BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance

- 2474 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY 10461

For those in the New York region seeking a powerful, inspiring, and truly groundbreaking arts experience, the BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance is an absolute cultural gem. This performing arts theater, co-founded in 1998 by celebrated dancer/choreographer Arthur Avilés and writer/activist Charles Rice-Gonzalez, has blossomed into a nationally-recognized arts organization. It is much more than just a venue for live performances; it is a vital sanctuary space and cultural hub firmly situated in the Bronx, dedicated to empowering marginalized communities through creative expression.

BAAD!'s core mission is to create, produce, present, and support challenging and cutting-edge works in contemporary dance and all creative disciplines. Its programming is explicitly designed to empower women, people of color (especially Latinos/Latinx and African-American artists), and the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) communities. The studio brings a queer and dissident perspective to the socio-political and cultural dialogue of the borough and the entire city. Local New Yorkers and visitors alike can expect an unforgettable experience that champions diversity, defiance, and high-quality, thought-provoking artistry. The events here are often described by patrons as powerful, inspiring, and truly unforgettable.

Location and Accessibility

BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance is located in a vibrant and accessible area of the Bronx, New York, making it a convenient cultural destination for residents across the city. The studio is currently located at:

Address: 2474 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY 10461, USA

The location ensures that the arts remain accessible to the communities it serves. While specific details on transit links are subject to local New York MTA changes, its positioning on Westchester Avenue indicates good access via public transportation, which is often the preferred method of travel across the Bronx.

In terms of facility amenities, the venue ensures basic comfort and accessibility for its patrons:

• The facility has accessible features, aligning with its mission to be a welcoming space for all patrons.
• Restroom amenities are available on site.
• Payments for tickets and merchandise can be made easily using credit cards.

The location’s welcoming environment is further enhanced by its reputation as being "Good for kids," allowing families in the New York area to introduce children to diverse and empowering artistic forms in a supportive setting.

Services Offered

BAAD! provides an exceptionally wide range of cultural and educational services, solidifying its status as a premier New York performing arts institution with a deep community focus.

• Live Performances: Presents cutting-edge works in contemporary dance, theater, visual art, written work, and multi-disciplinary performance.
• Annual Arts Festivals: Hosts five major annual festivals, including:
  • Get Tough! Get BAAD! (Film and performance celebrating queer power and defiance)
  • BAAD! Ass Women (Multidisciplinary art showcasing empowering work by women, non-binary, and gender non-conforming artists)
  • Boogie Down Dance Series (The Bronx's longest-running contemporary dance series)
  • Out Like That! (The Bronx's only LGBTQ+ performing arts festival)
  • BlakTinX Performance Series (Multidisciplinary series celebrating Black and Latinx artists)
• AATT Academy: An athletic dance program for children aged 6 to 9, led by dynamic teachers in styles like Hip Hop, Capoeira, Ballet, Salsa, and West African dance.
• Arthur Aviles Typical Theatre (AATT): Home to the co-founder’s contemporary dance company, which explores works on the margins of Latino and queer cultures.
• Community & Conversation Events: Hosts special events like "Courageous Conversations," which provide a community space to create strategies for powerful living for LGBTQ+ people and allies.
• Artist Development: Provides resources for the creation of new, empowering art, including residencies and fiscal sponsorships for artists from underrepresented demographics.

Features / Highlights

What makes BAAD! a standout cultural destination in the New York arts landscape is its unwavering commitment to its core values and community.

• Community Sanctuary Space: It operates as a sanctuary space with a four-point plan dedicated to embracing and providing resources for "vulnerable communities" (immigrants, women, people of color, and queer people).
• Groundbreaking Art Focus: Known for presenting challenging and cutting-edge work that often addresses socio-political issues and aids in dismantling paradigms of injustice like sexism, racism, and homophobia.
• Rich Organizational History: Co-founded by two distinguished figures, Arthur Avilés (Bessie Award-winning dancer) and Charles Rice-González (writer/activist), ensuring the institution's programming is artist-led and deeply rooted in activism.
• Dedicated Youth Education: The AATT Academy offers a holistic and varied athletic dance curriculum, providing high-quality arts education for the Bronx's youngest residents.
• Diverse Funding and Recognition: Supported by major institutions like The Ford Foundation, The Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, underscoring its national importance and artistic rigor.

Contact Information

For New York City residents looking to engage with this vibrant cultural institution, here is the necessary contact information for BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance:

Address: 2474 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY 10461, USA

Phone: (718) 918-2110

Mobile Phone: +1 718-918-2110

What is worth choosing

Choosing BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance is a choice to support and experience truly essential New York culture. What is most worth choosing about this institution is its profound dedication to marginalized voices and its role as a key stakeholder in the Bronx community. In a city often dominated by Manhattan's performance venues, BAAD! provides a necessary and powerful counter-narrative, bringing first-rate, nationally-recognized art directly to an underserved population.

Its unique programming, which includes the annual festivals and community dialogues, offers New Yorkers diverse and empowering cultural opportunities that you simply won't find anywhere else. The organization’s commitment to providing a physical and intellectual space for freedom of expression—creative and otherwise—is vital to the development of the Bronx and the larger society. Attending a show or enrolling a child in the AATT Academy means contributing to a deeply important movement that fosters creativity, courage, and community, making BAAD! a beacon of art and activism that every New Yorker should experience.

BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance

2474 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY 10461, USA