Movies: Chuck Davis’ DanceAfrica returns to the Brooklyn Academy of Music during the Memorial Day weekend with live dance presentations, a bazaar of African trinkets, cultural marketplace and an expanded lineup featuring relevant films. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Artists Studio Tour The 2012 Flatbush Artists Studio Tour will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20, noon to 6:00 p.m. in Ditmas Park, and will feature artists welcoming visitors into their homes and studios showcasing their works ranging from acrylic and oil paintings, carved sculpture, drawings, mixed media, collages, and more. Victorian Flatbush is located a few blocks south of Prospect Park. For information, visit www.flatbushartists.org. Comment.

Arts & Theater: The Center for African and Diaspora Dance (Cumbe) will host two living dance legends on Saturday, May 12. Comment.

Music & Fashion: The Sixth Annual Dance Parade and Festival will take to the streets of New York City on Saturday, May 19 at 1:00 p.m. Comment.

Music & Fashion: A Pre-Mother’s Day Musical Experience will be held at Saint Francis College, 182 Remsen Street in Brooklyn from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 12. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Premier Exhibitions, Inc. and Continuum Health Partners will offer complimentary blood pressure screenings to exhibition visitors to help combat America’s number one killer of women Comment.

Music & Fashion: The second annual staging of a cultural assembly billed “Kingston Pon Di River” reintroduced an African aspect of Jamaica’s culture previously ignored or shunned at mainstream celebrations and heritage festivals. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Mother’s Day Concert Join us for an evening of old school Salsa and Soul concert and dance featuring Black Ivory, The Intruders and Zon del Barrio with MC Bob Love of WBLS 107.5 FM at The Louis Armstrong Center, 33-16 108 St., Corona, Queens. Doors open 7:30 p.m. Showtime 8:00 p.m. For information and tickets, call (718) 651-0096 ext. 217 or (718) 565-2170. Parking available. Contributions are tax deductible and benefit Elmcor’s After School and Youth Programs. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Plans for producing and staging the 45th Annual Labor Day Carnival Festival & Parade is definitely in the firm hands of the new team at the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA). Comment.

Arts & Theater: Festival Terre de Blues returns to the tranquil Caribbean island Marie-Galante, May 25 - 28. Blues in the music, skies and sea make the island, just off the coast of Guadeloupe a destination for both music lovers and travelers who enjoy getting off the beaten track. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Manhattan Movement and Arts Center presents “Dance Against Cancer” on Monday, May 7, at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center at 248 W. 60th St., NYC (between Amsterdam and West End avenues) in the Lincoln Center area. Comment.

Arts & Theater: The Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College will present a double bill of two Bruce Saylor operas: “My Kinsman Major Molineux” (in its New York premiere), and “The Image Maker” based on the verse play by James Merrill in its world premiere. Performances are on May 4 through 6 at the Goldstein Theatre at Queens College. Comment.

Arts & Theater: The 2012 Flatbush Artists’ Studio Tour will take place on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20 from noon to 6:00 p.m. in Ditmas Park, one of New York City’s most architecturally interesting and historic neighborhoods. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Scholarship Luncheon The Girls High School Alumnae Assn. is holding their Annual Scholarship Luncheon celebrating 25 years of “Sharing The Legacy” and will award honors and scholarships to graduating seniors, 12 noon - 4:00 p.m. at Bethany Baptist Church, 460 Marcus Garvey Blvd., Brooklyn. For tickets and information, call (718) 789i-3996 or (718) 778-0677. Vendors welcome. Call for information. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Stars of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, gifted young dancers from The Ailey School and, for the first time ever, talented students from AileyCamp will come together for a spectacular one-night performance on Tuesday, May 8 at 7:00 p.m. on the Apollo stage. Comment.

Arts & Theater: The Caribbean American community in New York City faces the daunting reality that convening and funding the West Indian American Day Parade and Carnival this year could become an insurmountable challenge. Failure to bring our community together to collectively meet this challenge could result in no parade and a major embarrassment for our elected and community leadership, as well as the Caribbean Diaspora as a whole. This result we cannot afford! Comment.

Arts & Theater: The Organization for International Development (OID) Inc. hosts its annual Fundraising Spring Luncheon Sunday, May 6 at the VIP Country Club, 600 Davenport Ave., New Rochelle, N.Y. Comment.

Arts & Theater: The Castillo Theatre is re-opening “Sally and Tom (The American Way)” due to popular demand with an additional seven performances on April 20, 21, 28, 29; May 4, 5, 6. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Members of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA) say are pleased to announce the election of its new board of directors and officers who were duly “nominated, voted in and installed” on Wednesday April 11, 2012 Comment.

