{"id":5629,"date":"2024-12-31T15:43:44","date_gmt":"2024-12-31T15:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/31\/tropicalfete-celebrates-year-of-cultural-excellence\/"},"modified":"2024-12-31T15:43:44","modified_gmt":"2024-12-31T15:43:44","slug":"tropicalfete-celebrates-year-of-cultural-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/2024\/12\/31\/tropicalfete-celebrates-year-of-cultural-excellence\/","title":{"rendered":"Tropicalfete celebrates \u2018Year of Cultural Excellence\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The BMS Playhouse Theatre on Dec. 22 was transformed into a cultural haven as Brooklyn\u2019s cultural organization <a href=\"https:\/\/tropicalfete.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tropicalfete<\/a> hosted its signature year-end event, \u201cThe Finale: A Cultural Gift for the Community.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis vibrant celebration honored remarkable achievements, showcased artistic talent, and underscored the organization\u2019s commitment to preserving Caribbean heritage and promoting cultural education,\u201d St. Lucian-born Executive Director and Founder Alton Aimable told <strong>Caribbean Life<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe evening\u2019s honorees exemplified excellence and dedication,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Aimable said Detective Mark Pierre received the Tropicalfete Award of Excellence for his outstanding service to the community and his role in cultural preservation; and scholar Winifred Brown was awarded the Tropicalfete 2024 Scholarship in recognition of her academic achievements and her passion for advancing cultural awareness.<\/p>\n<p>He said both honorees were also presented with citations from elected officials, including representatives from Council Members Rita Joseph, Crystal Hudson and Dr. Nantasha Williams, as well as Senators Roxanne J. Persaud and Zellnor Myrie, \u201camplifying the recognition of their contributions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aimable said the program featured a diverse lineup of performances that celebrated the richness of Caribbean culture.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_69505\" style=\"width: 576px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69505\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-69505\" src=\"https:\/\/www.caribbeanlife.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/tropicalfete-year-of-cultural-excellence-2025-01-02-nk-cl02.jpg?w=566\" alt=\"Tropicalfete Grand Finale Stilt Walkers.\" width=\"566\" height=\"700\" title=\"\"><p id=\"caption-attachment-69505\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"image-caption\">Tropicalfete Grand Finale Stilt Walkers. <\/span><span class=\"image-credit\">Photo courtesy Tropicalfete, Inc.,<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n<p>He said highlights included a powerful theatrical exploration of the Moko Jumbie\u2019s origins by the Tropicalfete Stilt Walking Unit; and a stirring dance piece, themed \u201cWhat Is Going On\u201d, performed by TF Body of Vibration Dance and Theater, under the direction of Equnna Adam.<\/p>\n<p>Aimable said drumming, led by Akil Ashby, and Family Tropicalfete\u2019s Steel Pan Ensemble, led by Ashley Murray, Jeanine Ruiz and Kareem Thomas, \u201cfilled the venue with captivating rhythms, while Super Star Destiny added energy with her vocal performance.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A lively parang set by the Next Level Band brought \u201ca festive close to the evening\u2019s entertainment,\u201d Aimable said.<\/p>\n<p>He said the event also included a moment of reflection, paying tribute to artists who died in 2024, \u201creminding the audience of the enduring legacy of those who have shaped the arts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aimable said the success of the evening was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Tropicalfete\u2019s \u201cdedicated team, including its board members, instructors, volunteers and staff.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The organization also extended its gratitude to the numerous community partners and supporters, such as Sen. Roxanne J. Persaud, Assemblymember Brian Cunningham, Con Edison, and the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, \u201cwhose continued support fuels Tropicalfete\u2019s mission,\u201d,Aimable said.<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead to 2025, he said. Tropicalfete is poised to expand its programming and deepen its impact with new initiatives and educational offerings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs the organization continues to be a beacon of cultural preservation and creativity, it invites the community to join in its journey of celebrating and promoting Caribbean heritage,\u201d Aimable said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The BMS Playhouse Theatre on Dec. 22 was transformed into a cultural haven as Brooklyn\u2019s cultural organization Tropicalfete hosted its signature year-end event, \u201cThe Finale: A Cultural Gift for the Community.\u201d \u201cThis vibrant celebration honored remarkable achievements, showcased artistic talent, and underscored the organization\u2019s commitment to preserving Caribbean heritage and promoting cultural education,\u201d St. Lucian-born [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5629","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latest-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5629\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/islandflavaradio.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}