Mozambique takes centre stage at BAM’s DanceAfrica 2025 in Brooklyn, NY – Watch

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Mozambique takes centre stage at BAM’s DanceAfrica 2025 in Brooklyn, NY – Watch

9:18 CAT | 10 Apr 2025

The DanceArica 2025 Festival honours Mozambique's 50-year anniversary since gaining independence in 1975. ]Image: Brooklyn Academy of Music BAM]

Brooklyn Academy of Music’s 48th annual DanceAfrica Festival honors Mozambique’s artistic traditions with live performances, film screenings, workshops and a bustling outdoor bazaar.

DanceAfrica Festival, the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s (BAM) longest-running program and the country’s largest festival dedicated to African dance and culture, returns for its 48th year over Memorial Day weekend.

This year’s festival, themed Mozambique: Movement! Magic! Manifestation! highlights the rich history, traditions and artistic expression of Mozambique through performances, films, dance classes and community events, according to a press release. The event honours the country’s 50-year anniversary since gaining independence in 1975.

Artists will also showcase the country’s defining symbol of Mozambican heritage, or the Capulana, a vibrant textile worn in daily life and ceremonial traditions.

At the heart of DanceAfrica 2025 is a headline performance series at the BAM Howard Gilman Opera House from May 23–26. Under the artistic direction of Abdel R. Salaam, the program will feature Mozambique’s internationally acclaimed Song & Dance Company of Mozambique, along with Mama Coumba Saaraba, The DanceAfrica Spirit Walkers and The Billie’s Youth Arts Academy Dance Ensemble.

Operahowardgillman.bam_ — *BAM Howard Gilman Opera House. [Photo: Berliner Ensemble]*

Traditional Mozambican dance forms including the rhythmic Tufu, warrior’s Xigubo, celebratory Ngalanga and dramatic Mapiko will be showcased, reflecting the nation’s history, spirituality and resilience.

Danceafr.bam_ — *Photo: Brooklyn Academy of Music*

Danceaff.bam_ — *Photo: Brooklyn Academy of Music*

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.

DanceAfrica 2025 Festival Highlights

Beyond the stage, DanceAfrica 2025 will feature a range of events in collaboration with community partners, including The Billie Holiday Theatre, Weeksville Heritage Center, Mark Morris Dance Center, Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) and the African Film Festival.

It will also feature a special visual arts installation by Mozambican artist Cassi Namoda, presented with MoCADA.

Key events include:

DanceAfrica Bazaar (May 24–26): The streets surrounding BAM will transform into a bustling marketplace with over 200 vendors offering African, Caribbean and African American art, fashion, jewellery, crafts and cuisine.

FilmAfrica (May 23–29): Curated by the African Film Festival, this film series at BAM Rose Cinemas will showcase stories from Mozambique and across Africa, exploring historical and contemporary themes. In celebration of DanceAfrica’s guest country, Mozambique, FilmAfrica will be presenting Mozambique’s first-ever feature film, Memories, Murder and Massacre (1979) as well as the revolutionary classic Kuxna Kanema (2023). Highlighting the intersection of both early and modern cinema activism, FilmAfrica will also be screening Soundtrack to a Coup D’etat (2024) and Khartoum (2025). Filmfrica’s closing film, The Night Still Smells of Gunpowder (2024), is an ode to peace after turbulent times.

Tribute to the Ancestors (May 17): A sacred ceremony honouring those who paved the way, held at Weeksville Heritage Center.

Community Day (May 17): A family-friendly celebration with live performances at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza.

Late Night Dance Party (May 24): A high-energy night featuring DanceAfrica’s resident DJ spinning Afrobeats, jazz, hip-hop and global sounds at BAMcafé.

Dance Classes (May 24–26): Opportunities for the public to engage with African movement traditions, including a Mozambican dance workshop led by a member of the Song & Dance Company of Mozambique.