“DANCEAFRICA IS A FAMILY REUNION, A CHANCE TO SEE HOW THE BRANCHES OF THE FAMILY TREE HAVE EXTENDED.”
—THE NEW YORK TIMES

DanceAfrica Performance 2023

May 26—29, 2023

GOLDEN GHANA: ADINKRA, ANANSE, AND ABUSUA

Artistic Director Abdel R. Salaam

 

 

“This festival heals, pumps up, and moves one to tears.”—Dance Enthusiast

 

The nation’s largest festival dedicated to African diasporic dance and music returns to the stages and streets of Brooklyn for its 46th year! In 2023, we celebrate with traditional Ghanian dance and music from the National Dance Company of Ghana. Plus, the DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers return, along with the beloved RestorationArt Dance Youth Ensemble.

“DANCEAFRICA IS A FAMILY REUNION, A CHANCE TO SEE HOW THE BRANCHES OF THE FAMILY TREE HAVE EXTENDED.”
—THE NEW YORK TIMES

UPCOMING Performances

      VENUE

      Peter Jay Sharp Building
      Howard Gilman Opera House

      TICKET INFORMATION

      Tickets start at $35
      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. 

      RELATED EVENTS

      Opening Night Party: DanceAfrica 2023
      Fri, May 26, 2023, Post-show
      Open to BAM Patrons

      BAM Members enjoy waived handling fees (Level 2+).

      Leadership support for BAM Access Programs provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation.




      Leadership support for programming in the Howard Gilman Opera House provided by:





      Leadership support for dance
      at BAM provided by
      The SHS Foundation



      Leadership support for dance at BAM provided by:

      • National Theater of Ghana’s National Dance Company
        The National Dance Company of Ghana was established at the University of Ghana in 1962 by Albert Mawere Opoku, who also served as the inaugural artistic director. Opoku’s arrangements of traditional dances remain the core repertoire of the ensemble. Francis Nii Yartey succeeded Opoku for 30 years, creating extended works that explored the polyvalence of African performance. Currently under the leadership of Stephany Ursula Yamoah, the Ensemble presents indigenous and contemporary dance forms as well as dance-theater productions.
      • Abdel R. Salaam
        Abdel R. Salaam is the Artistic Director of DanceAfrica; the Executive Artistic Director/Co-Founder of Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, founded in 1981; and a critically acclaimed choreographer. Born in Harlem, he has served as a dancer, teacher, and performing artist in five continents throughout his 55-year career in the dance and theater worlds. He has received numerous awards and fellowships for excellence in dance and dance-theater and continues to dedicate his life’s work to the healing and empowerment of us all.
      • BAM Restoration Dance Youth Ensemble
        This DanceAfrica favorite returns to the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House for the 26th year. The ensemble serves as a symbol of youth involvement in the preservation of African heritage, celebrating both ancestral roots and the modern-day community.
      • DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers
        The DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers were founded by Baba Abdel R. Salaam in 2016 to theatrically honor the ancestors of Africa and its diaspora through the annual DanceAfrica Memorial Tribute, originally developed by the late Baba Chuck Davis. The group comprises professional dance artists and musicians from the Restoration alumni and Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, melding African vernacular forms, modern, hip-hop, and contemporary dance.
      • Arkestra Africa
        To reflect contemporary Ghana, part of the production will take the form of a vibrant club scene, including Ghanaian and Nigerian highlife music performed by Arkestra Africa, a 10-piece ensemble led by musical director K. Osei Williams and featuring Afropop vocalist Amma Whatt.

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