Big Apple Leadership Academy for the Arts, Inc.

04/15/2026

04/13/2026

It’s Tea Party Time!!! ☕🌸💖

Coming up next at BALAA… it’s our 6th Annual Tea Party, brought to you by the fabulous BALAA Beauties! ✨

Gather your daughters, sisters, aunties, nieces, friends, and neighbors and come enjoy an afternoon full of elegance, laughter, and unforgettable vibes. 💐

✨ Dress to impress in your BEST tea party attire
Think: gloves, fascinators, pearls… and all the pretty details!

🎀 Admission is FREE — but RSVP is required!
Don’t wait… secure your spot today!

🔗 RSVP HERE: https://www.balaa.org/events-1/6th-annual-tea-party or link in bio

Trust us… it’s going to be a GOOD time! 💕

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04/12/2026

🔥 NSBC SHOWED OUT!!! 🔥

The Northern Showstyle Band Coalition (NSBC) showed OUT at Concrete Crankfest and reminded everybody what UNITY, POWER, and CULTURE look like in motion! 🥁💥

Founded in September 2021 as a subsidiary of BALAA, NSBC was created to build something bigger than one program…
✨ A space where NYC music programs can COLLABORATE
✨ Develop musicians at every level — students AND staff
✨ And come together as ONE MASS BAND

And that’s EXACTLY what we saw. 💯

The 2025–2026 NSBC participants include:
🥁 The Empire Marching Elite
🥁 Medgar Evers College Preparatory School – Maroon & Gold Storm Marching Band
🥁 Liberty Avenue Middle School
🥁 Liberty Avenue Band (L.A.B.)
🥁 Urban Assembly for the Performing Arts – Marching Panthers
🥁 Academy Charter High School
🥁 IS 93 Ridgewood – RAMS
(Academy Marching Panthers – absent)

This is what it looks like when programs come together for something GREATER than themselves.

This is PIPELINE.
This is COMMUNITY.
This is the FUTURE of marching band culture in NYC. 🏙️🔥

We are beyond proud of every student, every instructor, and every leader who made that moment happen.

NSBC is not just a coalition…
It’s a MOVEMENT. 💯

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04/12/2026

WE MADE HISTORY. ✨

Yesterday was nothing short of AMAZING.
The 2nd Annual Concrete Crankfest was a moment NYC will NEVER forget. 🏙️🔥

Today, we’re reflecting with full hearts… because it truly took a VILLAGE to bring this vision to life. 💯

From the INCREDIBLE performances by:
🔥 Big Apple Leadership Academy Afterschool Program
🔥 Mrs. K's Dance Academy
🔥 Latoya Jerrick
🔥 Nthrn Showstyle Band Coalition
🔥 Harlem Thunder Percussion (Royalty)

To the ELECTRIFYING sounds of:
🥁 VSU Trojan Explosion
🥁 Approaching Storm Marching Band 🌪️

The entire day was filled with pure 👑✨

A HUGE thank you to:
👏 Dr. Taylor Whitehead & Geno Diggs
👏 Our sponsor Alloy Development
👏 Our DJ DJ A-Minor 🎧
👏 And the BEST MC in Brooklyn Marlon Rice

And most importantly… NONE of this happens without our SUPER DOPE BALAA staff & administrators who show up EVERY SINGLE DAY for our youth:
💥 Dr. Jada K. John
💥 Mahli BenAmoz Mathias Sr.
💥 Frankie Dascola
💥 Bntu Al-Abu
💥 Sana
💥 Clarence J. Alexander
💥 Elizabeth Campbell

This was more than an event…
This was CULTURE. This was IMPACT. This was LEGACY.

We are so proud. We are so grateful.
And we’re just getting started. 🔥

HBCUCulture NYCEvents HistoryMade ForTheCulture CommunityStrong WeGrowing

04/10/2026

🚨 TOMORROW IS THE DAY!!! 🚨

NYC… ARE YOU READY?! 👀🔥

The 2nd Annual Concrete Crankfest is taking over the city TOMORROW and it’s about to be LOUD! 🥁💥

This is NYC’s FIRST HBCU Band Battle and we’re bringing the HEAT:

🔥 VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY (VSU)
🆚
🔥 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY (DSU)

The energy.
The culture.
The SOUND.

