ALBANY & NEW YORK, NY
Movies, Auditions, & Performances Weekly
Image Quilt
Sketches from the Edge of Flamenco:
An Eruption of Dissonance. Characters on the Edge find their way... with flamenco.
Premieres: Tuesday, Dec 9, 2025
Experience the Sketches...
Rumba Oficina
Las Cumadres Fechiceras
THE TANGOS (African origin)
I Feel Pretty Too, BITCH...
Intergalactica
New Films & Concerts this month:
Upcoming Events
WEST INDIES: FUGITIVE SLAVES OF LIBERTYThu, Jul 25Image Quilt Cinema & Dance Theater
The Tuba ThievesMon, Jun 03Image Quilt
See Image Quilt Dance Theater at the Festival of Young Artists at SPAC!Sun, Jun 02Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Come see
Sketches from the Edge of Flamenco
Tickets Here.
Sketches from the Edge of Flamenco will open in New York City on December 9th and run until March 24. Once a month come see a show that shows how flamenco resonates in the lives of diverse characters in turmoil. Tickets are $35 and include the $20 cover for refreshments and snacks at the 16 Cowries Space at Rodney's. What is 16 Cowries Space? A fluid venue for the performance of dance and theater. Sketches is written and directed by Omonike Akinyemi, a two-time award winning fellow of the New York Foundation for the Arts.
On-screen performers include:
Dwayne Beach, Orisa Gutierrez, Rebekah Joann Guerra, Katia Flores, Anna Krezel, Kevin LaMarr Jones, La Rosaline, Aliesha Bryan, Jose Raul Mangual, Amiere Bell, Desire Carlson, Beth Jacobs, Yurika Ono, and Angelica Mondol Viaña.
On-screen music by Ana Maria Ruimonte, Alan Lewine, and the Temptations. Animation by Koi Ren. In-person performers will include Omonike and others to be announced.
Get your tickets now here.
Flamenco Dance Classes Once a Week Offered with Image Quilt:
Email for schedule of
time and place.
Enter our Black Box Theater
at 30 Elizabeth Street and you are part of a space that fosters cinema projection, workshops,
conferences, and discussion.
Join a group studying Flamenco,
Yoruba history and culture, documentary film, narrative filmmaking, and more...
Email for a schedule here.
Interested in Bike Riding with Image Quilt Cinema in the Spring? Join for us for a ride through a trail here in Upstate NY. You can use a rental bike or your own. Come back to our Cinema for a movie with free popcorn! Email to Sign Up Here.
When is Image Quilt's Next Film to be screened... Preview Emancipado:
December 2025
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Emancipado is set in 1890. The film focuses on the lives of several Black characters as they emerge from who they were in Western society, to what they become as Africans. At the helm of the story is the young, Ifemorena, an Afro-Cuban woman from a family of Flamenco artists. Ifemorena is being groomed for greatness by her grandmother, known around town as Esmeralda the Black "gypsy". Ifemorena loves Africa and the mysteries that she observes when she watches her father, a Yoruba Lukumi, dance the ñáñigo ritual masquerade on the streets of Havana. Ifemorena learns about the possibility of leaving on a boat during a forest ritual. She confesses her desire to leave to her brother, Aldo, who is training to work in the Catholic Church. He, at first cautions her to stay home. Ifemorena decides to escape Havana after witnessing the brutal lynching of her cousin, Paco, a young Black man.
What are we doing now? We will be filming scenes set in Cuba in December and the first episode "L'Amant Anonyme" in 2025-2026.
And what after that? The Third Episode: Lagos Dreamers
Ifemorena struggles and perseveres through a dangerous journey across the Atlantic. She becomes a leader and tries to make a way for her people in Lagos, Nigeria. She helps those in need like the banditos who get deported from Cuba. These guys are a motley crew of former thieves, war criminals, and veterans in search of a way out of their misery. Chi Chi Gonzales, a Black Mexican, and Paco, an Afro-Cuban are leaders of the gang and spend their time stealing from the Victorians that they perceive as having too much wealth.
Why tell stories of the Emancipated? Their bravery and choices may help us guide our own.
Please consider making a contribution to help us along the way.
Click here to make a contribution.
Research: Writing, Filming,
Dancing, More writing...
Omonike's research for Emancipado began in 1996 when I first visited Havana and continued to further developments through the process of making movies and dancing.
Please watch a clip from an early work here filmed in Havana de Cuba: Breathing Cuba...
Empower
Growth
Manuel Alum: Close to the Earth
New in 2026: Image Quilt A Film about the work of late choreographer, Manuel Alum.
