Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance to PRESENT GET TOUGH, GET BAAD! This Month

BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance will present GET TOUGH, GET BAAD!, an annual series of films and events celebrating queer power, diversity, defiance, strength, and visibility. The series was initiated in 2010 to take a stand against violence and to counter negative and victimized images of queer people in the media from a wave of homophobic attacks in the Bronx and New York City that year. GET TOUGH, GET BAAD! presents narrative films that are empowering to the LGBTQ community that feature queer, people of color as the protagonists, and also offers events that celebrate queer strength and value. This year's installment includes two thrilling events and eight films.

Kicking off the series on Valentine's Day is "Show Me Love/One Billion Rising," where BAAD! brings its Bronx queer flavor to a global mass action to end violence against women (cisgender, transgender, and those who hold fluid identities that are subject to gender-based violence). The festival will screen eight films and end with a dance concert set to movie music. Also in February, BAAD! continues its partnership with Angela's Pulse and its 10th Anniversary of Dancing While Black with day-long events, in person and virtually.

The Dancing While Black event is on February 11, 2023, and GET TOUGH! GET BAAD! runs from February 14-25, 2023. Both events are at BAAD!, 2474 Westchester Avenue in the Bronx's Westchester Square neighborhood. Most events are free to $20. For reservations, directions, and further information call (718) 918-2110 or visit www.BAADBronx.org.

DANCING WHILE BLACK at BAAD!:

Saturday, February 11 | Free to $20

ANGELA'S PULSE/DANCING WHILE BLACK

HOW WE DO: Centering the Body

DANCING WHILE BLACK is an artist-led initiative that supports the diverse work of Black dance artists by cultivating platforms for process, performance, dialogue and documentation. This day of workshops asks how practices by Black-embodied/movement artists shift with the mo(ve)ments in which they find themselves.

In-person events:

• 11am-1pm: Improvising Our Diaspora with Joya Powell & Marguerite Hemmings;

• 1pm-3pm: Move to Transform with Candace Thompson-Zachery & Sydnie L. Mosley;

• 3pm-5pm: Rest Your Eyes & Tell Me A Story with Alethea Pace & Katrina Reid.

Virtual event:

Sunday, February 12:

• 3pm-5pm: All of Us: Coming Together Through Movement with Kayla Hamilton & India Harville.

GET TOUGH! GET BAAD! FESTIVAL

Tuesday, February 14 at 6:30pm | Free

SHOW ME LOVE!/ONE BILLION RISING!

The series kicks off on Valentine's day with a vibrant event with food, performances, a photo shoot and party. BAAD! bring its Bronx queer flavor to One Billion Rising's global mass action to end violence against women (cisgender, transgender, and those who hold fluid identities that are subject to gender-based violence). MC'd by Destination Tomorrow's Landon Dickerson, the program includes performances, short films curated by Black Trans Media, a photo shoot where all who attend can pose for a portrait, and a party to groove and show love.

Friday, February 17 | Free

7:00 pm

VENUS

When Sid decides to come out as a woman, a 14-year-old son shows up announcing that Sid is his dad. Then mix in Sid's South Asian parents, white boyfriend, and white ex-wife and see what happens when gender, generations, and cultures collide to create a truly modern family. Directed by Elisha Marjara.

9:00pm

UNA MUJER FANTASTICA

In this Academy Award-winning, set in Santiago, Chile, Marina, a transgender woman who works as a waitress and moonlights as a nightclub singer, transcends adversity after the death of her boyfriend. Directed by Sebastián Lelio. In Spanish, English subtitles.

Saturday, February 18 | Free

3:00pm

HEARTS BEAT LOUD

Touching drama about a white single father and his Bi-racial, lesbian young daughter who form a band and a bond. Directed by Brett Haley.

5:00pm

THE HALF OF IT

When smart but cash-strapped teen Ellie Chu agrees to write a love letter for a jock, she doesn't expect to become his friend - or fall for Alexxis, his crush in this Cyrano de Bergerac-esque story. Written and directed by Alice Wu.

7:00pm

DUCK BUTTER

Two women (one played by Iraqi-American actress Alia Shawkat who co-wrote the script) who are dissatisfied with the dishonesty they see in dating and relationships, decide to make a pact to spend 24 hours together hoping to find a new way to create intimacy. Directed by Miguel Arteta.

9:00pm

ELSA Y MARCELA

Based on real events, Elisa takes on the identity of Mario Sánchez in 1901 Spain to marry her lover of fifteen years, Marcela. Directed by Isabel Coixet. In Spanish with English subtitles.

Friday, February 24 | Free

7:00pm

ALASKA IS A DRAG

Leo is a glam-obsessed Black young man whose dreams of being a drag superstar are hard fought while working in a fish cannery in Alaska and fighting back against homophobic attacks. When fabulous Leo takes his fighting skills into the boxing ring, this fish-out-of-water dramedy takes off while it explores themes around the fluidity of gender identity, conforming to norms, being accepted for who you are, and defining love. Directed by Shaz Bennett.

9:00pm

THE INSPECTION

Powerful drama of a young man who joins the Marines in an attempt to win his mother's love, but finds his power. Directed by Elegance Bratton.

Saturday, February 25 at 8pm | $20, Virtual: Free to $20

QUEER MOVIE MOVERS

Eight choreographers take over BAAD!'s stage with a series of dances set to music from their favorite films. Featuring performances from Javier Cardenas, Ian Fernandez, Diamante Habibi, Shizu Homma, Linda La, LeFierce LaBeija, Hannah Littman and Edgard Toro.

Crowned "a funky and welcoming performance space" by The New York Times, BAAD! is a performance and workshop space that presents cutting-edge works in dance and all creative disciplines empowering to women, people of color and the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community. BAAD! is home to Arthur Aviles Typical Theatre (AATT), and the AATT Academy, and was founded by Arthur Aviles and Charles Rice-Gonzalez in 1998 in Hunts Point. BAAD! moved to Westchester Square in October 2013 to a gothic revivalist building on the grounds of St. Peter's Church.