Block parties are an essential part of New York culture, creating visible and joyous spaces for communities to gather. They unify neighbors and resist, in an era of rapid gentrification, prejudicial noise complaints and the temptation to stay at home, never getting to know those around you.
Thank goodness, then, for Beyond the Black Box (BBB), a block party coming to Greenpoint on May 17.
Created in partnership with KEIGWIN + COMPANY and Triskelion Arts, the outdoor event will be held on Banker Street between Calyer Street and Meserole Avenue. Rooted in their mission to champion Black artistry, radical imagination, and interdisciplinary performance, BBB is transforming the block into a space of celebration, expression, and connection. A place to dance, it’s also about making space where space hasn’t existed before. As the founders in an interview below said, it’s about “affirming that we belong in every neighborhood, every theater, every block.”
Read more into the interview below, and learn more about the completely free event here.
Greenpointers: Congrats on the BBB Block Party — is this the first year it is being offered, and can you discuss how the idea for the party came to be?
Larry Keigwin: Thank you, yes, this is the first year of the BBB block party produced in partnership with Triskelion Arts and KEIGWIN + COMPANY (K+C). It came about after K+C received some public and private funding to support public access and participation in dance, and needless to say we had a block party on our mind. We reached out to partner with Triskelion Arts and at our first meeting, the executive director, Rachel Mckinstry, had the inspired idea to present BBB as the headlining organization for the block party. We were thrilled.
You are partnering with various organizations to bring this about. Can you discuss what it was like bringing those pieces together?
Keigwin: The collaboration between the partnering organizations came about swiftly and everyone hit the ground running. Of course, with any new project or collaboration there are a slew of emails and meetings ensuring that we stay on target. Triskelion Arts is taking a huge administrative lead with the block party while BBB is shaping the artistic vision. We are grateful for everyone’s contributions and look forward to dancing with old and new friends on May 17.
What impact do you hope the block party will have?
Chanel Stone: More than anything, I want people to walk away feeling like they belong. At every BBB event, we aim to create something that feels familiar, something that says: “you’re home here.”
Our events aren’t just vendor markets—they’re about interactive, experience-based moments. Whether that’s painting a stroke on the mural, talking with a tarot reader, or revisiting a childhood memory at our inner child healing booth—those little 1-on-1 connections are what make our spaces magic.
If people leave feeling seen, present, loved, or like they learned something about themselves (or even just had a good time), then we did our job. And if they’re curious about BBB and want to come to the next one? Even better.
You mention how the event is more than just a party but a chance to increase visibility for Black artists and joy; do you or your organizations reside in Greenpoint, and how was making space in this neighborhood important for your mission?
Stone: We don’t technically reside in Greenpoint, but Triskelion Arts, which is based there, has been an incredible incubator for us. They’ve supported Beyond the Black Box since day one—almost like a mother organization—and helped us grow into what we are now. We couldn’t do this at this scale without them.
BBB is rooted in taking up space and reclaiming space. My co-founders and I have all experienced being “the only one” in rooms—whether that’s through racism, underrepresentation, or just not seeing ourselves reflected in the dance world. This event is about flipping that. It’s about being loud, joyful, and unapologetically present—literally shutting down a block to uplift Black joy and Black artistry.
Doing that in Greenpoint, where Black visibility is scarce, is intentional. Trisk understands the importance of placing this kind of activation right here. Together, we’re affirming that we belong in every neighborhood, every theater, every block.
Thank you for all your work in organizing and creating this event! Anything else you’d like to add?
Stone: Thank you! I just want to say—we’re a grassroots organization, and we’re only able to do this work because people show up. Every person who comes out makes it possible for us to continue creating these spaces.
I’m just deeply grateful—for the support, for this platform, and for being able to do what I love with people I love. Thank you for your interest and I hope to see you at the block party!