Black History Month Celebration to Highlight Culture and History Through Dance
The Ellis Parent Association’s annual Black History Month Celebration is Thursday, Feb. 6, and will once again deliver a unique and engaging way for the Ellis community to celebrate an important culture and history.
This year, Ellis honors Black culture through the art of dance. "Beyond the Stage: Dance as Culture, History, and Expression" will explore the influence Black culture has had on the dance world. The event is Thursday, Feb. 6, from 5–8 p.m. at The Ellis School and is open to Ellis parents, students, alumnae, and employees.
Beyond the Stage will feature performances from local Black choreographers and dance companies, and from Ellis students, showcasing a variety of styles including modern, hip-hop, step, jazz, tap, and ballet. Additionally, there will be tutu decorating and other hands-on activities, and music provided by DJ Matt Likes. Vendors and dance organizations include:
- Kulture Dance Academy: Kulture Dance Academy is based in Pittsburgh’s West End and offers classes for ages 3 to adult, including ballet, jazz, modern, hip-hop, and acro. With more than 100 dancers enrolled in the academy, Kulture offers over 20 classes each week. Focused on minority dancers, Kulture performs citywide and began competing in 2024, winning 1st place and top honors in their first season.
- Balafon: Pittsburgh-based Balafon approaches dance as a way to share the joy of African arts and offer culturally responsive health and wellness. Balafon works in partnership with local artists, alumni dancers from all over the country, and master dancers and musicians from around the world. From school to communities to the theater, Balafon programs offer ways for people of all generations, backgrounds and physical abilities to discover a love for African culture and experience dancing out loud.
- Sarah Heinz House Dance: Children from all walks of life have opportunities to dream big about dance. This program gives K-12 children the body language for self-expression, the confidence for performance on and off the stage, and the athleticism for injury prevention. Led by program director Aubrey Luttrell, an experienced industry professional who has been teaching for over 15 years, children are educated, empowered, and inspired to reach their full potential.
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated: Founded in 1913 on the campus of Howard University, Delta Sigma Theta is one of the sororities and fraternities that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council or the Divine 9, which are black Greek letter organizations. The step being performed at Ellis on Feb. 6 is what’s known in Delta as “the founders step” which consists of chanting the sorority’s founding history and its mission to the world. Followed by the step will be what’s known as a “stroll.” A stroll is a series of movements done to music by members in any kind of organization that displays a sense of pride and belonging.
- Young Dreamers’ Bookstore: The Young Dreamers’ Bookstore is a mobile book retail startup founded in 2022 for young children and their families. It features books that herald protagonists of African descent from across the globe and/or are written by talented and culturally diverse writers. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, The Young Dreamers’ Bookstore is a new part of the Dreamocracy Collective. The Bookstore is a spin off of the Dreamocracy Learning Lab, which is an early childhood literacy social enterprise focusing on providing innovative learning experiences that are book-enabled and dream-centered.
Dinner will be provided by Cook’s Catering, and will be served at 5:00 p.m. The auditorium doors will open at 6:00 p.m. Please join us for this inspiring evening of celebrating the rich legacy of dance and culture.
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