Programs

DanceAfrica Festival 2021

 
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May 4—Jun 14, 2021
 
 

Dance
Music
Film
Visual Art
Bazaar
Workshops

 
 
 
 
 
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Part of Spring 2021

“The future and spirit of DanceAfrica, in person or virtual, lives within audiences and communities of the world.”—Artistic Director Baba Abdel R. Salaam

The nation’s largest festival of African dance pays homage to the ancestral energy of Haiti with the theme Vwa zanset yo: y’ap pale, n’ap danse!, in Haitian Creole, or “Ancestral voices: they speak… we dance!” A virtual program of dance premieres draws inspiration from the lwa, spirits of Haitian Vodou, and brings together a community from near and far. DanceAfrica Artistic Director Baba Abdel R. Salaam commissioned pieces by HaitiDansco in Cap Haitien, Haiti, Rara Tou Limen Haitian Dance Company in Oakland, Àṣẹ Dance Theatre Collective in Brooklyn, and Fritzation in Brooklyn. Including a virtual Libation ceremony and Procession of the Council of Elders that crosses the country, this unprecedented DanceAfrica performance stretches from coast to coast to coast.

Join us throughout the month for a vibrant virtual festival featuring dance classes, FilmAfrica, a digital DanceAfrica Bazaar, and more. We’ll also be looking to add live elements as it becomes safe to do so. But one thing is certain: in its 44th year honoring the incredible diversity of cultures of Africa and its diaspora, DanceAfrica is still going strong.


Leadership support for off-site programs provided by:

Support for the signature artist series provided by Howard Gilman Foundation

 

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

Jerome L. Greene Foundation

 

Leadership support for dance at BAM provided by:

Major Sponsor:

ConEdison

 

Major Sponsor:

ConEdison

 

Leadership support for dance at BAM provided by The SHS Foundation and the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

 

Leadership support for the BAM Hamm Archives and BAM Film, Community, and Education programs provided by The Thompson Family Foundation

 

Major support for the DanceAfrica Education Program provided by the Charles Hayden Foundation

 
Related Conent
DanceAfrica Bazaar
PROGRAMS
DanceAfrica Bazaar 2021
 
PROGRAMS
 
DanceAfrica Bazaar 2021
The DanceAfrica Bazaar goes digital, spotlighting independent Black-owned businesses in a vibrant online marketplace.

MORE
 
 
BAM DanceAfrica Merchandise

Purchase your official BAM DanceAfrica 2021 T-shirt through our official retail partner, Greenlight Bookstore.

Receive a DanceAfrica 2021 Festival poster with every purchase



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Timeline Archives
 
DanceAfrica Timeline

Peruse this featured collection put together by the BAM Hamm Archives, chronicling the vibrant history of DanceAfrica. This rich, comprehensive collection of materials features video, hundreds of photographs, programs, posters, and other materials that tell the story of this extraordinary annual gathering.



EXPLORE
 
PAST EVENTS
DanceAfrica
Virtual
DanceAfrica Performance 2021
 

This virtual program of dance premieres brings together a community from near and far.

May 29—Jun 14, 2021
VIRTUAL
 
 
Toussaint
FILM SERIES
FilmAfrica
 

Films from across the diaspora, with a special focus on films from and about Haiti.

May 28—Jun 3, 2021
 
 
A Return: Liberation as Power
Outdoors
A Return: Liberation as Power
 

Haitian artists offer a meditation on liberation in this installation on the BAM sign.

May 24—May 31, 2021
OUTDOORS
 
 
Free
Master Class
Virtual
DanceAfrica Master Class
 

Join us in person or online for this immersive workshop on the music and dance of Haiti.

Mon, May 31, 2021
VIRTUAL
 
 
Danceafrica Family Class
Outdoors
DanceAfrica Community Workshop
 

Caregivers and children of all ages explore Haitian movement and music in this hands-on workshop.

Sat, May 29, 2021
 
 
Canceled
 
Free
DanceAfrica
Virtual
DanceAfrica Dance Party
 

Join us for a live, virtual dance party featuring DanceAfrica DJ Hard Hittin Harry.

Sat, May 29, 2021
VIRTUAL
 
 
Free
Virtual
DanceAfrica 2021 Choreographers’ Conversation
 

A conversation about how traditional Haitian forms in contemporary performance today.

May 19—Jun 14, 2021
VIRTUAL
 
 
Adult Adaptive Class
Virtual
DanceAfrica Adaptive Workshop
 

An interactive class designed for persons with disabilities, available in person and online.

Mon, May 31, 2021
VIRTUAL
 
 
Virtual
DanceAfrica Community Celebration Day
 

Watch the first ever Community Day Bantaba and join in the fun at the virtual photo booth.

May 30—Jun 6, 2021
VIRTUAL
 
 
Free
Bantaba
Virtual DanceAfrica 2021 Bantaba Submission
 

Calling dancers of all ages and folks who love to move!

Apr 24—May 14, 2021
 
 
Virtual
Haiti In Full Scope: DanceAfrica 2021 Teen Event
 

An exploration of Haitian history, art, and culture created by and for teens grades 9—12.

Fri, May 28, 2021
VIRTUAL
 
 
Free