Rain or shine!
DanceAfrica 2023 kicks off with our annual community welcome. This year’s program celebrates The Billie Holiday Theatre and Restoration’s 26th year participating in DanceAfrica. The event includes performances by special guest artists, current students of the Youth Arts Academy, members of the Pre-Professional Program, and more!
Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza
(1368 Fulton Street)
FREE
All performances will adhere to protocols developed in accordance with New York State regulations and in consultation with medical professionals for the safety of our artists, audiences, and staff.
Leadership support for BAM Access Programs provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation
Leadership support for programming in the Howard Gilman Opera House and off-site programs provided by:
Leadership support for BAM Community programs provided by The Thompson Family Foundation
Major Sponsor of BAM Community
Programs:
The nation’s largest festival dedicated to African dance and music returns to the stages and streets of Brooklyn for its 46th year! In 2023, we celebrate with traditional dance and music from Ghana.
Join Al Taw’am, recipients of the 2022—2023 Chuck Davis Emerging Choreographer Fellowship, as they guide participants through their “House Fusion” dance style.
This traditional tribute to those who have passed features music and drumming, dance performances, and a libation ceremony conducted by the DanceAfrica Council of Elders.
Created for DanceAfrica 2023, Cecilia Lamptey-Botchway’s “Spirit and Rhythm of African Dance” takes inspiration from the celebrated dancer and educator Cherie Hill and the diaspora's many different movements.
The Memorial Room is dedicated to preserving the tradition of paying homage to the ancestors of DanceAfrica’s past and present, as well as the ancestors of the visiting companies.
This cinematic companion to the annual DanceAfrica celebration showcases the best new narrative, documentary, and short films from across Africa and the diaspora, with a special focus on films from and about Ghana.
DanceAfrica’s beloved bazaar returns, featuring more than 150 vendors from around the world, offering African, Caribbean, and African-American food, crafts, and fashion.
Caregivers and children alike deepen their engagement with DanceAfrica in this fun-filled, hands-on workshop with BAM teaching artist Adia Whitaker on the fundamentals of Haitian movement and music.
Keep the celebration going after hours with DJ YB, who brings a mix of Afrobeat, funk, soul, rock, jazz, and hip-hop stylings to the dance floor of BAMcafé.
Members of DanceAfrica’s Council of Elders discuss the importance of preserving legacy and their work to create connections between the ancestors, the culture of Africa and its diaspora, and the BAM community.
DanceAfrica invites caregivers and children to explore the fundamentals of Ghanaian dance movement and music in this fun-filled, hands-on workshop.
Discover how African and diasporic dance forms celebrate community and aspects of daily life in this inclusive, interactive class led by Pat Hall, designed for persons with or without disabilities.
A member of the National Dance Company of Ghana leads this immersive workshop in music and dance, introducing participants to Ghanaian rhythmic traditions and traditional movement styles.
Discover the BAM Hamm Archives’ ongoing work to preserve the incredible legacy of DanceAfrica through projects focused on oral history, audiovisual media.
