Bare Feet With Mickela Mallozzi

Mallozzi: 1, 2, 3!

All: "Bare Feet"!

[Cheering] Mallozzi: I'm a dancer, and I'm a traveler, and wherever I go, I experience the world one dance at a time.

I'm Mickela Mallozzi, and this is "Bare Feet."

"Bare Feet" is supported in part by... Announcer: Bloomberg Connects gives you a way to experience the arts from your mobile phone.

You can explore hundreds of cultural organizations from around the world anytime, anywhere.

Learn more at bloombergconnects.org or wherever you find your apps.

Announcer: Road Scholar, offering educational travel adventures for adults since 1975.

Announcer: Additional funding was provided by Koo and Patricia Yuen through the Yuen Foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences in our communities.

Mallozzi: These generous supporters.... Announcer: And by the Ann H. Symington Foundation.

[Percussion playing] Mallozzi: Welcome to Little Caribbean, home to the largest and most diverse Caribbean-American-LatinX community outside of the West Indies.

Located in the heart of Brooklyn's Flatbush neighborhood, the West Indian community makes up about 20% of New York City's population.

On this "Bare Feet in NYC" adventure, I'll be celebrating the culture with the thriving community here in Little Caribbean.

My first stop brings me to Church Avenue in Flatbush, Brooklyn, at the headquarters of Sesame Flyers International.

I meet with executive director Mr. Curtis Nelson to understand how this organization has been empowering the local community for over 40 years.

[Caribbean dance music playing] [Cheering] [Dancers singing indistinctly] Nelson: Sesame Flyers is a nonprofit organization, and we provide youth and cultural development to the community, but we also have Afro-Caribbean dance, limbo, and steelpan, and some of the cultural arts, so it's important that we weave our culture into our programming.

Man: Ready for that, ready for that, ready for that Ready for that, ready for that [Singing continues indistinctly] Mallozzi: You've seen kids grow up who are now parents, and I'm assuming sending their kids.

What does that feel like for you?

Mickela, it is one of the most satisfying things about doing the work that we do to know that we've provided some type of direction for young people to see a pathway for their life.

[Music continues] So these are the Carnival costumes, right, and this is a backpack, so you would put it on like this.

You stand right there.

OK. And my arm through?

Yeah.

Ahh!

Look at these feathers.

I'm looking at these beautiful pieces all around this room, and they're huge.

Yes.

It's just a simple bra bikini type, and then there's the more elaborate pieces where they have more elaborate arm pieces and leg pieces and headpieces, and then there's the individual, which is the big pieces that have the more elaborate headpieces, the more elaborate backpacks.

[Music playing] Carnival means different things for different people, but for folks in Sesame Flyers, Carnival is a freedom to express your sense of fun.

Mm-hmm.

Mallozzi, voice-over: Another important part of Caribbean culture and history is limbo.

[Cheering] Mallozzi: The idea of limbo that I've had in my head has been, like, at weddings and parties, where people get the broom-- Oh.

The stick, and they just go under.

The stick.

Yeah.

Yes.

But when we do it, we do it a more spiritual way.

Basically, limbo is the national dance of Trinidad and Tobago.

It was brought to the island by the slaves, where they will use it for wakes and then the 40 days after they die, also.

They believe that doing limbo-- instead of from up to down, they did it from down to up so they will dismiss the spirit after the person died.

Mmm.

What are you feeling when you do limbo?

It's just a joy, and it really makes me feel in command.

It gives me that spiritual drive.

Yeah.

I mean, like to captivate an audience and to captivate a family when they're going through mourning or whatever that moment is, that must be really powerful.

It is.

Yeah.

So you dip.

Now dip and open and...push up your pelvis.

Don't lean back your head.

OK. And try moving.

Come on, come on, come on.

Come on, come on.

Ohh!

Go again.

Go again.

Ha ha ha!

That's the highest!

Yes.

That's the highest.

OK. we're gonna see you go lower.

I am gonna join these dancers.

OK. Oh, that's the highest.

Yes, it is.

Ha ha ha!

Oh, gosh.

We're gonna to do the skirt.

Chrissy, thank you.

No problem.

Heck, yeah.

Sterling: So you're gonna go 1, 2, 3, 4, over.

So you're gonna go 1, look, 2, look, 3, look, 4, look, shimmy, and 1... OK. [Laughter] All right.

Ah.

So go up, down.

Ah.

So turn.

Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun.

Chrissy: When I think of Sesame Flyers, I think of family, I think of community.

