JASHUA SA-RA: The performance poet, author, playwright and musician was among the highlights as the performing arts arena kicked off its 2023 -2024 season, with overflow crowds enjoying myriad offerings of live entertainment and performances, activities and workshops at the inaugural free event. ERNA DELICE PHOTO FOR SOUTH FLORIDA TIMES

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Every nook and cranny of the vast facility was packed with musical instruments, live performances, interactive theater, workshops and more to start the season with activities and workshops when the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts held its first free community block party on Saturday, Oct.14.

The event consisted of activities such as African drum circle, DJ Rumble Hip Hop, Young singers of the Palm Beaches and friends singing along, theater games, Palm Beach opera performances, Havana hip-hop, Calypso Indian Fusion, circle dance for kids, city ballet and more.

Local communications artist Jashua Sa-Ra held the drum circle workshop in which he taught others the traditional rhythm and how to create music with African drums.

“I want them to connect with the musician inside of themselves, the music in themselves, and know that you can make music just even if it’s only your body. You don’t even need an instrument,” he said.

Sa-Ra, who said he grew up in a drumline, said uses percussion, language arts, poetry, rap, writing, healing art, massage therapy and holistic health.

“It’s like a whole list to approach how can we make our communities better from the top to the bottom,” he said.

Another hit was Yvette NorwoodTiger, award-winning jazz vocalist and founder of the Palm Beach International Jazz Festival, often compared to the vocal stylings of Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, and whose repertoire includes standards, the Great American Songbook, bebop and Latin jazz.

Steven Caras, a visual artist who has danced with the New York City Ballet for 14 years, and also has a photography exhibit at the Kravis Center specialized just for his work, held the advanced ballet workshop. During his session, youths ages 14-plus participated in learning modern ballet.

The Palm Beach Symphony’s Instrument Petting Zoo allowed visitors to try out a variety of instruments and discover which one they enjoyed playing most.

“What I love about the Palm Beach Symphony’s instrument petting zoo is that my own son got to try something like this once” before, said Elizabeth Dashiell, a communications specialist, amid the buzz of the daylong event.

“He plays guitar and keyboard and everything now. Because of that one interaction, he now has gone full force in band,” said Dashiell.