Artistic Director Stacy Kovacs. Image provided by artist.
Name: Stacy Kovacs/BatalaNYCAka: Artistic DirectorHometown: Buffalo, NYNeighborhood: Sunset Park, BrooklynFavorite thing about your neighborhood:I love the diverse neighborhoods in Brooklyn.What did you get funded for?The Carnival Project, Year 2. The Celebration Continues!What's that all about?BatalaNYC celebrates it's third birthday by having another party with a carnival theme. This year it's all about Brazil. Bringing Marcus Santos in from Boston, Os Lolas, a local NYC band, as well as having BatalaNYC play, it's bound to be a musical treat! There's going to be a workshop with Master Percussionist from Recife, Brazil and much more!What else do you have coming up?Many shows and parades in the near future, including a book release party for Brooklyn Spaces at Gowanus Ballroom, Brooklyn Pride, a movie screening in Red Hook at BWAC and much more.What's inspiring you right now?Right now we are on a social media campaign about why the band is all women. It's inspiring to hear the stories behind each woman who has decided to join the band.Anything that you're totally over?We're over the NYC parades where the police force us to practically run! We can't play and march while running!!! Please NYC can we slow the parades a little!!When you're not making art you're...Practicing.....Stacy Kovacs hails from Buffalo, NY growing up playing piano, tap dancing, and drumming. After college and graduate school, she landed in NYC in 2005. Missing the drumming she did as a child, she found Brazilian percussion. Playing at NYC Brazilian Day 2011, she met Batala DC and was instantly captivated by the rhythms of samba reggae. She pursued the opportunity to start a NYC chapter of Batala. Stacy currently works as a Physician Assistant in surgery removing organs in a major NYC hospital.