renovation (and jacked up rent, of course). She said the businesses still on the old block have another 2 years to move. So, what do you think of the new place?"

I thought the place was mad qool and bigger (at least in the main area). The only loss was that there was no back area sitting anymore.

In any even, I LOVE the new Juice Bar Uptown Veg place and I took some pictures to share.

Juice Bar Uptown Veg
(Front Area With Counter)

Juice Bar Uptown Veg (Back Area)

NOW! Before I got to the new and improved Juice Bar Uptown Veg Counter I saw this new place (at least new to me as I don't walk and travel down the east side of Harlem much) called Island Salad. I saw a lot of Black people in there (customers) and most especially behind the counter. I assumed it's a Black business and looked over the menu. It was another pro-vegetarian place and they specialized in custom order salads and wraps with different fishes (shrimp, tilapia, salmon, etc.), toppings and dressings.

Click Image To Enlarge The Menu/Price List
(Front)

Click Image To Enlarge The Menu/Price List
(Back)

I wound up ordering a Gone Fishing Wrap which consisted of romaine lettuce, shrimp, salmon, tuna, tilapia, olives, red onions, bell peppers, parmesan cheese and a dressing of my choice (I chose the amazing Asian sesame ginger dressing -- not too spicy and awesomely good). They chop everything in a bowl and put it in a big wrap and then on a warming grill and in seevral minutes I was good to go.

Island Salad
(Front Counter And Food Preparation Area)

The wrap was great. I gave one of the sistahs behind the counter (she seemed like a manager or owner perhaps) my business blogging card, and said I'd feature Island Salad on Nubian Knights Network. So hopefully she has seen this blog entry and that I am pleased with the food.

Island Salad
(Outside Back Deck Area - Beautiful)

I'll be back there again!

Beauty's International (AFRICAN) Marketplace During ROD's Trip To Michigan... And More

Beauty's International (AFRICAN) Marketplace Official Website:
BeautysInternationalMarketPlace.com

I had a most EXCELLENT and FUN time in Michigan for the 1st annual ADODI Detroit Spring Retreat.

As usual I was treated with UNCONDITIONAL LOVE from the GATEKEEPERS... same gender loving (SGL) Black men. ADODI has been a fruitful part of my life for 10 years now and it still amazes me how bruthaz who come from all around the country (and even abroad from the UK) go the whole mile to ACKNOWLEDGE , APPRECIATE, AFFIRM ACCEPT and ACHÉ one another.

Anytime I go to any city I always make it a mandate to do at least one or more Africentric ventures. There can never be enough African history to learn, or supporting a Black business in the spirit of the 4th KWANZAA principle Ujamaa (oo-JAH-mah-AH): Cooperative Economics!!!!!

So, I asked my friend & ado YES to show me something Africentric and he came through for me. He took me to Beauty's International (AFRICAN) Marketplace and The Gateway To Freedom underground railroad monument in downtown Detroit at Hart Plaza overlooking the waterfront where across the ocean you can see CANADA!!!!!

Beauty is a Nigerian sistah who owns the African store establishment. We didn't get a chance to meet her, however her daughter Ari hosted us for a scheduled shopping visit after we called. Between my friend & ado Calvin we spent over $200 there. What a great selection of African clothing, jewelry, ornaments, banners and a bunch more.

Please call and visit the store

Beauty's International Marketplace
21590 Greenfield Road
Suite 108
Oak Park, Michigan 48237
Ph: 248 968 3607

GOOGLE MAPS

Or Visit And Shop Online:
BeautysInternationalMarketplace.com

Below are some pics from my trip to Michigan...

All Photography Copyright © 2011 ROD PATRICK RISBROOK

Beauty's Daughter Ari. She Was So Qool
And Helped Us Tremendously

My Friend Calvin Trying On An African Suede Coat

Calvin Mackin' Out With Da Hat On.
The Whole Outfit... SOLD!!!

ME (BIG ROD) And An African Outfit
That Really Caught My Attention
-
It Has A Roomy Look To It
That Makes ME Look A Little Heavy! LOL!
That's Okay. Don't I Look Good In It?
Or It Looks Good On Me?

This African Out Really, Really Spoke To Me.
Calvin and Yes Overwhelmingly Said It
Looked FAB On Me And That It Fit Me To a Tee.
Okay then... SOLD!!!!!
-
(P.S. > For Some Reason I Was Thinking
This Would Make For A Perfect Outfit To Have At My
African Same Gender Loving Commitment Ceremony)

Okay, I have other pics from Michigan where there was so much I didn't get to see and yet had a GREAT FREAKIN' TIME!!!!

NEXT UP... KICK

The Office of KICK, An Advocacy Organization
For Black Same Gender Loving Folks In Detroit
www.e-kick.org

KICK's Front Reception Desk

Yes! These Chocolate De-lite Suckers
Are Exactly What You Think They Are.
They Taste GUUD, Too!

KICK's Office Wall
The Executive Director Is The Respectable Curtis Lipscomb

KICK's Leeaflet Handouts

KIck's African Masks On The Wall

Bruthaz Just Chillin'




My Friend Yes Outside the Office of KICK
A Special Brutha Who Made My Stay In Michigan A Pleasant One




All My ADODI Bruthaz (left to right):
Curtis, Yes, Calvin, Bryan and Charles N.

KICK's Annual "Kickin' It On The River" Boat Ride
Wednesday, July 27th, 2011
Click The Flyer Above To Buy Tickets!

NEXT UP... Motown Museum

We didn't have time to do the tour so Calvin and I stopped into the Motown Store really quick. Calvin bought a hat for a friend here in NYC...

Calvin Poses I Front Of The Historic Motown

NEXT UP... Downtown Detroit

A Giant Joe Louis Black Fist, Baby In Downtown Detroit!!!

AND FINALLY...!!!!!

The Gateway To Freedom Overlooks The Ocean To...
CANADA!

My Friends Brutha Edward, Yes and Calvin


A Brother Couldn't Ask For Anything More
With A Brotherhood Like This
And 40 Other Bruthaz From The ADODI Retreat