Creative Outlet celebrates Juneteenth and the Black cultural experience

For close to three decades, founding artistic director Jamel Gaines has nurtured and showcased young professional dancers, musicians, and other artists through the Jamel Gaines Creative Outlet (JGCO), a nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to creating transformative choreography that blends modern, ethnic, and classical techniques rooted in social justice and the Black cultural experience and imbued with a soulful African American spirit.

- By ZITA ALLEN Special to the AmNews

He recently took time out from preparing for a big Juneteenth celebration to provide a tour of JGCO’s home on a quiet tree-lined street in the Fort Green section of Brooklyn.

“This is the JGCO’s Cultural Arts Program's Saturday Academy that runs from the first week in September to the third week in June and it's located in Junior High School 113 (officially known as the Ronald Edmonds Learning Center),” Gaines said. “We've been here for 21 years. Here, our kids learn how to work together in a cooperative way through a program that features everything from African dance to modern, hip-hop, jazz, ballet, and drumming.”

In a few weeks, the organization will highlight the kids’ accomplishments with two key programs: a recital on Sunday, June 21, at 2 p.m. in the Theater for New Audience in downtown Brooklyn (262 Ashland Place between Lafayette and Fulton Street), and its annual Juneteenth Commemoration on June 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the same theater. “It's a family event.”

The evening is in partnership with the African Burial Ground National Monument and welcomes Emmy Award-winning News Anchor @NY1 Cheryl Wills.

Just inside the entrance to Junior High School 113, a group of busy staffers was stationed at a couple of long tables, surrounded by the fruits of their labor: dozens of adorable, colorful vinyl backpacks filled with costumes and other paraphernalia the kids will need for their upcoming performances. Each of the more than 100 children performing will receive a backpack with their name on it. “It's included in their affordable, low tuition,” Gaines said, noting that the JGCO academy's tuition covers the dance classes in African, modern, jazz, and ballet, as well as theater and music taught by trained professionals at the school from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. from the first week in September until the third week in June of the following year.