NYC free: Apollo Open House

In celebration of Black History Month, the world famous Apollo Theater hosts an afternoon of FREE music and dance performances, family workshops and swing dance lessons.

Apollo Open House offers a unique glimpse into the Apollo’s rich history and current programs, next Saturday, Feb. 4th, 2pm to 6pm.

Here’s what’s on the schedule for Apollo Open House, hosted by the legendary Billy Mitchell:

• Performances by youth organization Urban Word NYC performers Esther Aloba and Sergio Jimenez presenting poetry and spoken word.
• Music by Tre Trax
• Performances by multiple Amateur Night winners Tiffany Obi and De’von Williams Jiles.
• Family Workshop: The Harlem Swing Dance Society
  An inter-generational dance workshop on the history of classic social dances associated with Harlem and the Savoy Ballroom. With film clips, demonstrations of traditional jazz steps from the Charleston to Lindy Hop and Swing dancing, and a Q & A. Led by The Harlem Swing Dance Society. Appropriate for families with children ages 6 and up.  Apollo Family Workshops are free; pre-registration is strongly suggested to ensure space.  There are two one-hour dance lession sessions to choose.

Excerpts from:

• Stanley Nelson’s Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities.  For centuries, historically black colleges and universities have provided fertile ground for students willing to devote their careers – and lives – to social justice. An excerpt from this film will show how these institutions have continually served as incubators and facilitators for advocacy on behalf of the African American community.
• Raoul Peck’s I Am Not Your Negro.   Stemming from a manuscript by Harlem literary giant James Baldwin and narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, Peck’s film is a journey into black history connecting the past of the Civil Rights movement to the present day Black Lives Matter movement.

Both filmmakers will be here to speak about their films and related subjects in a panel moderated by entrepreneur April R. Silver

Participants for the Apollo’s Open House include: Firelight Media, Independent Lens, Magnolia Pictures, National Action Network’s Youth Huddle, THE POINT, Urban Word NYC and Word Up Bookstore

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