Dallas Black Dance Theatre's 18th Annual DANCEAFRICA Festival Returns This October

Dallas Black Dance Theatre's (DBDT) annual DanceAfrica festival is returning for its 18th season! Presented by PNC Bank, the theme for this year's series is Rhythms of Unity: Celebrating in Harmony and will feature performances from all five of DBDT's dance companies – Dallas Black Dance Theatre, DBDT: Encore! and Dallas Black Dance Academy's Junior Performing Ensemble, Senior Performing Ensemble and Allegro – in addition to performances by special guest artists Forces of Nature, the DeSoto High School A Cappella Choir and Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Dance Conservatory.

Performances will take place at Moody Performance Hall, October 6-7, 2023 at 7:30PM.

New York-based Forces of Nature Dance Theatre Company was co-founded in 1981 by Executive Artistic Director Abdel R. Salaam and Executive Managing Director Olabamidele Husbands and have since presented professional concerts, master classes and educational programs for over 42 years.

Abdel R. Salaam took over the role of artistic director for the original DanceAfrica festival following the retirement of his mentor Chuck Davis in 2016, a highly acclaimed choreographer and teacher of traditional African dance who founded the festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1977.

The DeSoto High School A Cappella Choir is led by Grammy Award-winning choral director, Pamela Dawson. During her 16 years with DeSoto High School, Pamela Dawson elevated their choir program to international prestige with notable performances at Carnegie Hall and the Southwestern American Choral Directors Association (SWACDA) national honor choir.

Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts Dance Conservatory (BTWHSVPA) is a nationally recognized arts school, with over 600 awards in the performing, visual and creative writing arts through the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts. The school consistently produces noteworthy graduates such as Erykah Badu and Norah Jones.

In addition to the evening performances, on Saturday, October 7, 2023 from 10AM – 2PM a free Festival and Marketplace will take place in Klyde Warren Park. Presented by TCA, the festival will feature a variety of vendors, food trucks and performances throughout the day from over 28 performance groups that involve over 280 individual performers. For our youngest guests, the festival will feature a children's activity center which is sponsored by H-E-B.

DANCEAFRICA PERFORMANCES
October 6-7, 2023 | 7:30PM
Moody Performance Hall
2520 Flora St, Dallas, TX 75201

In-person tickets are $45. Details at attpac.org or call 214.880.0202.

NEW THIS SEASON! Virtual season subscriptions are available for $225. Stream all nine performances from DBDT's 2023-2024 season from wherever you are!

Livestreaming tickets are $25. Details at dbdt.com.

DANCEAFRICA FESTIVAL & MARKETPLACE (FREE!)
October 7, 2023 | 10AM – 2PM
Klyde Warren Park
2012 Woodall Rogers Fwy, Dallas, TX, 75201