12 noon - 6:00 PM SALAAM Theatre's
The
24th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival
UNION SQUARE PARK
NORTH
visit our booth for
free giveaways and surprises!!!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: NaRhee Ahn
Asian American Arts Alliance Music and
Dance Showcase
A4 Produces Mainstage Performances at Kick Off to Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Manhattan, New York – On Sunday May 4th from Noon-6pm, 11 performing arts groups from the New York tri-state area will take the stage in front of an audience of over 10,000 in Union Square Park. Co-sponsored by the Asian American Arts Alliance and The Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) The 24th Annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival is one of the most significant events within the Asian Pacific American community in New York City, held to kick off and celebrate National Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This day-long celebration of Asian Pacific American culture and community features the six-hour long live Music & Dance Showcase, a mini film festival screening, a historical exhibit, children’s activity programs, martial arts demonstrations, traditional craft workshops and over 100 Asian and Asian Pacific American organizations ranging from government and private service, educational, political, cultural and for/not-for-profit businesses operating information tables and tents. All events are free and open to the public. Artists Performing In Order Of Appearance: Kinding Sindaw - Exists to assert, preserve, reclaim, and re-create the traditions of dance, music, martial arts, storytelling, and orature of the indigenous peoples of the Philippines. Omar Alexander - Prolific South Asian/Colombian singer, songwriter, and musician who continues to break barriers, strongly influenced by his exposure to various styles of music, including traditional music of India and Ballenato. Omar's goal is to bring forth the diversity of his upbringing to inspire and bridge the many cultures of the world with his unique musical ability. His style includes a mix of contemporary rock neo-soul sounds mixed in with English/Spanish lyrics and strong Latin rhythms and dance. Korea Ensemble - The Ensemble was founded by Jung-Ah Son to educate American people as well as second and third generation Korean Americans about Korean traditional culture by offering dance classes to children and adults. Members of the group are among the finest traditional teachers and performers. The ensemble performs at schools, museums and cultural celebrations throughout the metropolitan area at least three times a month. Korean Student Association of Rutgers University Dancers - In its fifth year, the KSA Dance Team is composed of six males and six females, ranging from freshman to seniors, spawned from different backgrounds coming together for the love of dance and hip-hop. This team is truly one of a kind with its hopes for Asian unity and cultural awareness through the spread of contemporary dance and song. Chinese Folk Dance Company - Founded in 1973, the New York Chinese Cultural Center is a community based arts organization that nurtures, teaches, and preserves the traditional Chinese performing arts for present and future generations of Chinese-Americans, while introducing Chinese dance, music, and visual arts to audiences throughout the United States. Through performances, workshops, lecture-demonstrations, classes, and recordings, NYCCC creates a focus for community pride and inspiration, builds bridges to other communities, and promotes knowledge and appreciation of Chinese arts and culture. LES – Led by Filipino-Chinese American frontman Les Baquiran, LES is a virtual blend of rock formats: new metal, progressive, grunge, emo, funk, power pop, electronica, and folk rock. The result is crushing solid sounds and rising sonic anthems, born from dedicated, unforced, and unapologetic songwriting. "Loud but not noisy, epic alternative Rock." Soh Daiko - Soh Daiko, established
in 1979, performs traditional and contemporary Japanese folk music that
developed out of agricultural rites and the ancient music of shrines and
temples. Its powerful rhythms call the community together and bring
good fortune from the gods. Soh Daiko, an affiliated organization of the
New York Buddhist church, is a community-based folk music group whose purposes
include: an appreciation of Japanese and Japanese American heritage, the
development of Taiko music. www.sohdaiko.org
Kristine Sa - With a beautiful and sultry voice, Vietnamese American Kristine Sa sings words penned herself. A talented vocalist and writer, Kristine shares her joy and pain with the ease of a child. As a result, Kristine's songs are a true and deep reflection of herself. The _expression of a single artist from beginning to end. Hawai’i Cultural Foundation - NY-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting and perpetuating the rich cultural heritage of Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. HCF's mission is to increase the awareness of these cultures in the greater community through programs involving dance, music, fine arts, and current affairs.HCF promotes artists, educators and traditional leaders who preserve the authenticity of Pacific Island cultures while encouraging creativity within a contemporary world. With a strong commitment to education, HCF works to develop educational programs and materials, which foster a deeper understanding of these traditions and cultures. Thai Cultural Center - The Thai Cultural Center of New York was founded by Mrs. Suchitra Paleewong in 1975. TCC provides the teaching of Thai language, folk, classical music, and dance. Our volunteer teachers are proud to present this performance to let you see how we integrate the Thai instrument called Ranaad Ek, which is like a xylophone. The folk dance that you will see is called Lao-Kratob-Mai a dance that is popular in the Northeast of Thailand. The dancers will step over bamboo sticks in the harmony of song and rhythm. Bangladeshi Institute of Performing Arts - Bangladesh Institute of Performing Arts, Inc. was founded to build a Bangladesh cultural network within the American context and to build a strong bridge between Bangladesh and American cultures. Its programs include organizing dance and music performances. Annual event: Bengali New Year's Festival. Masters of Ceremony – Vidur Kapur (The Gurus of Comedy) and Kate Rigg (Kate’s Chink-O-Rama) from Noon to 3pm and Geeta Citygirl (SALAAM Theatre - South Asian League of Artists in AMerica) and Jamie Gong (Take Out Comedy) from 3-6pm. Showcase Jury: NaRhee Ahn, Program Director, A4 & Performance Stage Committee Chair, CAPA; Jason Chin, Co-Secretary, CAPA; Lillian Cho, Executive Director, A4; Brad Shope, Folk Arts Program Director, Queens Council on the Arts; James Yee, President, CAPA. Asian American Arts Alliance is a not-for-profit arts service organization dedicated to engaging the greater public in the support, recognition, and appreciation of Asian American arts by ensuring that Asian American artists and arts organizations thrive. Programs include the quarterly Newsletter publication featuring the New York Asian American arts calendar; bi-weekly E-Calendar of Asian American arts events and happenings; searchable online Directory of more than 400 Asian American arts groups; monthly Spotlight showcases & panels including First Monday A4 Salon; grants and technical assistance for local groups and the annual Music & Dance Showcase at the Asian Pacific American Heritage Festival. Spotlight and public programs are funded in part by the Special Arts Services and Folk Arts Programs of New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Contact Asian American Arts Alliance at 74 Varick Street, Ste. 302, New York, NY 10013, (212) 941-9208. www.aaartsalliance.org Music & Dance Showcase
sponsored in part by:
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Geeta Citygirl, Artistic Director
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2002
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