Kwanzaa Archives | GothamToGo

Image courtesy of The Apollo Theater. Image Credit: Shahar Azran Photography

The Annual Kwanzaa celebration returns to The Apollo Theater as an in-person event for the first time in two years, offering attendees the opportunity to experience the cultural importance and collective Black joy that characterize the holiday. Kwanzaa: A Regeneration Celebration will take place on Friday, December 30 at 7:30pm EST, anchored by performances from renowned New York-based dance company Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre—the creative force behind the 40-year tradition which blends contemporary modern, West African, house, and hip-hop dance styles—as well as special guest artist, Haitian American singer Pauline Jean. Also featured will be the young people of the Forces of Nature/Harlem Children’s Zone Youth Arts Academy of Dance and Wellness, performing under the direction of Jae Ponder.

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Image: Kwanzaa Celebration at the Apollo in 2019. Photo courtesy of the Apollo.

On Sunday, December 26 at 7:00 pm EST, the Apollo will celebrate its annual Kwanzaa celebration, Kwanzaa: A Regeneration Celebration, featuring a world premiere from renowned New York-based dance company Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre and performances from Apollo New Work artists Soul Science Lab with Chen Lo and Asante Amin. For more than 15 years, the Apollo has presented an annual Kwanzaa festival performance during the seven-day celebration of African American culture. This year, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre will produce a unique digital event of dance and music honoring the seven principles of Kwanzaa, the Nguzo Saba. The event, hosted by award-winning radio host and annual Apollo Kwanzaa emcee Imhotep Gary Byrd, will be streamed on the Apollo Digital Stage. The program is pay what you wish and will be on demand through January 3.