DanceAfrica 2025 At BAM Honors 50 Years Of Mozambican Liberation

DanceAfrica, BAM's longest-running program and the nation's largest festival of African dance and culture, returns for its 48th year with a full weekend of performances, films, dance classes, and community events over Memorial Day weekend.

This annual tradition brings together Brooklyn's cultural institutions, artists, audiences, and vendors from around the world, transforming BAM and its surrounding streets into a vibrant gathering place for African and diasporic traditions.

At the center of DanceAfrica 2025 is Mozambique: Movement! Magic! Manifestation!, the headline dance performance series at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House, running May 23–26. The program highlights the history, movement, and traditions of Mozambique, where artistic expression is a powerful form of cultural memory, spiritual connection, and resilience. Under the artistic direction of Abdel R. Salaam, this year's performance features traditional works—including the annual Memorial Tribute to the Ancestors—and showcases Mozambique's internationally recognized Song & Dance Company of Mozambique, alongside Mama Coumba Saaraba, The DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers, and The Billie's Youth Arts Academy Dance Ensemble.

Mozambique: Movement! Magic! Manifestation! will showcase traditional Mozambican dance forms that reflect the country's history, spirituality, and resilience. Tufu is a rhythmic dance often performed by women, featuring fluid movements and percussive clapping that emphasize grace and unity. Xigubo, a warrior's dance, is deeply rooted in Mozambique's legacy of resistance, and historically performed by fighters preparing for battle. Ngalanga is a celebratory dance traditionally showcased at festivals and gatherings, embodying joy and communal spirit.

The program also includes Mapiko and Nhau, dances that highlight Mozambique's diverse traditions—from the dramatic storytelling of masked performances to the powerful rhythms of drumming and movement. Across generations, these dances have served as more than performance; they are an embodiment of history, identity, and cultural preservation.

Mozambique: A Story of Resistance and Cultural Expression

On June 25, 1975, Mozambique gained independence through organized resistance against centuries of Portuguese colonial rule, becoming one of the last continental African nations to reclaim its sovereignty. As the country approaches the 50th anniversary of this historic moment, DanceAfrica 2025 offers a timely opportunity to reflect on the power of cultural expression in the pursuit of liberation. That victory ignited a renewed focus on self-determination, cultural preservation, and artistic expression.

A defining symbol of Mozambican cultural identity is the Capulana, a textile used in daily life and ceremonial practices. The fabric represents creativity, heritage, and resilience, worn as an expression of identity and tradition. In Mozambique, dance and music are central to cultural continuity—manifestations of history, memory, and transformation.

In addition to the performances at BAM's Howard Gilman Opera House (May 23–26), DanceAfrica continues its tradition of African cultural engagement through classes, discussions, and films, and other programs held in collaboration with community partners.

DanceAfrica 2025 Festival Highlights

DanceAfrica 2025 extends beyond the stage, offering experiences in dance classes, film screenings, art, and cultural exchange in community with the Billie Holiday Theatre at Restoration Plaza, Weeksville Heritage Center, Mark Morris Dance Center, Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), and the African Film Festival.

The DanceAfrica Bazaar transforms the streets around BAM into a vibrant marketplace with over 200 vendors, while dance classes offer hands-on engagement with African movement traditions. This year's festival also features a new visual arts installation by Mozambican artist Cassi Namoda, presented with MoCADA, along with an artist talk where Namoda will discuss her work and creative process in conversation with the organization's Executive Director Amy Andrieux.

FilmAfrica, curated by the African Film Festival, returns with a selection of films from across the continent, adding to the festival's immersive exploration of African and diasporic culture.

For the full DanceAfrica 2025 lineup, tickets, and registration for free events, visit BAM.org.

Highlights include:

• May 7              Visual Art: “At the breast, at the motherhood (the place where your mother originates)”

• May 17            Tribute to the Ancestors
• May 17            Community Day
• May 21            DanceAfrica Visual Art Artist Talk with Cassi Namoda
• May 22            The Memorial Room
• May 23–26      DanceAfrica 2025: Mozambique: Movement! Magic! Manifestation!
• May 23–29      FilmAfrica
• May 24–26      DanceAfrica Bazaar
• May 24–26      Dance Classes
• May 24            Late Night Dance Party
• May 25            Council of Elders Roundtable
• Ongoing         DanceAfrica and the BAM Hamm Archives

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