The 45th DanceAfrica 2022 dance festival presents five guest African dance companies with the Arkestra Afrika, BAM RestorationArt Dance Youth Ensemble and DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) in Fort Greene over Memorial Day Weekend, Fri-Mon, May 27-30, 2022. From $35. bam.org 🇬🇭🇬🇳🇲🇱🇳🇬 🇨🇺🇭🇹🇩🇴🇵🇷🇹🇹
In addition to performances, the Festival features artist workshops on May 3 & 14, a Community Day (Sat, May 21), a Memorial Room, a Late Night Dance Party with DJ YB (Sat, May 28), and the DanceAfrica Bazaar street fair (Sat-Mon, May 28-30).
From New York, this looks African, but from the Caribbean, it looks like us.
DanceAfrica 2022 Companies
This year’s festival has special significance. The African Diaspora way of life is centered around community so this year makes for a particularly joyful celebration. It’s the Festival’s 45th Anniversary, but it’s also the first time since the start of the Covid pandemic that we have been able to come together to sing, drum and dance.
Forces of Nature Dance Theatre
DanceAfrica is produced by Artistic Director Abdel R. Salaam of Forces of Nature Dance Theatre.
forcesofnature.org
@fon_dance_theatre
Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater
Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater of Brooklyn, led by Artistic Director Yao Ababio, connects Mother Africa and the Caribbean with Brooklyn.
asaseyaaent.org
@asaseyaa
Farafina Kan
Farafina Kan, led by Agyei Keita and Kweku Sumbry preserves West African dance traditions.
@farafinakan
Harambee Dance Company
Harambee Dance Company, led by Sandella Malloy, represents the African Diaspora by combining African and modern dance traditions.
harambeedancecompany.com
@harambeedanceco
Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble
Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble produces “edutainment” from West African, Central African and Cuban traditions.
bambaradrumdance.weebly.com
@bambaradrumdance
LaRocque Bey School of Dance
Harlem’s LaRocque Bey School of Dance, led by Brother Jerome Hunter, is the oldest African dance school in the USA. It teaches African movement traditions to school children and celebrity entertainers.
laroquebey.org
RestorationArt Dance Youth Ensemble
RestorationArt Dance Youth Ensemble teaches our ancestral community traditions to today’s youth.
@yaa_thebillie
DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers
DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers, led by Abdel R. Salaam, honors our ancestors with a blend of African, Modern, Contemporary and Hip-Hop dance.
@bam_brooklyn
