Welcome to DanceAfrica DC 2026
Celebrate with us June 1-7, 2026
This year’s theme is ‘Past, Present, Future’. This year’s festivities will reflect on the past, find joy in the present, and celebrate our hope for the future! The festival will take place June 1 – June 7, 2026 with in-person master classes and live performances, curated by the one and only Mama Sylvia Soumah.
DanceAfrica DC 2026: Past, Present, Future
DanceAfrica DC Festival
Bring your own chair!
Saturday, June 7th • Arts Park & Cafritz Theater
ARTS PARK & EDGEWOOD ARTS CENTER (OUTDOOR FESTIVAL)
12:00 – 12:45 PM (AP) | Malcolm X Drummers & Dancers |
Belly Dancers of Color Collective | |
1:00 – 1:45 PM (AP) | Soka Tribe/Lecture Demonstration |
2:15 – 3:00 PM (AP) | DC Casineros/Lecture Demonstration |
4:00 – 5:00 PM (EAC) | Coyaba Village Celebration |
CAFRITZ THEATER AT DANCE PLACE (INDOOR FESTIVAL)
12:30-1:45 PM | Soul in Motion |
Flavia Nascimento | |
2:15 – 3:00 PM | Ezibu Muntu |
Keur Khaleyi | |
Serges Essombo Ewan | |
3:45 – 4:45 PM | Akoma De Gado |
Taratibu |
FINALE
7:15PM | Doors Open | Cafritz Theater |
8:00 PM | Event Start | Everyone! |
8:05-8:10 PM | Libations | Mama Nkenge Cunningham |
8:15-8:20 PM | Candle Bearers | Donna Kearney & Company |
8:55-9:05 PM | Coyaba Dance Theater | Mama Sylvia Soumah |
9:05-9:15 PM | Nidemya | Docta Yew |
9:15-9:25 PM | Coyaba Academy | Mama Sylvia Soumah |
INTERMISSION (15 minutes) | ||
8:20-8:30 PM | African Heritage Drummers & Dancers | Duane Smith, Yao Hunt, Robert Meyers |
9:25-9:35 PM | Memory of African Culture | Amadou Kouyate |
9:35-9:45 PM | Osegyefo | Issac Adjety |
8:30-8:40 PM | KanKouran | Baba Assane Konte |
10:30 PM | Artists Audience Members | End of Day |
11:00 PM | Everyone | End of Day |
DanceAfrica DC 2026 Master Classes
Registration is required.
Monday, June 1st, 2026 | 6:30 – 8PM | Master Class Taught by Serges Essombo Ewan Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place |
Tuesday June 2nd, 2026 | 6:30 – 8PM | Master Class with Kankouran West African Dance Company Taught by Sue Ann Forde Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place |
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 | 6:30 – 8PM | Master Class with Farafina Kan Taught by Nkenge Cunningham Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place |
Thursday, June 4th, 2026 | 6:30 – 8PM | Master Class with Keur Khaleyi Taught by Jihan Von Hendricks Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place |
Friday, June 5th, 2026 | 6:30 – 8PM | Master Class with Souleymane Sana Taught by Souleymane Sana Edgewood Arts Center |
Saturday, June 6th, 2026 | 10 – 11:30AM | FREE Intergenerational class with KanKouran West African Dance Company Taught by Assane Konte Cafritz Foundation Theater at Dance Place |
Sunday, June 7th, 2026 | 12 – 1:30 PM | Master Class with Flavia Nascimento Taught by Flavia Nascimento Edgewood Arts Center |
Sunday, June 7th, 2026 | 2 – 3:30 PM | Master Class with Souleymane Sana Taught by Souleymane Sana Edgewood Arts Center |
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.
Get Your DanceAfrica DC 2024 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.
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.
Become a Festival Sponsor!
Would you like your business featured in the DADC 2024 Digital Program? Become a festival sponsor!