A Letter From Our Co-Founder

Dear Family,

Ten years ago, in January 2012, Dominique Bravo, Pat Hall and I launched Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance! We founded Cumbe out of a strong conviction that it was important that Brooklyn - and New York City - have a dance center that was fully and passionately dedicated to the dance and music of Africa and its diaspora.

Our dream was to build a community where people would dance, drum, learn, laugh, be inspired, recharge and support each other as we made dance a regular part of our lives.

More than a place to learn moves and rhythms, we dreamt of a home where folks could truly immerse themselves in the fullness of Black dance. A home where we would be fed by the centuries-old wisdom and understandings of ourselves and our world embodied in dances rooted in the motherland. A community where we could explore - in classes, panel discussions, film screenings, conversations, parties and more - dances that represent all facets of our humanity - our spirituality, our power, our sensuality, our resistance, our resilience, our curiosity and our humor.
We’re immensely proud of the community we’ve built together at Cumbe. Thanks to YOU – our students, audience members, teaching artists, musicians, staff, community partners, funders, elected officials and more – we have accomplished so much in the past decade. More than 20,000 individuals have danced and drummed with us, offered 15-20 weekly classes and special workshops, and brought the power of African-rooted dance to over 700 schools, senior centers, museums and other arts institutions and community organizations.
Most important, through all of our celebrations and transformations, have been the moments of discovery, connection, healing, flow and joy. We are excited to continue nourishing and building our community over the next ten years!
– With Love
Jimena Martinez, Co-Founder and Executive Director

$10 For10

Support Cumbe for 10 more years!

We’re 10-years-old and what a journey we’ve had! With all of your support and love over the years, Cumbe continues to thrive. In our first decade, we are celebrating each month and encourage our community to celebrate with us by pledging $10 a month.

Your donations help us to continue to make art and cultural education accessible to all. They support:

Pledge $10

* Donation-based and free classes
* Dance and music programs in public schools
* Fair pay for teaching artists and musicians
* Programs for our community elders
* Free and donation-based lecture series and talks
* Scholarships for children’s programs

Anniversary Events, Programs & Dedications

Dunham, Haiti and Liberation

An immersive Dunham-based experience
May & June 2022
As a part of Cumbe Dance’s 10th anniversary celebrations we salute her legacy, her works, dancers and technique with Dunham, Haiti & Liberation! In collaboration with Penny Godboldo, founder of the P.G. Institute and the Institute for Dunham Technique Certification, Cumbe will offer workshops, conversations, film screenings and a day of celebration to expand awareness of Katherine Dunham and her Legacy.

Learn more

Love’s Rhythm – A Dedication to 10 Years of Joy

Cumbe commissioned New York artist Victor A. Saint-Hilaire to create an art piece that speaks to the legacy, joy and fullness the Cumbe community offers.

About Love's Rhythm: The sketch starts at the bottom with a drummer that represents the Divine Masculine playing on a drum that turns into a tree trunk to symbolize grounding, the roots of these dances and the history that endures through modern times as Cumbe preserves them. The large hand wrapping around the design honors the Divine Feminine as well as the life force/ higher beings present during the rituals honored via Cumbe's classes and events. Within the mix of it all, we have a community of dancers from various backgrounds and intergenerational groups. The buildings represent Brooklyn architecture. Lastly, the sun and the moon speak on the cyclical nature of it all.

By Victor A. Saint-Hilaire is a multidisciplinary artist residing in Yonkers, New York who specializes mainly in digital illustration, acrylic painting and murals. He graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology with a BFA in Illustration in 2013 and has been working with Groundswell as a Lead Artist Muralist since 2015 as well as a Freelance Artist. His artwork often revolves around spirituality and other abstract concepts depicted via storytelling inspired by religions, folklore, mythology and historical figures from different cultures. Victor utilizes a style that emulates simplicity and innocence while tackling subjects that delve deeper into the human psyche and the nature of our reality.

Dancing … A Love Story

A Collection of Audio Stories

Cumbe collaborated with storytelling organization StoryCorps to collect a few stories from our community members. They talk about their love for dance, where and how they fell in love with African-rooted movement and so much more.

This collaboration was produced by Dupe Oyebolu. Check out their stories!

Listen Here