DanceAfrica 2015
May 22, 2015—May 25, 2015
Peter Jay Sharp Building
321 Ashland Place &
BAM Howard Gilman Opera House
Brooklyn
After more than 30 years, DanceAfrica is BAM’s longest running program and one of America’s largest and most vibrant celebrations of African and African-American dance, music, and culture. Created in 1977 to heighten awareness of African culture, the festival has evolved into a high-spirited celebration that brings the entire community together. Under the artistic direction of Founding Elder Chuck Davis, DanceAfrica features performances by traditional and contemporary dance companies from Africa and its diaspora at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House. This annual spring festival offers a range of dance and music performances, master classes, and the one-and-only DanceAfrica outdoor bazaar, a global marketplace for African, African-American, and Caribbean arts, crafts, and food featuring over 200 vendors and attracting up to 30,000 visitors per year. Students of BAM/Restoration DanceAfrica Ensemble also perform.
This year DanceAfrica traces the transatlantic roots of Brazil’s music and dance traditions, welcoming Balé Folclórico da Bahia to the BAM stage. The 38-member troupe of dancers, musicians, and singers performs a repertory based on Bahian folkloric dances of African origin: slave dances, capoeira, and samba.
Artistic Director Chuck Davis and Artistic Director Designate Abdel R. Salaam.