Exclusive: Ana “Rokafella” Garcia talks PBS animated series Alma's Way
Now playing on PBS are brand-new episodes of Alma's Way, the hit animated PBS KIDS series from Fred Rogers Productions created by Sonia Manzano ("Maria" from Sesame Street), the series started on March 4. The energetic and fun new episodes will give young fans a window into Bronx culture like never before. From breakdancing to a neighborhood drum circle and beyond, Alma and her friends learn about celebrated artforms with strong NYC roots right in their own community.
In addition to the new episodes, on March 6, Alma’s Way will debut a brand-new “My Way” live-action short featuring some of breakdancing's brightest – and youngest! – stars, who show off their amazing moves just as the sport gets ready for the 2024 Summer Olympics, marking its official debut in the program and the first dance-sport to appear in Summer Olympics history.
For the corresponding breakdance-themed Alma's Way episode, “Alma the B Girl,” which kicks off the week of new episode premieres, Ana "Rokafella" Garcia, the celebrated “b girl” pioneer from Spanish Harlem, chooses the breaking moves that Alma and her friends work to perfect as well as advising on the best way to bring them to life through animation.
Ana “Rokafella” Garcia is a NYC native who has represented Hip-hop dance professionally over the past two decades. She co founded Full Circle Prod Inc– NYC’s only non profit Break Dance Theater company with her husband veteran Bboy Kwikstep. Together they have generated theater pieces, poetry, monthly Behind the Groove dance parties, a documentary highlighting the Bgirl lifestyle entitled “All The Ladies Say” and original songs/music based on her experiences growing up in Hip-hop’s Mecca. She is hired internationally to judge Break dance competitions based on her mastery of the classic Hip-hop dance style and she teaches unique workshops aimed at evolving and preserving its technical aspects. The NYC public and private schools,
Universities as well as local community centers present her workshops to aspiring dancers as part of mentorship programs. Presently she is an artist in residence at the American Tap Dance Foundation, an adjunct professor at The New School and former member of the Bessie’s Dance Performance Award committee. She has been featured in pivotal Rap music videos, tours, film and commercials as well as choreographed for diverse festival concerts such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Rokafella is a multi faceted Hip-hop artist and earring designer who references street and Latino culture as her foundation.