Young People’s Concert Series

Invite the young people in your life to travel the world without leaving Philadelphia!
 
The Mann Center’s annual free Young People’s Concert Series plays a vital role in our community outreach, making high-quality and culturally diverse performing arts programs accessible to all children in an informal atmosphere.  Performances by professional and emerging artists offer our young people a chance to experience and be inspired by the talents of others their age!

The spectacular 2009 summer series, A Taste of DANCE – A Celebration of Diverse Cultures, featured performances by 290 performing artists on our main stage.  Over 31,000 enthusiastic young people experienced a fantastic journey through dance celebrating the cultures of Spain, Africa, Europe, and America!

Artists included: The West Philadelphia Conestoga Angels,  The Eastwick Commandoes, Kulu Mele African American Dance Ensemble, Gwendolyn Bye’s DanceFusion, Buckets & Tap Shoes, Chosen Dance Company, Rock School for Dance Education, Flamenco Olé, and the Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble.

An audience of over 8,500 at the Young People’s Concert Series in July

A Taste of Dance - A Celebration of Diverse Cultures

                 RHYTHMS, DRUMS, AND HIP GROOVES                  
July 16th
 
There was a lot of excitement at the intersection of West African-American fusion sensation Kulu Mele, the classic drill team grooves of Philadelphia-renowned West Philadelphia Conestoga Angels, and the inspired dance of hip-hop masters from Gwendolyn Bye’s DanceFusion.


URBAN DANCE EXPLOSION
Featuring  Buckets and Tap Shoes & Chosen Dance Company                    
July 20th
 
Audiences felt the beat and danced to the rhythm with these two acclaimed dance groups!  Chosen Dance traced the roots of dance from the 1960s to today’s hip-hop.  Buckets and Tap Shoes wowed us with their music, improvisation and choreography derived from the roots of funk, soul, jazz, classical, hip-hop, blues and rock!
 
 
 
                 
August 4th
 
 
Audiences relished the fusion of classical ballet, modern dance, rhythmic gymnastics, mime, urban hip-hop moves and grooves in this exhilarating dance explosion!  The Rock School celebrated 10 years of fabulous performances as part of the Young People’s Concert Series – A Decade of Dance!
The Mann Center honored the Rock School this season for 10 phenomenal years of performance in the Young People’s Concert Series
 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL DANCE VOYAGE
Featuring Flamenco Ole! & Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble
August 10th
 
These fabulous performers brought us to Spain and Africa!  Audiences experienced the deep rooted traditions of dance and music from these beautiful regions.

 

Keep checking back to see what we have planned for our upcoming 2010 season.  We look forward to another cultural journey!


The Young People’s Concert Series has been made possible with support from:

 
       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  • Anonymous
  • The Barra Foundation, Inc.
  • Campbell Soup Foundation
  • Connelly Foundation
  • Dolfinger-McMahon
  • The LENFEST Foundation
  • Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation
  • The Christopher Ludwick Foundation
 photos by Michael Hammie