DanceAfrica DC: Celebrate with us June 1-7, 2026!
Are you ready to be immersed in the beauty and wonder of the African Diaspora? Coyaba Dance Theatre and Dance Place present to you the 38th annual DanceAfrica DC 2026 festival! Prepare to experience the heart and soul of Africa right here in DC. This year’s theme is ‘Past, Present, Future’. As a community, we will reflect on the past, find joy in the present, and celebrate our hope for the future! The enriching master classes, invigorating, indoor and outdoor performances, and vibrant African marketplace are sure to energize you!
The festival will take place June 1 – June 7, 2026. Curated and guided by the iconic Griot Mama Sylvia Soumah, who is now a Co-Presenter for DanceAfrica DC, this year’s festival will be a hub for togetherness, celebration, cultural exchange, and boundless joy.
DanceAfrica DC 2026: Past, Present, Future
Saturday, June 6, 2026: The Festival
ARTS PARK & EDGEWOOD ARTS CENTER: OUTDOOR FESTIVAL
12:00 PM | Bomani Armah Arts Park |
1:00 PM | Belly Dancers of Color Collective Arts Park |
2:15 PM | Soka Tribe: Lecture/Demonstration Arts Park |
3:00 PM | Coyaba Village Celebration Edgewood Arts Center |
3:15 PM | DC Casineros Lecture/ Demonstration Arts Park |
4:15 PM | DJ Rita Arts Park |
5:15 PM | MWENDI Traditional Cameroonian Ballet Arts Park |
6:15 PM | Soka Tribe: Lecture/Demonstration Arts Park |
6:45 PM | DC Casineros: Lecture/Demonstration Arts Park |
CAFRITZ FOUNDATION THEATER at DANCE PLACE:
INDOOR FESTIVAL*
*TICKETED PERFORMANCES
| 12:30 PM | Soul in Motion |
| 1:45 PM | Flavia Nascimento |
| 2:15 PM | Keur Khaleyi |
| 3:30 PM | MWENDI Traditional Cameroonian Ballet |
| 3:45 PM | Akoma De Gado |
| 4:45 PM | Taratibu |
Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 8PM: The Fête
Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place
The Saturday Fête will open with Libations by Nana Malaya Rucker, followed by a performance and remembrance ceremony conducted by The Candle Bearers. The night will continue forward with lively performances by African Heritage Drummers and Dancers, Kankouran, Ni Dembaya, the Coyaba Youth Academy, Memory of African Culture, and Osagyefo. Purchase your tickets while you can. We always pack out the house for DanceAfrica DC!
DanceAfrica DC 2026 Master Classes
Registration is Required.
| Monday, June 1 | 6:30 PM | Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place |
CAMEROONIAN DANCE SERGES ESSOMBO EWAN |
| Tuesday, June 2 | 6:30 PM | Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place |
KANKOURAN WEST AFRICAN DANCE COMPANY SUE ANN FORDE |
| Wednesday, June 3 | 6:30 PM | Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place |
FARAFINA KAN NKENGE DERRICKS |
| Thursday, June 4 | 6:30 PM | Edgewood Arts Center |
KEUR KHALEYI JIHAN VON HENDRICKS |
| Friday, June 5 | 6:30 PM | Edgewood Arts Center | SOULEYMANE SANA |
| Saturday, June 6 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Edgewood Arts Center |
KANKOURAN WEST AFRICAN DANCE COMPANY ASSANE KONTE |
| Sunday, June 7 | 12:00 PM AND 2:00 PM | Edgewood Arts Center |
FLAVIA NASCIMENTO SOULEYMANE SANA |
DADC 2026 Marketplace
The list of DanceAfrica DC 2026 vendors is coming soon! We can’t wait for you to enjoy the local and national vendors who are vending at the marketplace!
Festival Parking Details
8th Street is now one-way! There is some street parking available and additional public parking is available in Monroe Street Market’s Cornerstone building (3470 7th St NE), 2 blocks from Dance Place.
Please note there will be limited parking available for the festival! We highly suggest utilizing public transportation if possible. We are located off the Brookland-CUA Metro Stop on the red line.
Donate to the Festival!
Due to increased budget constraints, Coyaba Dance Theatre seeks your support in mounting this year’s DanceAfrica DC 2026 Festival! Mama Sylvia Soumah has courageously led Coyaba Dance Theatre as its Artistic Director and DanceAfrica DC’s Festival Griot. She has continued to serve the DC-Metro area through West African dance for over 40 years. We need your support!
Get Your DanceAfrica DC 2026 T-Shirt!
Commemorate your DanceAfrica DC experience with a 2026 t-shirt!
Shirts will be on sale throughout the week!
Our 38th annual festival will not be complete without our new t-shirts, designed specifically for this year’s festival.
Click the button below to purchase your DADC shirt and have it shipped directly to you! Order by May 15th to get your shirt in time for the Saturday festival.
Interact with Oral History Interviews!
Learn more about the festival’s history from members of the DanceAfrica DC elders council. Each audio clip speaks to different aspects of DanceAfrica that resonate to the storied past of this treasured festival!
DanceAfrica DC 2026 is Proudly Sponsored By:
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