Academia de Bachata Winter Tour 2020, In Review
This past February and March, the Academia de Bachata student group completed its third annual U.S. Winter Tour. Students Edickson García (guitar), Esthefani Polanco (percussion/drums), Emely Díaz (piano/vocals), Franhezca Rosario (vocals), Antony Martinez (guitar), Christopher Ortiz (percussion), and Isaac Castanos (bass) toured the northeast and Washington D.C. performing 14 shows and leading instructional workshops on Caribbean musicality and dances for 4,500 U.S. students, faculty, and community members.
Venues ranged from elementary and high schools to breweries and arts centers. Several performances were hosted by repeat partners such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Jazz House KiDS, Linden Public Schools (NJ), St. Bernard’s School, and Washington Heights Expeditionary Learning School (WHEELS).
The 2020 tour also added new partnerships and locations such as KIPP DC Promise Academy, Northampton Arts Council (MA), and Princeton University. In certain locations, such as Northampton, the student performances were broadcast on local television.
“We were impressed by their desire to share their passion for music,” said Brian Foote, Executive Director of the Northampton Arts Council.
Edwin Sorto, an elementary dance teacher and social influencer from KIPP DC Promise Academy, noted that his students “enjoyed meeting the Dominican youth who came to perform. The experience was valuable for facilitating intercultural exchange.”
For more information on how to partner with Academia de Bachata or how to host an educational performance in the future, please email hola@academiadebachata.org.