Music & Fashion: Girls Empowerment A Cause A Concern A Solution Network Inc. presents their fifth Annual Girls Empowerment Conference featuring continental breakfast, luncheon, workshops, giveaways, guest speakers, resource circle, session on bullying and special workshops for parents along with information on resources for college career choices, self empowerment leadership opportunities, living healthy & more, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at York College, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd., Jamaica, Queens. Girls ages 12 - 21 years, come out and be a member of ACACAS. Visit www.acacas.org or register at docjune607@aol.com. Comment.

Arts & Theater: On Sunday, March 25 the Dorsey Art Gallery of 553 Rogers Ave. held its opening reception for their art show entitled “2+2” featuring two female and two male artists: Ramona Candy, Mary Chang, Joseph Bell-Bey and Dudley Vaccianna. Comment.

Music & Fashion: On April 19, Council Member Darlene Mealy - 41st Council District, Brooklyn, in collaboration with Circuit Productions Inc./Susan Goldbetter, producer - will present “Brownsville to Broadway.” Comment.

Arts & Theater: Ailey II, the youthful and gifted second company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, will return to its home, The Ailey Citigroup Theater, from April 18-29 for a highly anticipated two-week season – the last led by 38-year Artistic Director Sylvia Waters. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Jamaicans are jubilant that the island is celebrating 50 years of independence from Britain. However, Kingstonians should be particularly elated that the capital city is also marking a milestone anniversary and 140 years since obtaining the status. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Organizers of the 2012 Poets&Passion literary series, say they are encouraged by the response to the three readings held during the program’s first week. Comment.

Arts & Theater: For Arthur Mitchell, co-founder and artistic director emeritus of the celebrated Dance Theatre of Harlem, the adventure continues and the beat goes on. After 50 years, Mitchell is returning to Russia for an encore performance. Comment.

Arts & Theater: “Evolutions 2” will feature the art of 86-year-old artist Sal Romano. The solo show at gallery 307 will showcase black and white and color pen and ink drawings inspired by some of Romano’s larger sculptures, in addition to some of his recent smaller sculptures using copper and brass. Comment.

Arts & Theater: American Candy, a Brooklyn homegrown sketch comedy group announces its 22nd show since its June 2009 debut, “American Candy: It’s a Man’s World!!!” Comment.

Arts & Theater: Ballet Hispanico, recognized as the preeminent Latino dance institution in the United States, returns to The Joyce Theater for its annual New York Season from April 17-29. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College continues its 2011-2012 Target FamilyFun series on Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. with John Steptoe’s “Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters - An African Tale,” performed by the Dallas Children’s Theater on Tour. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Barbadians and visitors to the island will once again experience the glorious creativity of Caribbean films and filmmaking through screenings and innovative training opportunities when CaribbeanTales 2012 comes off from April 10 to 15 at Island Inn. This will be the third edition of the Barbados edition of the festival which is also held annually in Toronto and New York and is a highlight of the regional cultural calendar. Comment.

Books: Actress Ellen Holly said she is compelled to tell a story she is certain daytime television viewers of the first, recurring community saga would be interested. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Health Workshop The Health Guild of St. Alban’s Church presents a community workshop “Empower Yourself to Heal Your Body and Ward Off Diseases” at the church, 9408 Farragut Rd., between East 94 & East 95 streets. Registration 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Workshop begins at 10:00 a.m. For information, call (718) 444-4351. Comment.

Arts & Theater: One’s choices in life can be a testament to one’s mettle. How one faces personal setbacks and challenges is always an individual decision and evidence of their will to authenticate their true nature. Ailey II dancer, Paige Fraser, has met every challenge with the attitude of a champion. At age 4, Paige had not determined what she wanted to become in life. She only knew she enjoyed swimming and ice-skating, so when her Caribbean born parents enrolled her in dance class, it was just another fun thing to do. Comment.

Arts & Theater: “Marry Me?!” written by KUBA, is a two-act romantic comedy that pokes fun at our immigration system and our institution of marriage. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Women’s History Month tailing behind Black History Month finds the Hadley Players winter production and contribution of “Aryè,” featured at the Harlem School of the Arts, located at 647 St. Nicholas Avenue (off 142nd Street) in Manhattan, ended March 11. Comment.

