Contemporary African DanceTHIS IS ME.
THIS IS US.
THIS IS AMINAIZM.
AMINAIZM is a branch of Ballet International Africans, a performing arts ensemble based in Jamaica Queens, New York.
The Director and choreographer is Amina Olushola Heckstall, an accomplished dancer, playwrite, and songwriter, who has been a part of the dance and drum community for over 20 years and a member of the dance community, in general, for 28 years.
Asst. Choreographer, Nikki "Storm" Heckstall also adds her years of dance training and experiences in West African dance, modern, ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary styles, and hip hop. She has toured with Sidiki Conde, Lil' Mama, Ashanti, Matsimela family In Spirit Ensemble, Cinke Folkloric Ensemble, an The Kerri Edge Children's Ensemble (KECDE). Her travels have taken her to Holland, Italy, California, Jamaica, and more. Storm's expertise in Hip hop dance is the aded force behind some of the choreography and she balances African dance, modern, and hip hop skills all equally.
AMINAIZM is the "baby" of BIA's many branches, because it was just created at the beginning of 2007 (B.I.A. has been around since 1994). Amina's desire was to create a way to express life experiences and feelings through dance, music, and monologue/ poetry. Having been known as an African Dancer, most of her life, AMINAIZM, was her cry to the public to accept her as simply a dancer. An artist - one who communicates through a medium other than verbal conversation. Thus, Contemporary African dance was born through her choreography, more seamlessly blended with other dance forms than ever achieved before.
AMINAIZM can perform a piece that incorporates hip hop, African, modern, and ballet dance and you will barely notice where one ends and the other begins. Yet, it is the passion behind this group, the spirituality that makes them seem to be able to reach inside your soul and touch it. They are performers but they are very human, very real, and their life experiences are all intertwined into the pieces they perform, which makes each conversation with an audience, very personal. You must have the AMINAIZM/ emotions Danced experience...
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT B.I.A.
| BALLET INTERNATIONAL AFRICANS Reminding All That The Drum Is Our Spirit! Ballet International Africans began in 1994 under the name of 'Matsimela Family In Spirit Ensemble', which was South African (Sotho language) for 'Roots'. It grew into 'Nankama International African Dance Company', in 2001 when Guineans began to join the group. The word 'Nankama' is a Guinea (Wasalon/ Balandugu language) word meaning 'Born For This' or 'Born To Do That'. Finally in 2005, we were born to the world officially, as Ballet International Africans, a name given to the director in Guinea. The name was given to the company by the director because of the mix of cultures that the group represented not only in ethnic backgrounds but also in dance training, knowledge, and ability. Everyone was different but the same and everyone danced in The Spirit, from The Spirit, and for The Spirit.The Mission and Purpose of Ballet International Africans is to preserve the traditions and cultural arts of the African Diaspora from its beginnings in Africa to its many branches throughout the Americas. Dance Africa (NYC) Performance The International Africans Cultural Arts Center (IACAC) BIA Trip to Goree Island, Bamako, and Kindia/ Conakry, West Africa January to February 2009 BIA Compete in Guinea annual Dance Company Competition 2008 BIA College Tour 2008/ 09 (Perform and teach workshops at several colleges and universities internationally that specialize in the performing arts.
Ballet International Africans has performed all over the world. Some of our travels have taken us to perform on African soil in Senegal, West Africa, Rome & Grosseto, Italy, Florida, Vermont, Philadelphia, and more. We have also graced the stages of many colleges and universities such as York College, Hofstra University, Stony brook University, St. John's University, Bloomsburg University, and St. Thomas Aquinas College to name a few. New York has also been our source for venues. We've performed at several local festivals and clubs with cultural music and dance as a primary focus. Some of our favorite NYC venues that we have appeared at many times) have been The Afrikan Street Festival (Bklyn.), The Lion's Den (NYC), Marcus Garvey Park Festival in Honor of African Dance Pioneers (Harlem), The Bowery Poetry Club (NYC), John Jay College/ Papa Ladji Memorial, Baba Olatunji Birthday Celebration/ Paramount Theatre (Upstate NY), Riverside Church (Harlem), The Harlem YMCA (Harlem), The Black Spectrum Theatre (Queens), Aims Of Modzawe Cultural Arts center (Queens), and The Afrikan Poetry Theatre's Annual Kwanzaa Celebration/ August Martin High school (Queens). The Ballet International Africans Family
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