Started on Juneteenth, Wawa hosted their Wawa Welcome America celebrations with sixteen days of festive dances, music performances, crafts, and educational experiences culminating in their huge Fourth of July Celebration. Honored to be invited to participate and perform during the Wawa Welcome America Broad + Market Festival Experience, the Esperanza Academy Dance Ensemble exhibited their refined talent and skills through seven group pieces and one duet. Directed by Esperanza Academy’s Arts Department Chair and Dance Teacher, Tania Y. Ramos Otón, the ensemble performed dynamic dances reflective of their cultural heritage and demonstrating their technical skills. For this performance they brought together past and current ensemble members for pieces rich in celebration, passion, beauty, and grace. Their joy was palpable as they took the stage, and their movements were passionate, crisp, and poised throughout all unique pieces. Friends and family cheered them on, beaming as they watched the moving art celebration in front of City Hall, the birthplace of our country’s freedom 245 years ago. The Wawa Welcome America festival ended on Sunday with powerful performances from Bebe Rexha, Flo Rida, and the Philly Pops, and of course, spectacular fireworks dazzling the night sky over the Philadelphia Art Museum. Watch Esperanza Academy Dance Ensemble’s full performance on their Instagram page @eadanceensemble and follow Esperanza Academy to stay up to date on all of our student’s incredible accomplishments @esperanza_academy.

Photos provided by EA Dance Ensemble.