NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Bokandeye African-American Dance Theater will perform in the New Rochelle Public Library’s 34th annual International Music and Dance series, on Tuesday, August 1st at 7:00 pm, Directed by Anthony Wooden, and accompanied by the region’s leading drummers, the troupe performs dances that relate the rich cultural traditions of African villages, and includes his students of all ages.
The International Music and Dance series highlights New Rochelle’s richly diverse population by showcasing the cultural arts of various peoples. Admission is free and limited to the capacity of the library’s Ossie Davis Theater, on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 6:45 pm.
Bokandeye African-American Dance Theater was founded in 1994 by Anthony F. Wooden, Sr. and has performed at the New Rochelle Public Library for over 20 years. A popular main attraction for many cultural/educational events throughout the Metropolitan area, Bokandeye has performed at Symphony Space, the African-America Heritage Festival and the Hudson Riverfest, the Charosa Foundation Street Festival in Queens, NY, the Nepperhan Community Center in Yonkers, NY, the 369th Armory in Harlem, NY, the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, NY, and Six Flags Great Adventure Theme Park in Jackson, NJ. The word “Bokandeye” comes from the Woloff language, spoken throughout the Senegambia region of West Africa. When roughly translated into the English language, Bokandeye means “family from the same mother; united.”