Our mission is to develop and execute art and cultural events and programs that will educate, unite and rejuvenate the historical essences of the African American culture and experiences in Cambridge, MD.
About this Organization
Groove City Black Heritage and Culture Group is a nonprofit organization in Cambridge, Dorchester County MD. For the past 5 years, we have been executing events and programs in the community. One of our goals is to inspire creative expression in people of all ages and to provide meaningful cultural and arts experiences with and for the community through education, exhibitions, and performances. Secondly, to serve as a conduit for promoting and providing opportunities for entrepreneurs/businesses in order to revitalize historic Pine Street. Third, we recognize individuals who have made a difference in their community, and past and present people. We are located in an underserved area with at-risk youth and teens. We are expanding our services to provide youth and families with community activities, art workshops, African dance, and drums to expose them to opportunities that they would not otherwise experience as a family. We will also offer summer and afterschool teen enrichment programs involving mentorship and leadership to help them identify their purpose and to transition today's teens into responsible adults as tomorrow's leaders.Services/Opportunities
Students learn and develop choreography while fostering skills in leadership and inspired creativity.
They learn the meaning of each movement and cultural significance of African- influenced Afro-Caribbean Dance to help them connect creatively and work together.
Each student are given an opportunity to lead the group in a dance performance. By the end of the 5th session, students are able to choose the movement significant to them and perform what was taught in class.
Students learn to play traditional rhythms from West Africa, played on the Djembe’.
Student learn the history, cultural significance and traditions of the music and its people.
Emphasis was placed on how drumming can benefit us in a multitude of ways from stress reduction, improved focus, mindfulness, hand-eye coordination, and creating unity within a group.
Once a month, we bring families together to share in expressing their own creativity through art. The workshop is lead by a local artist. Participants learn basic colors and how to combine the colors to ceate different colors. Understanding how to use different brush sizes. Participants are given two paintings to mimic or use their own creativity to paint their own vision. We allow families to together on one canvases to put their creativity in a picture.
The goal of this program is to help families reconnect and spend quality time with each other especially those families who may have experienced trauma or need to find ways to relax and reduce stress.
We plan to expand the art learning experience by using other art techniques through color pencils, oils, watercolors, and graphic art and mix media. With additional funding we want to include a therapist.
Featured Work
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