1O/4/24 O&A SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: Paul Taylor’s Esplanade (1975)


An esplanade is an outdoor place to walk; in 1975 Paul Taylor, inspired by the sight of a girl running to catch a bus, created a masterwork based on pedestrian movement. We repost this masterwork for the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company’s Joyce Theater season October Tuesday October 2 thru Sunday October 6. They are the first dance company to perform Esplanade. Continue reading

3/26/22 O&A NYC GOING BACK TO AFRICA WITH WALESTYLEZ: Black Sherif ft. Burnaboy – Second Sermon Remix

Black Sherif is a Afro Hip Hop artist and song writer from Ghana. He releases his video for Second Sermon featuring the African Giant, Burna Boy. The highly anticipated music video for the viral hit checks all the boxes in terms of drama, high energy delivery, and watching two great musicians deliver a bombshell project. Continue reading

3/24/22 O&A NYC THROWBACK THURSDAY: Toni Braxton – Love Shoulda Brought You Home

Love Shoulda Brought You Home is the debut solo single by Toni Braxton. It was written by Kenneth Babyface Edmonds, Daryl Simmons and Bo Watson. The solo track was produced by Edmonds and Simmons along with L.A Reid. Lyrically the slow groove R&B song is saga of betrayal and infidelity that depicts a heartbroken Braxton. Continue reading

3/21/22 O&A NYC DANCE: Francesca Harper Sets New Direction For Ailey II

By Walter Rutledge

The Ailey II season begins March 23 and run thru April 3 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater 405 west 55th Street at the corner of Ninth Avenue This is not only the company’s return to the theater since the pandemic, but also the debut season for the company’s new Artistic Director Francesca Harper. During the two-week season the company will offer 10 performances and present works by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT) Artistic Director Robert Battle, internationally renowned choreographer William Forsythe, AAADT principal dancer Yannick Lebrun, Andrea Miller, and Harper. Continue reading

3/18/22 O&A NYC SONG OF THE DAY: Aiyana Lee – Gangster of Love

Aiyana-Lee Anderson also known simply as Aiyana-Lee, is a British pop singer who is best known for collabing with KSI on the song Killa Killa. Continue reading

2/9/22 O&A NYC SONG OF THE DAY: Saweetie ft. H.E.R – Closer

Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper known professionally as Saweetie is a Hip Hop artist. After the release of her debut single Icy Girl in 2018, she was signed to her then manager Max Gousse’s record label Artistry Worldwide, a subsidiary of Warner Records.
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2/9/22 O&A NYC WALESTYLEZ HIP HOP WEDNESDAY: Coi Leray – Anxiety

Coi Leray Collins is an Hip Hop artist and R&B artist. Coi Leray began posting music to SoundCloud, releasing her breakout single Huddy and her debut mixtape Everythingcoz in 2018. After signing a record deal with 1801 Records and Republic Records she released her second mixtape, EC2 in 2019.  Continue reading

3/8/22 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Flutter- AXIS Dance Company 

Robert Dekkers’ Flutter was originally created for Post:ballet in 2010. The complex musicality, spatial shifts, and physicality in this dance for camera showcases the AXIS dancers’ strengths as individuals and as a collective.
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3/6/22 O&A NYC MUSIC: Staten Island Jazz Festival 33- Her Legacy Continues

By Walter Rutledge

In August Universal Temple of The Arts founder Sadja Musawwir Ladner joined the ancestors. A fixture in Staten Island arts scene for over fifty years Ladner provided arts education, performance opportunities and outreach to the underserved communities of her beloved borough- Staten Island. Her untimely passing shocked and saddened all who encountered this “community spirit”, fortunately her legacy lives on. On Saturday March 12, at 5pm the Universal Temple of the Arts will present the Staten Island Jazz Festival 33 at the historic St. George Theatre located at 35 Hyatt St, downtown Staten Island.

The festival will feature jazz music seven artists/groups including Nikara Presents…Black Wall Street (Nikara Warren), Bria Skonberg, Winard Harper & Jeli Posse, The Leopoldo F. Fleming Afro Caribbean Ensemble, Danny Mixon Quartet featuring vocalist Antoinette Montague, Dal Segno Trio featuring Darrell Smith, Michael Morreale and Houston Person and The Universal Temple of the Arts Jazz Ensemble. The evening will honor Women’s History Month as it celebrates the life and legacy of Ladner. There will also be a spoken word presentation featuring Professor Charles Thomas, Jordan Bracy and dancer Nubia Briathwaite, and a dance tribute choreographed by Walter Rutledge featuring Roumel Reaux, Briathwaite and Rutledge.

Musician Darrell Smith will make his debut in the role as the festival’s Music Director. Smith first met Ladner as a sixteen-year-old jazz enthusiast, now his many credits include imbuing and inspiring the next generation of young jazz aficionados at Jazz at Lincoln Center. O&A Editor-in-Chief sat down with Musical Director Smith to discuss the upcoming festival and all things jazz.

Staten Island Jazz Festival 33

Tickets can also be purchased at the St. George Theatre Box Office.

3/5/22 O&A NYC GOING BACK AFRICA WITH WALESTYLEZ: Adekunle Gold – Mercy

Adekunle Gold is an Afropop artist, strikes to score his very first hit song for the year 2022 with his brand new track titled Mercy. Continue reading