As a Caribbean American, it's a way for me to keep in touch with my culture.

Man: And then open, pull, jump, boom!

and hit and hit and hit and hit.

Hit, hit, ground.

Open.

Turn, turn.

Mallozzi: Whoo!

1, 1, 1, 1!

[Laughter] Mallozzi: Close!

Let's try with the music.

Why not?

[Hip-hop music playing] Chrissy: Carnival is the one time of year where I get to be free.

I get to walk the streets not as a normal person but as a masquerader, and I can really just free up and be whoever I want to be.

I can do whatever I want to do.

It's really an amazing experience.

Everyone should experience Carnival at least one time in their life.

Mallozzi: I love it.

[Percussion playing] It is such an eye opener.

These are things that still connect us to the cultures from when our ancestors were doing this, so we're still able to walk in that majesty and express ourselves and be a part of that.

It's just an honor to be a part of it.

[Dancers chanting] [Cheering] Whoo!

Nelson: Every day when we wake up, you know, it should be a celebration, right, and so we are very excited that we get to work with these young people, you know, and help them to build their self-esteem with culture, and so when they express it, they express it with pride.

All: Limbo!

[Cheering] Mallozzi, voice-over: My next stop takes me to Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

I'm here to meet Shelley Worrell, founder of the Caribbeing House and Little Caribbean NYC.

Worrell: The Caribbeing House is a mobile arts and culture space, so sometimes, it's a gallery, sometimes it's a shop.

Really, it's a space for community to come and gather and to, if not experience Caribbean art firsthand, you can also buy beautiful Caribbean things.

Most of them are actually local.

They're from Little Caribbean NYC.

We have products from Haiti, Jamaican jewelry, Jamaican Puerto Rican jewelry.

We have Grenadian, Panamanian, Trinidadian offerings.

Worrell: Have you had sorrel before?

I have, and it's amazing.

Yeah.

So this one happens to be an unsweetened version.

Ooh!

Oh!

That ginger.

That's tart, girl.

Yeah.

No, that's delicious.

Mallozzi, voice-over: Next, Shelley takes me to Little Caribbean, situated through 3 neighborhoods in Brooklyn--Flatbush, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, and East Flatbush.

Shelley was monumental in advocating for and creating the designation of the official Little Caribbean name.

Worrell: I started spending a lot more time on the ground here in Flatbush, and it occurred to me that not only did we have a large and diverse concentration of Caribbean people, but also small businesses that were primarily owned by people of Caribbean descent, and Little Caribbean was officially designated in September 2017, and I'm proud to say we also now have a One Love Little Caribbean Day.

Yeah!

Yeah, which is June 17.

Mallozzi, voice-over: Shelley takes me to Errol's bakery on the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Hawthorne Street to try a Jamaican patty.

Worrell: Jamaican patties are iconic, so if you eat meat, you can get a beef patty, coco bread.

I usually get the callaloo or one of the vegetable patties instead.

OK. Or you can get a chicken patty.

Their ginger beer is amazing.

Let's get some ginger beer.

So let's do two ginger.

Yeah.

Oh, that smells so good.

That smells so good!

Thank you!

Mmm.

I love bread.

I mean, this is, like, a--this is amazing.

I love bread, too.

Mmm!

Mmm!

What is this bread made of?

It's coco bread, so it's made with coconut.

Wow!

Look how flaky that is.

I'm going to try the callaloo.

What is that?

What is callaloo?

Callaloo is like a spinach, you know, or, you know, collard greens, you know, but it's actually a bush that grows in the Caribbean.

Mmm!

Mmm!

Healthy.

Mm-hmm.

Healthier.

Yeah, exactly.

Mallozzi, voice-over: Our last stop is Labay Market on the corner of Nostrand Avenue and Midwood Street.

Labay market is one of the cornerstones of the Little Caribbean community.

Man: Come on in.

Worrell: Thank you.

Mallozzi: You can smell a lot of variety of spices.

Oh, you guys have a fresh fish market right here.

Wow!

Worrell: This is one of the anchors, one of the pillars of Little Caribbean.

The special thing about this place is it's owned by someone from Grenada.

Mallozzi, voice-over: Known in the community as Big Mac, McDonald Romain, owner of Labay Market, was inspired to export fruit from his own working farm in his home island of Grenada when he saw piles of produce rotting on the side of the road since it wasn't being sold locally on the island.

Big Mac: I bring stuff from all the different islands, from Barbados sugar.

Worrell: Yes.

He has Bajan sugar, he has Guyanese sugar.