Discover his work and unique vision through an exploration of one of Alum's iconic dance works: Nightbloom II, choreographed in 1989 with Ballet Hispanico of New York's dancers. Nightbloom was first set in 1966 with members of the Paul Sanasardo Dance Company and we are honored to bring the work to you. Since the Lecture/Demonstration took place December 27th, 2023 at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
We are now making a film about him. and his extraordinary work.
Meet the Artists involved in Rodeo! We will have another performance in 2026.
(in alphabetical order)
Performers:
Omonike Akinyemi: Aycah
Ahlyana Cook (Milo): Renea Oneal
Joseph Diallo: John Longhorn
Awa Jobe: Tella, the cowboy
Alexandre Lumbala: Legba/Mayor
Hymein Ross: Stealy Hammond
Tavares Simmons: Mr. Shmingletingle
Simone Sprague: Elaine Fisher
Linda Wicks: Carnival Girl
Producer/Director: Omonike Akinyemi
Costume Designer: Alessandra Payne
The process...See clips here:
The Character "Legba"
Our performers trained in our summer dance workshop. See commercial we created here.
Reserve a seat here! Bring a picnic Blanket!
January 20th, 2024: "Sketches from the Edge of Flamenco": Dance Concert with Cinematic Fringes at the Salt Lake City Public Library 4:30pm.
Humh... Flamenco or more work tonight?
Take a break and join us for flamenco. Dates & times to be announced!
Our performance at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center. was 1pm, December 27, 2023. New work in the Fall 2025.
IQ CINEMA
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Manuel Alum was an amazing choreographer and dancer whose work spanned several decades and was impactful. Image Quilt director, Omonike , met Manuel while dancing with Ballet Hispanico where he choreographed "Nightbloom II" on 10 young and ambitious dancers. He would have been 80 in 2023 and our documentary will dig deep to discover who he was and the messages of his work as well as his impact on the youth of today. A Discussion on his work with a performance of "Nightbloom II" was presented at the New York Public Library on December 27, 2023. Email if you are interested in helping to bring a film about his life and work in dance to life in collaboration with Image Quilt.
Production for two Image Quilt Films continues throughout summer 2025.
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L'Amant Anonyme
Casting for "L'Amant Anonyme" March 6 & 9, 2024.
Set in Haiti in 1796, "L'Amant Anonyme", tells the story of the Chevalier de Saint George's return to the Caribbean.
Chevalier: African-Caribbean and French. Master of swords and seeker of love. 30-50 yrs old.
Yinka: Afrrican warrior woman. Spy and intellect. 18-30 yrs old.
Toussaint: Haitian Revolutionary, 30-50 yrs old.
Isabella: 18-30 yrs old, Mixed Race. Entitled. Capable of treason.
Raimond: intellect and writer, Afro-Caribbean. 30-50 yrs old.
Jumoke: Afro-Caribbean Vodun priestess.
The Afro-Haitian fighters/drummers: They use the forest to dance dream into reality and strengthen the body with rituals of vodun. All genders.
Emancipado
Casting for "Emancipado" March 6 & 9, 2024.
Set in Havana in 1890, Emancipado tells the story of Ifemorena, a woman of Afro-Cuban descent who forges on a journey to West Africa that changes her life. We are looking for performers to play roles in this fictional character's life and journey toward emancipation.
Ifemorena: Afro-Cuban, smart daring, inquisitive, flamenco dancer, 16-30 yrs old.
Aldo: Afro-Cuban, Ifemorena's twin brother, smart, dancer, violinist, 16-30 yrs old.conservative yet passionate.
Grandma Esmeralda: wise, flamenco dancer, Afro-Andalusian gypsy.
The Priest: 30-40 yrs, artistic, controlling, passionate, "white" Cuban.
Paco: proud, independent, Afro-Cuban (Lukumi and Calibari descent), dancer, leader.
Performer: Flamenco and/or Afro-Caribbean dancer, African and Hispanic. All ages. All genders.
Why Archive? Pass on History. Create living memory.
Formats: Hi-8, Mini-DV, Film, VHS,
and other formats upon request. Watch a video from our archive below:
All Videos
All Videos
"Go home with Bonnie Jean" number from Brigadoon (Riverdale Country School, 1989)
La Bamba (Ballet Hspanico Apprentice Company 1989)
Nghtbloom II by Manuel Alum (Dance Piece for Ballet Hispanico), 1989
Alegrias choreographed by Liliana Morales for Ballet Hispanico of New York Apprentice Company. 1989
Dance
Dance Events include performances in the Albany area, Mohawk Valley, and Albuquerque, NM this summer.
Cinema
IQ CINEMA is a Cinema that was created by and for individuals who are passionate about independent film. Screen your film here.
Education
Ready to move? We offer online and in-person classes in a range of levels and styles, suitable for many different ages and skill levels. All are taught in a friendly, welcoming environment. Get in touch to secure your spot today!
Research
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