Programs
DanceAfrica Festival 2021
Dance
Music
Film
Visual Art
Bazaar
Workshops
“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:
Leadership support for BAM Access Programs provided by the Jerome L. Greene Foundation
Leadership support for dance at BAM provided by:
Major Sponsor:
Major Sponsor:
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
Purchase your official BAM DanceAfrica 2021 T-shirt through our official retail partner, Greenlight Bookstore.
Receive a DanceAfrica 2021 Festival poster with every purchase
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.
This virtual program of dance premieres brings together a community from near and far.
Films from across the diaspora, with a special focus on films from and about Haiti.
Haitian artists offer a meditation on liberation in this installation on the BAM sign.
Join us in person or online for this immersive workshop on the music and dance of Haiti.
Caregivers and children of all ages explore Haitian movement and music in this hands-on workshop.
Join us for a live, virtual dance party featuring DanceAfrica DJ Hard Hittin Harry.
A conversation about how traditional Haitian forms in contemporary performance today.
An interactive class designed for persons with disabilities, available in person and online.
Watch the first ever Community Day Bantaba and join in the fun at the virtual photo booth.
Calling dancers of all ages and folks who love to move!
An exploration of Haitian history, art, and culture created by and for teens grades 9—12.