Award-Winning Travel Series Kicks Off Its 2-Part Special on PBS, CREATE TV and NYC Life with Host Mickela Mallozzi celebrating Carnival and Black Heritage in the Guadeloupe Islands.
NEW YORK – Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, the four-time Emmy® Award-winning travel series on public television, is back with a two-part special celebrating Carnival in The Guadeloupe Islands. Premiering in February to coincide with Carnival Season and Black History Month, these two episodes follow Mallozzi as she transports viewers into an immersive cultural experience through Guadeloupe’s Black identity, music, dance and traditions.
“We were so lucky to have filmed these episodes prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Mallozzi. “At a time when we can’t travel, I am grateful to bring these stories of an international destination to our public television viewers and fans.”
The Guadeloupe Islands are part of the French Caribbean, an overseas region of France and part of the European Union. The deep-rooted traditions and connections to ancestors and Mother Africa are at the forefront of Guadeloupean culture and in these new Bare Feet episodes.
“Guadeloupeans are very proud of their culture,” says Willy Rosier, General Director of the Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board. “We nurture our roots and the notion of transmission is essential to us; Mickela’s genuine spirit was a perfect fit for the destination. We are very grateful to her for giving us the opportunity, during Black History Month, to show Americans who we are,” adds Rosier.
“I am honored to premiere this two-part special for Black History Month and Carnival Season around the world – this is an opportunity to celebrate and highlight Black joy, Black culture, and Black voices through the arts, I’m proud that our series has always been about connecting with locals through the arts,” adds Mallozzi.
The promotion of the “Carnival in the Guadeloupe Islands” two-part TV special on New York and Atlanta public television stations will include sweepstakes featuring roundtrips tickets to Pointe-à-Pitre, offered by JetBlue and 5-night stays at 4-star La Creole Beach Hotel and Spa. “This winter season having been cut short because of travel bans, we can’t wait to welcome back Americans,” says Rosier.
Highlights of Mallozzi’s Carnival adventures and dance encounters from the upcoming two episodes in the series include:
- Learning Gwo-Ka, the musical and dance art form listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of The Guadeloupe Islands by UNESCO.
- Marching in the annual Carnival or Mardi Gras parades with the award-winning Waka Chiré Band.
- Connecting with the anti-assimilation mas bands of the island, including the Maman Mas or “mother mas band”, AKIYO.
Trailer of the two-part TV special is available here
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