The Brooklyn-based Tropicalfete, Inc., presented “The Finale: A Cultural Gift for the Community” on Sunday, Dec. 21, at the BMS Playhouse Theatre in Brooklyn.
“The free, family-friendly event brought together residents, artists, educators, and cultural leaders for an afternoon of music, dance, theater, remembrance, and celebration,” Alton Aimable, the St. Lucian-born founder and president of Tropicalfete, Inc., told Caribbean Life.
He said the event was hosted by artist and educator Tanisha Burke, who guided audiences through a “carefully curated program highlighting both emerging talent and seasoned cultural practitioners.”
Aimable said the program opened with a “dynamic” ventriloquist performance by Docta Gel (Nigel G. Dunkley), “immediately setting a tone of creativity and intergenerational engagement.”
He said, “A deeply moving moment of the afternoon was the reading of the names of arts and cultural practitioners who transitioned in 2025, honoring their enduring contributions to Caribbean and community arts.
“This tribute underscored Tropicalfete’s ongoing commitment to preserving cultural memory while uplifting the next generation,” Aimable said.
Event performances included the Steel Pan Ensemble, TF Voices, TF Dance & Theater, TF Mas, TF Stilting Unit, and Mesha Steele, featuring a tribute to Jimmy Cliff with audience participation.
Event performances included the Steel Pan Ensemble, TF Voices, TF Dance & Theater, TF Mas, TF Stilting Unit, and Mesha Steele, featuring a tribute to Jimmy Cliff with audience participation.
Aimable said Tropicalfete also “pushed the envelope with classical ballet on stilts with steelpan.”
He said the event welcomed new members into Tropicalfete’s artistic family and showcased original visual artwork, reinforcing the organization’s multidisciplinary approach to arts education and presentation.
He said the event welcomed new members into Tropicalfete’s artistic family and showcased original visual artwork, reinforcing the organization’s multidisciplinary approach to arts education and presentation.
Aimable said a central feature of The Finale was Tropicalfete’s Scholarship and Youth Award presentation, which recognized outstanding young artists for their “dedication, discipline, and artistic growth.”
He said scholarships were awarded to Imani Woodward, Devon Jarrette, and Kiara Job in recognition of their commitment to cultural arts education and their continued excellence within Tropicalfete’s programs.
“The awards reaffirm Tropicalfete’s long-standing investment in youth development and its mission to ensure that emerging artists are supported, celebrated, and given pathways to advance their artistic and academic pursuits,” Aimable said.
As part of the evening’s formal recognition, he said Tropicalfete’s Award of Excellence was presented to Cultural Historian Keith Marcelle for his decades of dedication to the development and documentation of steel pan culture in New York.
“The ceremony also included scholarship and award presentations to outstanding youth, affirming Tropicalfete’s mission to invest in artistic education and leadership,” Aimable said.
He said Marcelle received a citation from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso for his years of dedication to the development of steelpan in Brooklyn.
Aimable said community support was reflected through the presence and citations of elected officials, partners, educators, parents, and long-term collaborators, “who continue to champion arts access and cultural equity in Brooklyn and beyond.”
He said citations from New York City Council Members Chris Banks, Rita Joseph, Farah N. Louis, and Crystal Hudson were provided to scholarship recipients and outstanding staff of Tropicalfete, Inc.
“The Finale stood as a testament to the power of community-rooted arts, honoring those who came before, celebrating those who lead today, and inspiring those who will carry the culture forward,” Aimable said.
