Dance Institute of Washington Celebrates THE SPIRIT OF KWANZAA This December

Dance Institute of Washington (DIW), the leading minority-led pre-professional dance equity organization in the nation's capital, has announced their upcoming annual holiday celebration, The Spirit of Kwanzaa. The event will be held on December 16 and 17 at 7pm at Howard University's Cramton Auditorium (2455 6th Street, NW).

The Spirit of Kwanzaa is a winter holiday celebration that draws on the agricultural ceremonies of Africa. The Dance Institute of Washington has adapted the principles of Kwanzaa to portray the struggles and creativity within the Black experience. The production celebrates the holiday's principles through dance, music, and spoken word performances. This year's theme for the performance is "Celebrating Life and Harmony."

The 2022 Spirit of Kwanzaa cast will be made up of local dancers from the DMV dance community. This year's performance will also feature two renown guest choreographers, Earl Mosley and Katherine Smith.

"The Spirit of Kwanzaa is always such an amazing event for DIW," says Executive Director Kahina Hanyes. "It's a perfect opportunity to bring the community together while celebrating everything enduring and beautiful about Black culture and creativity."

Adding to this year's celebration is the fact that Dance Institute of Washington (DIW) was recently awarded $1 million dollars through funding in House Appropriation Bills secured by Congresswoman Elenor Holmes Norton (D-DC). The organization supports students from underserved communities, balancing artistic excellence at the highest level with life-building skills focused on empowerment, academic discipline, emotional support and nutritional guidance. The funding is part of $21 million Norton secured for Community Project Funding for worthy organizations in Washington, DC.

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