Boston’s Premiere Performing Arts Center Celebrates 25+ Years with an Evening of Dance, Spoken Word, Music and Awards Honoring Community Leaders
OrigiNation Cultural Arts Center – pioneers of innovative and dynamic performing arts programs that motivate, challenge and inspire youth to be the best they can be – will host its first-ever virtual Twist & Shout gala on Saturday, December 5, 2020 beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The night will include an evening of dance, spoken word and music featuring performances from the Professional Dance Division, as well as OrigiNation alumni sharing their experiences at the cultural arts center and how it’s propelled them in their careers. Additionally, there will be an awards presentation honoring a few key impactful leaders within the OrigiNation community, and a silent auction featuring items donated by loyal supporters and partners including Boston Red Sox themed experiences such as holiday or graduation family photos at Fenway Park; a tour, lunch and seats package atop the Green Monster; and an opportunity to host a birthday celebration at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.
“This year’s Twist & Shout Gala will be a true celebration of all our efforts, including the inspiring, talented, and passionate youth dancers and the impact of our community leaders that always keep us top-of-mind and provide us with additional ideas to keep thriving and growing,” said Musau M. Dibinga, Executive Director of OrigiNation. “But there is still a lot of work to be done and much more to accomplish, especially during these times where COVID has made it difficult to conduct business as usual at the center. With the money raised tonight, we will be able to continue our efforts to strongly impact the youth of our city’s most underserved neighborhoods, providing them with a strong foundation before thrusting themselves into the real world to chart their own career paths.”
Those being honored during the Twist & Shout gala include Shawn Brown – Founder & CEO of Diamond Educators Mentoring for his 20-plus years of experience in the field of youth development and nonprofit leadership in Boston, as well as Sheena Collier – Founder & CEO of The Collier Connection for her efforts on decreasing the challenges imposed on Black Americans by creating network opportunities like Boston While Black, as well as identifying and providing the necessary tools to overcome and succeed. OrigiNation will also honor Free Marie, most recognized as one of the original co-hosts of BET’s top-rated television show “106 & Park” for her continued efforts and dedication to spreading awareness of social issues important to black communities across America. OrigiNation Founding Artistic Director Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga will also give a live spoken word performance.
“We want our virtual gala guests to dance the night away with us in the comfort of their own homes as we continue to spread awareness, celebrate, and raise some much-needed funds to put our center in the best position to support our young dancers and future leaders,” said Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga, Founding Artistic Director. “We are thankful to our gracious host, Latoyia Edwards, as well as our honorees for complementing our efforts to inspire our youth through art and dance.”
Latoyia Edwards is an Emmy Award-winning anchor on NBC 10 Boston and NECN. She joined the NBC Boston and NECN family as a morning reporter in 2005, arriving from WWLP-22 in Springfield, Massachusetts, where she had been a weekday anchor. A native of Boston’s Dorchester neighborhood, Latoyia graduated magna cum laude from Emerson College with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She began her career as a news writer for WBZ 1030-AM radio, and later reported for the Fox affiliate WICZ-TV 40 in Binghamton, New York. She first anchored television for MediaOne cable news network, while also reporting as the morning drive news anchor for WILD 1090AM. Additionally, Latoyia has instructed courses for the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. In 2002, she was crowned Miss Massachusetts in the USA pageant. She is married, and greatly enjoys volunteering with youth groups.
To register for ‘Twist & Shout,’ please visit www.twistandshout2020.eventbrite.com. Tickets are $25. Those unable to attend Twist & Shout but interested in supporting OrigiNation may do so by visiting their donation page.
About OrigiNation:
Founded in 1994 by Artistic Director Shaumba-Yandje Dibinga, OrigiNation, Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that produces innovative and dynamic performing arts programs which motivate, challenge, and inspire youth to be the best they can be. We offer quality dance, theater arts, and African history education. Special emphasis is placed on teaching young people between the ages of 2 through 18 the importance of self-respect, health, nutrition, education, self-esteem, and the extent of African influences on various contemporary art forms. Every year, we serve close to 150 young people through our on-site programs and an additional 1,500 youth through our off-site programs. We provide the youth of all levels with training in multiple dance forms, public speaking, and martial arts. OrigiNation also implements special initiatives to raise our students' awareness about pertinent social issues and to facilitate their development into well-rounded, productive citizens within their families and communities. While our programs are open to all youth, we focus our efforts on providing services to young people from Boston's underserved neighborhoods, which include Dorchester, Roxbury, and Mattapan. For more information, please visit www.originationinc.org.