I bring vegetables, fruits, everything.

Guyanese rice.

Yeah.

everything.

Nobody else grows, ships, and sells back to the diaspora.

Mm-hmm.

Fresh coconut.

Mm-hmm.

Cheers to this.

Cheers!

Ahh!

Cheers to Little Caribbean.

One love.

Mallozzi, voice-over: Next, we head back to Prospect Park to meet with Shermica Farquhar, creator and founder of Soka Tribe, a high-energy Caribbean dance space workout using Soca music and celebrating Caribbean Carnival.

Mallozzi: Shermica, I know you brought a bunch of stuff for me...

Yes, I did.

because we're gonna play a mas.

You're gonna play a mas.

and you're gonna play a mas, too.

Listen.

Don't give me a chance.

I'm ready.

Put that under there.

So I literally made this out of a hanger.

Whoa!

Oh, yes, yes!

And then it goes right behind you.

Farquhar, voice-over: When someone says we're gonna play a mas, it's the colloquial of we're putting on the costume, right?

Right.

A masquerade.

A masquerade, because when Carnival first started, it was about those enslaved mimicking the masquerade balls of the French.

Right.

And mocking them, right?

And mocking them...

Right.

So it's like a sense of agency and ownership, right?

What I love about Carnival is because as it progresses it's completely evolved.

Like pop culture right now really is about, like, people need a space.

They want to be seen, so everybody's like, "Put me in all the feather and all the glitter and all the glam."

I just want to welcome everybody to Soka Tribe.

[Cheering] So in our community, Carnival is a participatory sport.

So when I say Soka Tribe, your response is "Whey!"

Where I'm from, that's "Hello, how you doing, good-bye, oh, my goodness," and everything in between.

So Soka Tribe... Whey!

All right.

let's go.

DJ!

[Soca music playing] Mallozzi, voice-over: Soca music, the genre of music played during Carnival celebrations, is Caribbean dance music that is a blend of calypso and American soul with a driving beat.

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Farquhar, voice-over: I'm a Brooklyn-born Trinidadian.

I like to, like, claim that.

It's very important to the story because when I moved to D.C., I experienced what we call in Trinidad tabanca, so, like, this longing, this homesickness, and I'm like, "Well, where are my people?"

And so it really did start as me searching for that community, for that sense of home, and I start teaching these fitness classes, and I'm like, "Oh, wait.

No, this is it."

[Cowbell clanging] [Music continues] Every island has their own version of Carnival, but what continues through all of them is it's a space to be free.

It's a space to connect.

It is about love and expression.

Mallozzi: That release.

That release is so important, especially, like, we're talking about places where people are working hard all the time, you know what I mean?

People look forward to Carnival the way some people look forward to Christmas or Hanukkah, are just like, "That's it.

That's my holiday."

Yeah.

Something I say in my class is, like, there are no mistakes, only solos, just giving people the permission to be.

Yeah.

And we don't get enough of that because there are so many things weighing us down with jobs, family expectations, and Carnival is the place where it's like you can fully be you in that space.

You're free to, like, be that character, be who you are, put that out there, and there's no judgment.

Carnival really is about freedom, unity, and community, and Soka Tribe wants to create inclusive and transformative spaces, where we want to empower people with the power of Carnival.

Mallozzi: Whoo!

[Cheering] Mallozzi, voice-over: My next stop takes me to Tropicalfete.

Woman: 1, 2, 3, 4.

[Steelpans and drums playing] Mallozzi, voice-over: I meet with director Alton Aimable to learn more about this Caribbean community organization.

Aimable: Tropicalfete is a multicultural arts organization.

We do steelpan, and our mission surrounds the youth.

That is just key in moving our legacy forward, passing down our traditions from generation to generation.

Mallozzi, voice-over: Alton invited me here to get my first lesson in the steelpan, also known as the steel drum.

Woman: This is our tenor pan.

It's the lead pan that usually plays the melody of the song.

OK.

When you look in the inside, these are higher pitched notes, right?

Yes.

The smaller the note, the higher it is.

Yeah.

Try the C. [Plays high C note] There you go.

So this is lower.

When you play this one... [Plays low C] There.

You see?

Oh, yeah!

So the smaller the note, the higher it is.

Yeah.

Dee dum dum dum dum Mm-hmm.

Dee dum dum dum dum Mm-hmm.

[Playing melody] Da da dum Dee dum dum dum dum Oh, it's like the--OK. OK. Mallozzi: The steelpan was invented in the Caribbean.

