The Church of the Epiphany in Northwest will host a dynamic night of music, dance and rhythms on Saturday, Nov. 19, as more than 100 local performers and ensembles provide an eclectic display of the city’s cultural scene.
The event — dubbed “Fascination’ Rhythms: Celebrating Washington, D.C., in Song, Poetry and Dance” — was organized by the Congressional Chorus, an organization of singing House and Senate staffers past and present, and aims to unite local singers and dancers at a time of uncertainty in the nation’s political hub.
“D.C. is the choral capital of the country and a lot of people in this city love to sing,” said David Simmons, the event’s artistic director. “Our mission, since the very beginning, has been to focus on American music, all different styles and all different genres.”
The event will feature dancers from the Joy of Motion Dance Center, singers from Howard University’s Afro Blue, tap dancing by DeWitt Fleming Jr., and performances by Capitol Movement, the Beltway Poetry Slam Team and the Capitol Hearings.
The Congressional Chorus, which is celebrating its 30th season, showcases the music of American composers. Saturday’s event will celebrate the works of Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye and Sweet Honey in the Rock.
In June, the chorus, a group of more than 100 voices, hosted a concert, “Young, Gifted and Global,” that wrapped the works of millennial composers to salsa music.
The Congressional Chorus is supported by the D.C. Commission for the Arts and Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Simmons said the group is simply living up to the endowment’s legacy: “A Great Nation Deserves Great Art.”
“We want Washingtonians to come out and celebrate their heritage,” Simmons said.
The event will be held at the Church of the Epiphany at 1317 G Street NW. For ticket information, go to congressionalchorus.org or call 202-629-3140.