Books: Poets & Passion – A Caribbean Literary Lime kicks off its Spring 2012 series with a weekend of readings and book signings featuring a dynamic mix of celebrated and emerging writers on March 23 in Brooklyn at St. Francis College with Annette Leach, Glenville Obrian Lovell and Opal Palmer Adisa, and on March 24 in Queens at York College with Earl Lovelace. Comments (1).

Music & Fashion: Birthday Bash Jammins Entertainment presents live performance by Jamaica’s hottest sensation I-Octane & the official return of Tony Matterhorn to the U.S. Celebrity Birthday Bash, 10:00 p.m., at Pulse 48, 1020 East 48 St., corner of Farragut Rd., Brooklyn. Tickets available at tix4me.com or call (718) 282-8041. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts continues its spectacular 31st season with the return of legendary salsa pioneers La Sonora Ponceña on Saturday, March 24, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Samuel (Sam) Walton was born on Dec. 13, 1948, to Symera and Joshua Walton, in Harlem and raised on 137th St. and 8th Avenue (also known as Frederick Douglass Blvd.). He died of a kidney infection at Mt. Sinai Hospital on Fifth Ave. on Feb. 21, 2012. Comments (1).

Arts & Theater: Brooklyn is the flagship stop for performances by Jamaica’s National Dance Theatre Company when they celebrate their 50th anniversary year and simultaneously commemorate the nation’s golden independent status. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Comedian, pundit, blogger Leighann Lord is scheduled to appear at the “No Name Comedy Variety” Women’s History Month show on Friday, March 16 at Otto’s Shrunken Head in Manhattan. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Health Challenge Get results in the management of your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol & more with the 10-Day Health Challenge with Daniel Diet Lifestyle Training. Participation is free & open to all. Kickoff (informational session & registration) starts at 5:00 p.m. at Kingsboro Temple of Seventh-Day Adventists, 415 Seventh St., Brooklyn. For more information, call (718) 369-3534 or visit www.kingsborosda.org. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Education Program Family-to-Family Education Program will be offering a series of 12 weekly classes structured to help caregivers understand & support individuals with serious mental illness while maintaining their well being, starting 3/3/12 at Kings County Hospital Center, 451 Clarkson Ave., between New York Ave. & E 34 St., Room 3022, Brooklyn, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Free for family members, partners & significant others. Registration is required. Call (718) 512-5269. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Fresh from the success of their first ever performances outside the USA, the New York based Braata Folk Singers, under the Artistic Direction of Jamaican born actor, singer and producer Andrew Clarke, will jumpstart Jamaica’s 50th Anniversary Independence Celebrations in New York with an encore performance of their hugely successful 2011 production, “Wheel An’ Come Again.” Comment.

Music & Fashion: Soca star Machel Montano who described himself as “Mr Fete,” has copped an unprecedented hat-trick for 2012 when he took the Road March title with his song “Pump Yuh Flag.” He scored back-to-back wins having captured last year’s Road March with his tune “Advantage.” Comment.

Arts & Theater: Broadway actor Ben Vereen closed out City College’s series of presentations highlighting Black History Month with a talkback topic on “Bert Williams & Minstrels.” Comments (1).

Arts & Theater: The namesake of Wilmer Jennings Gallery in the East Village is one of the 36 African American artists showing at the gallery in an extraordinary exhibition ending Feb. 25. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Former State Comptroller and erstwhile gubernatorial candidate, H. Carl McCall, has received SUNY Downstate Medical Center’s first Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Leadership Award. Comment.

Arts & Theater: The National Black Touring Circuit featured Kim Brockington as Zora Neale Hurston, in a one-woman play written by Laurence Holder, and directed by Wynn Handman, as part of the Black History Month Play Festival, which runs through Feb. 26. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Immersing yourself in the Caribbean spirit through arts is a wonderful way for the family to warm up an early March afternoon. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Prayer Breakfast People Moved With Compassion (PMWC) presents a Prayer Breakfast (8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.) & Conference (10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) featuring Speaker Min. Marva Thomas at Calvary Cathedral of Praise, 45 East 8th St., Brooklyn. Admission free. There will be a free will offering. Call to register at (347) 267-2654 or (718) 435-2731. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Musical drama explores Jefferson and Hemings story Comment.

Arts & Theater: Reneesance Dreams and Spotlight on Festivals present a special performance of “From The Front Porch” at the Jan Hus Theatre – 351 East 74th St. (between 1st and 2nd avenues) on Feb. 29, starting at 8:00 p.m. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Galleries and other exhibition venues are still paying homage to artist Romare Bearden during this centennial year of his birth. Comment.