Yes.

It's from Trinidad and Tobago, the only instrument invented in the 20th century.

They're made from an oil drum.

During the war, the Americans left those on the military base, and then sinking of the drum and realizing you could get different notes.

So we have different sounds and different range that makes up that full ensemble.

[Ensemble playing] Mallozzi, voice-over: The style of music played on the steelpan is calypso music, which originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the mid-19th century.

Calypso can trace its roots back to West Africa's kaiso music brought over by the enslaved people from the areas of present-day Nigeria and Kingdom of Kongo.

Woman: Calypso sort of came out of slavery, and I guess I would probably call it, like, statement music, I guess, and that was where calypso was about talking about the ills of society, talking about what's going on around politics.

Then evolved into Soca and Carnival and sort of the main staple of our culture.

1, 2, 3, 4!

Aah!

Woman: One of my students, she's now the teacher.

This is Nadia, the second term teacher...

Yes.

of the intro.

The intro students are right behind, the little ones.

Oh!

The little little ones.

With the little, tiny pans.

Ha ha ha!

Nadia: Music in general, it helps me through my day when I'm feeling sad or happy, so, like, I can translate my energy through pans.

Mallozzi: Mmm.

Miss Ashley, what is it like for you to see your own student now becoming the teacher?

Ashley: It's inspiring.

It means that I'm doing my job, you know.

The future is in good hands.

If we continue doing this, the tradition will be passed down, and, you know, we'll have all these little ambassadors walking around, so it's amazing for me.

1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4!

That bright sound that the steel drum makes just lifts your spirit already.

It's so iconic.

You can't help yourself but want to just start dancing.

Exactly.

Aimable: We are an organization, but I always try to emphasize the word family.

Music and culture does something for humanity, and that's what we're here to do.

Ashley: 1, 2, 1, 2, 3, 4!

Beautiful!

Mallozzi: Whoo!

Yay!

Mallozzi, voice-over: Next, we head back to Prospect Park to meet with Jason Edwards, co-founder of KaisokahUSA Moko Jumbies.

[Indistinct chatter] Edwards: Moko jumbie means celebration.

We teach kids how to walk and dance on stilts.

It dates all the way back to Africa.

It's part of our heritage, our life, our everything.

1, 2.

Go.

[Soca music playing] Mallozzi, voice-over: A moko jumbie is a stilt dancer, and its roots come from West Africa, brought over to the Caribbean during the transatlantic slave trade.

The word "moko" means healer or divine figure, and "jumbie" translates to ghost.

This tradition was reinterpreted in Trinidad and Tobago with the towering moko jumbie overseeing his village or city and protecting his people from evil during Carnival celebrations.

[Man singing in native language] Mallozzi: I'm gonna get up there, you guys.

I'm gonna get up there.

Oh, my gosh.

Oh, my gosh.

Oh, my God.

I don't know if I can do this.

We're in Prospect Park.

This is where you practice, right?

Edwards: Right now, where we're at in Prospect Park is perfect because we have plenty of shade, and people could be at a distance and enjoy us practicing while we're just basically running through different things with some of our members.

Edwards: After this, we're gonna kick.

Mallozzi: What should I know before I even strap on those stilts?

What should I think about?

Um, basically, I would say relax.

Ha!

I know.

I'm so nervous.

These are a pair of our training stilts.

These stilts has been around for a long time.

Yeah?

They taught a lot of people how to walk on stilts.

Oh, that's cool.

Yes, they have a lot of history.

I feel honored to be trying them today.

Jason, I honestly, like, have wanted to do moko jumbies... Yeah?

for years.

This is a dream of mine coming true.

Nice.

I'm happy to be part of that dream.

Oh, my gosh.

Thank you for making this happen.

Oh, my gosh.

Now I'm getting nervous now that the second leg is almost done!

Ha ha ha!

1, 2, 3.

1, 2, 3.

OK.

Perfect.

Nice.

All right.

Keep going as you already are.

One thing with me doing this for so long, I could always tell when somebody has something... Aah!

and they know what they're doing.

Hey!

What's up?!

What is going on right now?

What is happening right now, Jason?

Sometimes, it's just natural.

Oh, my God!

I was born to be a moko jumbie!

I'm doing it!

I can't believe this.

Seriously, I've never-- this is amazing.

Perfect.

Great.

This is amazing.

One of the fastest.

Straight up, and let's go.

That's what I'm talking about.

Yes!

[Caribbean music playing] Mallozzi: Oh, we're going uphill?

