{"id":141163,"date":"2026-02-21T18:56:36","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T18:56:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/141163\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T18:56:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T18:56:36","slug":"black-history-month-2026-freedom-ball-on-staten-island-honors-black-western-heritage-15-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/141163\/","title":{"rendered":"Black History Month: 2026 Freedom Ball on Staten Island honors Black Western heritage (15+ photos)"},"content":{"rendered":"

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Long before Hollywood popularized images of the American West, Black cowboys and cowgirls played a central role in shaping frontier life \u2014 driving cattle, taming horses and building communities with skill and determination.<\/p>\n

On Friday, that legacy took center stage on Staten Island as Roc-A-Natural Foundation<\/a> presented the Third Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser at LiGreci\u2019s Staaten in West Brighton, where local dance troupe the Western Pulse Ensemble brought those often-overlooked stories to life through music and movement.<\/p>\n

More than 120 guests embraced the Western theme with coordinated outfits featuring denim, plaid and cowboy accessories. Ensembles included wide-brimmed hats, bright bandanas, plaid vests, light-wash jeans and tall white cowboy boots.<\/p>\n

During the four-course sit-down dinner, presented by Roc-A-Natural, in collaboration with community partners, guests delighted in a performance filled with vibrant costumes, energetic choreography and lively music that paid homage to the contributions of Black cowboys and cowgirls.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Western Pulse Ensemble continues to educate the public about African American history in the Old West,\u201d said Dorcas Meyers, creative director of Roc-A-Natural and a member of the cast. \u201cWe are \u2018edu-taining\u2019 the community through dance and fashion, highlighting the history of Black cowboys and cowgirls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Performers included Meyers, who performs as Real Deal D; Dakota McKoy as Dazzling Dixie; Dierdra Dilbert as Double Barrel D; Naadira Brown as Naadi Love; and Imanuel Stennett as Manny Two Times.<\/p>\n

Sweet potato pie treats were donated by Dorothy Nelson, owner of Momma D\u2019s Catering.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"FreedomRichard Savory and Dorothy Nelson, of Momma D’s Catering pose for a photo at the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball<\/p>\n

Dressed in Western-inspired garb, guests were transported into a main ballroom transformed into an Old West saloon scene. <\/p>\n

A large Western town backdrop framed the space, featuring wooden storefronts \u2014 including a \u201cFreedom Saloon\u201d \u2014 dusty streets and frontier-style buildings reminiscent of a classic movie set.<\/p>\n

Hay bales were stacked in the main display for photo ops, some doubling as tables topped with cowboy hats and bandanas.<\/p>\n

A longhorn skull served as a focal point atop one of the hay bales, reinforcing the ranch-inspired aesthetic. Tan and brown cowboy hats were placed around the setup for guests to wear and pose with, while red, black and white bandanas were draped along the sides to enhance the Western theme.<\/p>\n

Honoring a legacy<\/p>\n

Organizers said the performance aimed to honor that legacy while offering an immersive, educational experience for the community.<\/p>\n

Printed imagery of rustic wagons, wooden crates, barrels and fencing deepened the frontier feel, and small signs pointing to a \u201cwatering hole\u201d or \u201couthouse\u201d added a playful touch.<\/p>\n

Some attendees wore blue denim-style dresses cinched with leather belts and paired with plaid accents. Others sported long fringed vests, checkered shirts and custom-made pieces created specifically for the event.<\/p>\n

The ensemble, which debuted in 2025 during the Freedom Ball and the Juneteenth Freedom Parade and Festival at Tappen Park in Stapleton, blended storytelling with entertainment in a country-western style incorporating partner dances, square and line dancing, as well as elements of hip-hop and Latin dance.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s choreography was crafted by Brown, a wellness and kindness coach at the New York Center for Interpersonal Development. The routines fused European folk influences \u2014 including polka, waltz, jigs and reels \u2014 with African American rhythms and frontier traditions.<\/p>\n

\"FreedomGroup photo of some of the 120 guests of the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball<\/p>\n

Original music for the performance was produced by Jerraine Williams, known as Agent Blurr of Blurred Noize Studio, combining country, bluegrass, house, disco and hip-hop.<\/p>\n

The Freedom Ball also featured music by DJ Thrilla, as guests filled the dance floor and participated in line-dancing instruction throughout the evening.<\/p>\n

Both the Freedom Ball and the upcoming 2026 Juneteenth Freedom Parade and Festival were presented by Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation Inc., a North Shore nonprofit dedicated to arts, culture and community engagement.<\/p>\n

Through dance and fashion, the Western Pulse Ensemble traced the history of Black cowboys and cowgirls in the 19th-century West.<\/p>\n

Historians estimate that as many as one in four cowboys were Black, many of them formerly enslaved men who found work in the cattle industry after emancipation in 1865. Skilled in roping, riding and branding, they helped shape ranching practices and laid the groundwork for modern rodeo culture.<\/p>\n

Figures such as Nat Love and Bill Pickett became known for their expertise, challenging the predominantly white image of the cowboy that later dominated popular culture.<\/p>\n

In support of the June 2026 Juneteenth parade and festival, the event featured 50\/50 raffles and gift baskets that included restaurant gift certificates, high-end skin care products, a large-screen television, and salon and automotive gift cards, among other prizes.<\/p>\n

For more information, please visit Roc-A-Natural at www.rocanatural.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"FreedomDierdra Dilbert, left, Dorcas Meyers, Naadira Brown, Dakota McKoy and Imanuel Stennett perform as part of the Western Pulse Ensemble during the Third Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser at LiGreci\u2019s Staaten in Staten Island on Feb. 20, 2026. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomWestern outfits ruled the night at the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomScene from the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomCowboy hats and denim dominated ensembles at the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomScene from the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomScene from the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomGuests had fun at the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomScene from the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation, on Feb. 2o, 2026 at the Staaten. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomA great time was had by all at the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation, on Feb. 2o, 2026 at the Staaten. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomWestern Pulse Ensemble performs for the guests at the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation, on Feb. 20, 2026 at the Staaten. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomScene from the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation, on Feb. 20, 2026 at the Staaten. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomScene from the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation, on Feb. 20, 2026 at the Staaten. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomScene from the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation, on Feb. 2o, 2026 at the Staaten. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball\"FreedomDorcas Meyers, founder of Roc-A-Natural Foundation, is all smiles at the 3rd Annual Freedom Ball Fundraiser, presented Roc-A-Natural Cultural Foundation, on Feb. 2o, 2026 at the Staaten. (Advance\/SILive.com | Dr. Gracelyn Santos)Freedom Ball<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. \u2014 Long before Hollywood popularized images of the American West, Black cowboys and cowgirls played…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":141164,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[9,24,63,134,136,135],"class_list":["post-141163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-staten-island","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc","tag-staten-island","tag-staten-island-headlines","tag-staten-island-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=141163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141163\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/141164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=141163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=141163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=141163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}