Wednesday, January 16, 2013

African-American Heritage Festival Feb 1 & 2, 2013

Posted by the city of Tavares, Florida

African-American Heritage Festival - February 1 & 2

African-American Heritage Festival
February 1 & 2 in Tavares
The African-American Heritage Festival will take place in Tavares on February 1 & 2. This celebration of African-American culture will include three major events.
On Friday, February 1, in the Tavares High School Gymnasium, there will be a free cultural event. The Community Choir will perform at 6 pm and a dance performance will begin at 7 pm. The Center for Contemporary Dance presents Moore Dance Project in “Reflections,” a series of new contemporary dance works set to the soulful sounds of the Motown era. Under the artistic direction of award-winning choreographer Dario J. Moore, the Moore Dance Project is the area’s first and only African-American professional dance ensemble. Using classic music from Motown legends like Marvin Gay, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and many more, the company will present world-premier dance works featuring seasoned dancers who command the stage with grace, artistry and depth. Refreshments will be served by the African-American Heritage Committee.
On Saturday, February 2, there will be a parade down Main Street, in downtown Tavares, which will begin at 10:00 am. Following the parade there will be an African-American Festival from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm in Wooton Park, located on Ruby Street. Entertainment includes singing, dancing, gospel choirs and steppers, promising an afternoon of toe-tapping fun. There will also be arts and crafts, food vendors, as well as historical and cultural educational exhibits. Admission is free.
The Moore Dance Project produces artistically-engaging dance works that celebrate and examine new perspectives in the African-American experience. Founded in Washington, DC in 2001, the Project has been operating out of The Center for Contemporary Dance in Winter Park, FL since 2006. Since arriving in Central Florida, Moore Dance Project has presented more than 35 new dance works, including those commissioned by the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, Rollins College, the Tupperware Company, Black Enterprise Magazine and the Pepsi-Cola Company.
The Center for Contemporary Dance is an award-winning education, incubation and production center for the dance arts. Over the past eleven years, the organization has supported emerging and seasoned artists in the creation and presentation of more than 250 new dance works, including those by Moore Dance Project. Responsible for the emergence of no less than eleven professional contemporary dance companies, the organization has received recognition and awards from United Arts of Central Florida, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Florida Alliance for Arts Education. To learn more, visit www.TheCenterForDance.org.
For questions regarding the dance performance contact Tavares Community Services, 352.742.6338.
For questions on the African-American Festival contact Pastor Mike Watkins, 352.406.9608 or Sheila Short 352.552.0325.