Edwards: Yep.

OK!

I'm not going anywhere.

Sorry, guys.

Ha ha ha!

Just keep bending your foot higher.

Oh.

Oh, that's a workout.

Oh!

No wonder you guys are all in good shape.

OK.

So are we going like this.

1, 2.

1, 2.

1, 2.

With me right here.

[Man singing in native language] Mallozzi, voice-over: Jason's mentor, Junior Bisnath, founder of Kaisokah Moko Jumbies in Trinidad, gave Jason his blessing to continue the legacy of the moko jumbies here in Brooklyn and name the group KaisokahUSA.

[Music continues] Edwards, voice-over: One year, I took a trip to Trinidad, and I spent some time by Mr. Bisnath's house, just talking to him and the family, and I was like, "OK, maybe it is time I do my own group."

We have all the resources, all the knowledge, all the love and the drive to make it happen, so we decided to go for it.

[Music continues] I always wanted to be a moko jumbie and do stilts.

It's something that we live and breathe, moko jumbie.

Yeah.

It means everything to us.

[Music continues] Mallozzi: Yes.

Thank you, guys!

[Cheering] Dream come true.

Jason, thank you.

Dream come true.

Mallozzi, voice-over: My last stop brings me to Albee Square in downtown Brooklyn.

Every year, I host the "Bare Feet" Downtown Brooklyn Free Summer Dance Series, where we get to bring this TV show to life to our fans, and for tonight's final event of the season, we decided to celebrate Carnival right here in the heart of Brooklyn.

Mallozzi: We are celebrating freedom here tonight.

Are we gonna get up and dance tonight?

[Drums playing] Mallozzi, voice-over: Tonight's teaching artist leading our Caribbean dancing is Careitha Davis, founder and creator of BodyRa Movement.

Mallozzi: Careitha, What does Carnival mean for you?

What it means to me is just complete freedom and ownership of who I am as a woman and who I am as a Caribbean American.

With BodyRa Movement, I mix Caribbean dance and Soca dance with contemporary styles, folklore styles from Trinidad and Tobago.

It's so fun.

It's so fun.

It's honestly such a joy, and it's an honor because I'm able to provide a little piece of myself in such a bigger picture of the Caribbean culture that exists here.

[Music continues] Whoo!

When I grew up playing mas in Brooklyn and in Trinidad, I felt really supported by the individuals around me, and I draw from those experiences and bring it to people who I teach and bring it to my performances, so all of these elements coming together makes me feel empowered.

That's amazing because you're passing on that energy of empowerment, and I know all these people tonight are gonna feel that exact same thing.

All right.

While Careitha's onstage doing the dance class, I'm gonna run and change to be a moko jumbie.

Edwards: All right.

Mallozzi: All right.

Be right back.

Oh, my God!

There you go.

[Man singing in native language] Davis, onstage: We're gonna do some different steps.

We did it!

We did it.

Davis: Now let's welcome our special guest and our special surprise.

[Soca music playing] Mallozzi, voice-over: Carnival is a celebration of joy, of empowerment, and of, above all, freedom, freedom to express oneself fully to the world and for the Caribbean people here in New York to empower its community through that self-expression of joy through its Caribbean culture.

Thank you to everyone here in Little Caribbean for giving me and New York so much joy.

And I'll see you on my next "Bare Feet in NYC" adventure, wherever it may take me!

Mallozzi: You can stay connected with us at travelbarefeet.com, where you'll find extra bonus videos, join our "Bare Feet" series conversations through social media, and stay updated with our newsletter.

I'm gonna eat some patties Patty, patty, patty I'm gonna guide you down.

Don't worry.

Sit butt down.

Yep.

Sit butt down.

Sit butt down.

Butt's getting lower.

Yeah.

Don't lean forward.

Keep your back straight.

Jeez.

Right there.

Sit.

All right.

Aah!

OK!

Yeah!

Thank you!

Mallozzi: "Bare Feet" is supported in part by... Announcer: Bloomberg Connects gives you a way to experience the arts from your mobile phone.

You can explore hundreds of cultural organizations from around the world anytime, anywhere.

Learn more at bloombergconnects.org or wherever you find your apps.

Announcer: Road Scholar, offering educational travel adventures for adults since 1975.

Announcer: Additional funding was provided by Koo and Patricia Yuen through the Yuen Foundation, committed to bridging cultural differences in our communities.

Mallozzi: These generous supporters.... Announcer: And by the Ann H. Symington Foundation.

[Child babbling]