DanceAfrica 2026 at Brooklyn Academy of Music Features Uganda's Ndere Troupe

The annual DanceAfrica performances and outdoor bazaar mark the beginning of my New York City summer. And few traditions run as deep in Brooklyn as DanceAfrica at the Brooklyn Academy of Music during Memorial Day weekend. If you've never been, it's a whole cultural and community vibe.

Whether the weather is rainy or sunny, it's a time for Brooklyn's Black community in particular to shine. For 49 years, BAM's longest-running program and the nation's largest festival of African dance and culture has transformed BAM and its surrounding streets into a gathering place for African and diasporic traditions, bringing together artists, audiences, and purveyors of African, Caribbean and African American art, fashion, food, and culture from around the world.

Photo credit: Tony Turner

This year the festival returns with a full program of performances, films, dance classes, and community events. See the lineup below:

Programming Calendar

May 22–25         DanceAfrica 2026 (tickets start at $25)

May 22–25         The Memorial Room

May 22–28          FilmAfrica

May 23–25           DanceAfrica Bazaar 2026

May 23                  Late Night Dance Party

May 24                  Council of Elders Roundtable

May 25                   DanceAfrica Family Class

May 25                    DanceAfrica Inclusive Movement Class

May 25                     DanceAfrica Masterclass

Photo credit: ESW

At the heart of DanceAfrica 2026 is the headline dance performance series held in the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, running May 22–25. Under the artistic direction of Abdel R. Salaam, this year's theme is Uganda: Umoja/ Mirembe/ Obulungi (Unity/ Peace/ Beauty)!. Uganda's Ndere Troupe returns to BAM following previous visits in 2001 and 2007, joined by Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater, celebrating their 25th anniversary with a newly revamped version of The Revival: Djembe in the New Millennium (2010), The DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers, and The Billie's Youth Arts Academy Dance Ensemble (YAA). Keeping with tradition, a libation ceremony on the steps of the Peter Jay Sharp Building precedes the opening performance (Friday, May 22), honoring those who have passed on to the ancestral grounds. Each performance will include the traditional DanceAfrica greeting, welcoming ritual, the calling of the names of the Ancestors and a procession featuring the DanceAfrica Council of Elders, the DanceAfrica Candlebearers, and YAA.

Founded in 1984 by artistic director Dr. Rwangyezi Stephen, the Ndere Troupe is a celebrated Ugandan ensemble dedicated to preserving and sharing the country's rich cultural traditions. Through dance, music, and storytelling, the troupe showcases the depth and diversity of Uganda's many ethnic groups, emphasizing community, heritage, and joy. Their performances are both a cultural archive and a living expression of contemporary Ugandan identity, offering audiences an opportunity to connect with Africa's living traditions.

DanceAfrica 2026 Festival Highlights

DanceAfrica 2026 extends beyond the stage with dance classes, film screenings, visual art, and community programming presented in collaboration with the Billie Holiday Theatre at Restoration Plaza, Weeksville Heritage Center, Mark Morris Dance Center, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), and the African Film Festival.

The DanceAfrica Bazaar, one of Brooklyn's most beloved open-air marketplaces, returns to the streets surrounding BAM, bringing together over 150 African, Caribbean, and African American artisans, designers, chefs, and entrepreneurs celebrating Black culture through fashion, food, art, and community.

FilmAfrica, curated by the African Film Festival, returns with a selection of films from across the continent, deepening the festival's exploration of African and diasporic culture. Dance classes offer hands-on engagement with African movement traditions taught by members of Ndere Troupe, co-presented by BAM and Mark Morris Dance Center.