You do NOT want to miss this moment! 💯

📅 Saturday, April 11th
📍 240 Nassau St, Brooklyn, NY
⏰ Doors open at 9AM | Show starts at 10AM

🚫 NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AT THE DOOR 🚫

🎟️ Get your tickets NOW before it’s too late:
https://www.balaa.org/events-1/2nd-annual-concrete-crankfest

Tomorrow… we CRANK. 🏙️🔥
Pull up and let’s make history!!!

BattleOfTheBands HBCUCulture BandLife TomorrowWeCrank ShowUpAndShowOut

04/09/2026

🚨 2 DAYS AWAY!!! 🚨

We are OFFICIALLY in countdown mode… ⏳🔥

Concrete Crankfest is about to take over NYC THIS SATURDAY!

This is your FINAL warning…
The bands are ready.
The city is ready.
The stage is SET.

🥁 VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY (VSU)
🆚
🥁 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY (DSU)

If you’ve never experienced HBCU band culture LIVE…
THIS is where it starts. 💯

📅 Saturday, April 11th
📍 240 Nassau St, Brooklyn, NY
⏰ Doors open at 9AM | Show starts at 10AM

🚫 NO TICKETS AT THE DOOR — DON’T RISK IT! 🚫

🎟️ Lock in NOW before it’s TOO LATE:
https://www.balaa.org/events-1/2nd-annual-concrete-crankfest

Tag your crew. Make your plans.
Because in 2 days… Brooklyn is going ALL THE WAY UP! 🔥🏙️

BattleOfTheBands BandCulture HBCUExperience CountdownMode ShowUpAndShowOut

04/08/2026

🚨 3 DAYS AWAY!!! 🚨

This is NOT a drill…
Concrete Crankfest is almost HERE! 🔥🔥

Brooklyn is about to feel the FULL FORCE of HBCU band culture like NEVER before!

🥁 VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY (VSU)
🆚
🥁 DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY (DSU)

The sound will be louder.
The energy will be CRAZIER.
The vibes? UNMATCHED. 💯

📅 Saturday, April 11th
📍 240 Nassau St, Brooklyn, NY
⏰ Doors open at 9AM | Show starts at 10AM

⚠️ NO TICKETS SOLD AT THE DOOR — DON’T GET LEFT OUTSIDE! ⚠️

🎟️ Secure your spot RIGHT NOW:
https://www.balaa.org/events-1/2nd-annual-concrete-crankfest

If you’ve been waiting… THIS IS YOUR SIGN.
Pull up, bring your people, and let’s make HISTORY! 🏙️🔥

BattleOfTheBands BandCulture HBCUExperience ShowUpAndShowOut CrankfestCountdown

04/04/2026

⚠️ THE CITY ABOUT TO SHAKE… ⚠️

In just ONE WEEK, Brooklyn becomes the stage for something DIFFERENT.

🥁 2nd Annual Concrete Crankfest
Where HBCU culture meets NYC energy 💥

This year’s headline showdown:
🔥 Delaware State University
🆚
🔥 Virginia State University

Precision. Power. Performance.
This is what happens when ELITE bands hit the concrete jungle. 🏙️🥁

📅 Saturday, April 11, 2026
📍 Brooklyn, NY

🚫 NO DOOR SALES. NO EXCEPTIONS.
If you’re not locked in now… you might miss it.

🎟️ Secure your spot TODAY:
https://www.balaa.org/events-1/2nd-annual-concrete-crankfest

Don’t hear about it later… be THERE.

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03/28/2026

FROM BROOKLYN TO OPPORTUNITY 🎶✨

BALAA was outside at the NYC High School Honors Music Festival, representing, connecting, and continuing the mission as we proudly promoted the HBCU Audition Fair.

But this moment? This one hit different. 💥
We ran into one of our 2026 scholarship recipients — a full-circle reminder that this work is REAL, the impact is REAL, and the lives being changed are REAL.

This is bigger than music.
This is access.
This is exposure.
This is opportunity.

We’re not just creating performers — we’re building futures, opening doors, and making sure OUR students are seen, heard, and supported on every stage 🎺🥁🎓

Moments like this remind us why we do what we do ❤️🖤💚
And trust us… we’re just getting started.

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03/26/2026

Spring is here 🌸 and it’s time for a well-deserved break!
The BALAA After School Program will be CLOSED April 2 – April 10 for Spring Break 🌼✨
We hope all of our students and families enjoy this time to rest, recharge, and spend quality time together 💛
📚 After school will resume Monday, April 13th
Let’s come back refreshed and ready to continue learning, growing, and creating together! 🎭🎶
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