By Keishley Rosario
Mind Builder’s Creative Arts Center held its 6th annual open house festival September 16, with a free six-hour celebration on Olinville Avenue in the Bronx. There were stands, performances, and activities for everyone. Employees at the entrance provided a guide to the vendors and activities, along with a raffle ticket to win various prizes.
The center provides performing arts classes such as dance, martial arts and music to the community. Karen Seymour, the center’s coordinator of enrollment and family outreach, said she came to join the Mind Builder’s community at an “awkward time”—during the pandemic. Seymour explained that the center plays an important role in the community and that she is working to expand its outreach to gain more recognition.
Young ballet dancers trained at the center performed and then demonstrated five basic poses. Each performance, apart from the youth talent competition and musical acts, had a short demo session before or after the performance.
In addition to the dance, musical, and martial arts performances, there was a Youth Talent Competition. It highlighted a lot of young performers. It began with solo dancers, musical acts and spoken word. After that, the dance groups took the stage and, despite their young age, they dazzled the crowd with their dance skills.
Apart from the performances highlighted by the students and faculty, there were multiple vendors selling everything from clothing to handmade jewelry. There was a food truck and multiple stands, featuring Caribbean chicken, along with free cotton candy, snow cones, and popcorn. There were activities for the attendees to partake in as well such as chalk art, hula-hooping, face painting and double-Dutch. There was also a tent where people could register for classes with the help of staff and faculty and tents for their sponsors including Montefiore Medical Center and Assured Partners.
To close, DJ Grand Wizzard Theodore and DJ Mary Mac took the stage and did an old school meets new school set in honor of the 50th anniversary of hip hop.
The Mind Builder’s Creative Arts Center is currently still open for enrollment for the fall and offers classes to anyone from 3 years old to adult.
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