Music & Fashion: “I wanted to do something located more in the jazz idiom,” says Buyu Ambroise on how his third CD, “Jazzpora,” differs from his last ones. With the core Blues in Red Band–his musical companions since the first CD, Ambroise reveals his musical influences, Haitian, African and North American, all places Ambroise has called home. Comment.

Arts & Theater: The Harlem Theatre Arts Festival (HTAF) debuted in Harlem with 5 Great Days of Black Theatre. Comment.

Movies: BAMcinématek kicks off its full 2012 calendar year with New Voices in Black Cinema, the second annual festival presented by the Fort Greene-based ActNow Foundation. Reflecting the wide spectrum of views and themes within the African diasporan communities in Brooklyn and beyond, the series features six New York premieres and special guests at nearly every screening. Comments (1).

Music & Fashion: BAMcafe Live BAMcafe Live! presents Mo Beasley’s LoveStorm featuring spoken word, music & dance 9:00 p.m. (Happy Hour: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.), at BAM, Peter Jay Sharp Bldg., 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn. Admission free. For additonal event information, visit www.bam.org/view.aspx?pid=4006. Comments (1).

Arts & Theater: Come help us celebrate the fabulous month of February featuring Black History Month: Living History, Mid-Winter Recess (Saturday, Feb. 18 - Sun., Feb. 26) and the continuation of our W.O.R.D. UP! Words of Real Distinction, reading series. All Black History Month are included with Museum admission. Comment.

Arts & Theater: NYC’s oldest independently owned African American custom and specialty picture framing gallery, Clinton Hill Simply Art & Framing Gallery (CHSAFG) in Brooklyn is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Between the Lines Productions presents the ninth season of David Lamb’s critically acclaimed and long-running Off Broadway play “Platanos Y Collard Greens.” Comment.

Arts & Theater: City College will host an annual Black History Month symposium focusing on the criminal justice system and how it impacts on society. Hosted by the Black Studies Department, the Feb. 14 event is expected to highlight some of the concerns inmates face when confined to State prison facilities during two two-hour panel discussions. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Track & Field returns to the Garden with the U.S. Open featuring match-ups in sprints, hurdles & field events to kick off the 2012 Olympic Year, 7:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden, Seventh Ave., between 31 & 33 streets, Manhattan. Tickets available at the MSG Box Office, Ticketmaster at (866) 858-0008, all Ticketmaster outlets & via thegarden.com. Comment.

Arts & Theater: A new, exciting and probably closer to being culturally-correct revised version of George and Ira Gershwin’s 1935 classic, Black opera “Porgy & Bess” has taken up residency on Broadway. Comment.

Arts & Theater: When one speaks of Mexico, they describe images of cascading waterfalls flowing into aquamarine colored sea waters abound. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Active and artistic residents at Bishop Henry B. Hucles Episcopal Nursing Home have created a 15-foot mural covering the walls of their activity room with a burst of color and energetic images that makes the home their own. Comment.

Arts & Theater: The American Museum of Natural History continues its One Step Beyond series where you can dance to the sounds of DJ Dirty Projectors & also enjoy a complimentary screening of of the Hayden Panetarium Space Show Passport to the Universe, a trip through space & time, 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. Guests should enter through the Weston Pavilion entrance on Columbus Ave. at 79 St. Guests must be 21+ w/valid ID. Beer & wine cash bar available. For information & tickets call (212) 769-5200, Mon. - Fri., 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. or visit amnh.org/osb. Comment.

Arts & Theater: After being president for 10 years of the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), organizers of the annual parade on Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway, the Trinidadian-born president Yolanda Lezama-Clarke says she is resigning. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Acclaimed recording artist Oleta Adams remembers seeing commercials for Ajax laundry detergent as a child in which a knight on a white horse sweeps into the homes of apron-clad but iron-fisted women to help them with their household chores. Comment.

Arts & Theater: Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they travel to four magical destinations all in one fun-filled ice production! Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie’s Magical Journey will take audiences on a sightseeing tour of the imagination. Comment.

Music & Fashion: Grand Opening Cumbe: Center for African & Diaspora Dance Studio located at 558 Fulton St., near Flatbush Ave., 2nd Fl., Fort Greene, Brooklyn, is having a free Grand Opening weekend event on Sat. & Sun., Jan. 7 & 8 & will be offering free dance & drumming classes for children & adults, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., as well as a family friendly live concert by Brown Rice Family Band, on Sat., Jan. 7 only, at 8:00 p.m. For scheduling information, call (718) 935-9700 or visit infor@cumbedance.com. Comment.