Juneteenth and Beyond returns with immersive experience at Centennial Hall

The University of Arizona is celebrating Juneteenth with its third annual Juneteenth and Beyond program, highlighting the cultural legacy and lasting influence of Black expression.

The event, open to campus and community members, takes place on Thursday, June 25, from 4-6 p.m. at Centennial Hall. Tickets are $20 and are available online. Registrants will also receive a complimentary T-shirt while supplies last.

Guests attending “Juneteenth and Beyond: The Art of Black Culture through Movement” won’t just watch a performance – they’ll be immersed in one. From the opening reception to the final course of an Afro-Caribbean-inspired dinner, music, dance and storytelling will unfold around attendees seated on the Centennial Hall stage.

“We’ll have dinner on the stage with beautiful floral tablescapes, a fun layout and lighting that adds texture to make you feel like you’re a part of the performance,” said Johnique Woods, associate director for event planning with Student Unions, who is coordinating and designing the event.

The program will feature a dynamic performance by community dancers from the School of Dance’s Theatre of Movement, choreographed by Duane Cyrus, the school’s director. It will be accompanied by live music from Freddy Jay Walker, a Tucson composer. Together, the dance and music are designed to honor and celebrate generations of Black culture.

“American culture has been influenced greatly by many dances and movements from the African diaspora, from tap to hip-hop, ballet to Broadway and beyond,” said Cyrus. “Culture is carried in the body, and movement of the body impacts culture. My goal with this Juneteenth performance is to share only a few of the styles of dance which Black people have built and are part of the fabric of American culture.”

The performance will be complemented by an Afro-Caribbean-inspired three-course meal curated by the Student Unions culinary team, including Michael Omo, executive director, and Lawrence Sanchez, senior executive chef.

The menu features traditional dishes, including flavorful jerk chicken with rice and peas, as well as twists on the classics, such as cornbread muffins and savory empanadas filled with black-eyed peas, greens and smoked turkey. Woods said black-eyed peas, greens and cornbread symbolize wealth and prosperity.