Forces of Nature Dance Theatre presents Juneteenth Celebration at Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center

Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, the internationally-acclaimed company founded by Abdel R. Salaam, will present a special Juneteenth Celebration at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center on Saturday, June 13, at 7 p.m.

Presented in celebration of Juneteenth, the performance honors African American history, culture, resilience, and community through dance, music and storytelling.

The performance will feature members of Forces of Nature Dance Theatre alongside FIYAA (Forces Incredible Youth Artist Alliance), the company’s youth ensemble. Local audiences may remember FIYAA from their appearance at the Fuller Moon Arts Festival in 2024 and 2025.

WCPA Founder and Artistic Director Melissa Padham-Maass to join the performance

The evening also marks a meaningful artistic homecoming for Warwick Center for the Performing Arts (WCPA) founder and Artistic Director Melissa Padham-Maass, who began dancing with Forces of Nature Dance Theatre in 2005 after graduating from SUNY Purchase. Over the past two decades, Padham-Maass has performed and toured with the company throughout the United States while building her own artistic community in Warwick through the Warwick Dance Collective and Warwick Center for the Performing Arts.

For this special performance, Padham-Maass will return to the stage with Forces of Nature Dance Theatre and will also present original choreography performed by members of the Warwick Dance Collective.

“Having the opportunity to share Forces of Nature with the Warwick community is incredibly meaningful to me,” said Padham-Maass. “The company has had a profound influence on my life as an artist, educator, and choreographer. Bringing together the artists and mentors who helped shape me with the community we have built here in Warwick feels truly special.”

About Forces of Nature

Blending modern dance, traditional African dance, live music, and storytelling, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre has spent more than four decades creating powerful performances that celebrate culture, history, community, and the human spirit. Recognized as one of the nation’s leading African diasporic dance companies, Forces of Nature has performed at prestigious venues and festivals throughout the United States and abroad, earning acclaim for its dynamic artistry, cultural scholarship and commitment to community engagement. The company’s work honors the traditions of the African diaspora while bringing people of all backgrounds together through the universal language of dance.

The program is made possible in part with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

For additional information, contact: Melissa Padham-Maass, Warwick Center for the Performing Arts at info@warwickperformingarts.com.