In-Person, Outdoors
Donation – $0-25
Location: CANCELED

Are you ready for a party? We are! Join us for two days of dancing, community and celebration… of what? Us! We’re celebrating the summer. We’re celebrating our lives. We’re celebrating legacies. We’re celebrating culture and vibrance. And we’re celebrating our RE-OPENING! Yes, Cumbe is re-opening our studios in September and we want to celebrate that with you.

We’re very excited to invite you to join us for this fabulous event with music, performances, dancing and more. All events are donation-based and everyone is welcome.

See the full schedule below

Friday, August 27 – Performances & Classes

All Night Music with DJ Hard Hittin’ Harry

4:00 - 8:00pm ET
Get into the rhythm of the night with us as DJ Hard Hittin’ Harry takes us on a sonic journey through the diaspora with the greatest hits from around the globe. You’ll get your groove on and have a good time with the Cumbe family. Bring a friend and a neighbor. Let’s have a good time.

Compas (aka Kompa) Beginners Dance Class with Julio Jean
Great for partners and solo dancers

5:00 - 6:00pm ET |$FREE
Widely known as Kompa (the unofficial spelling of the genre), Compas is a Haitian music and dance style popular throughout the Caribbean and is often described as the modern Merengue. Join us as we learn the basics of this sensual style of dance solo or with a partner. Julio Jean will take you on a journey to bliss through movement.

Steppin’ in These Streets
A Performance and Class by NY Chicago Style Steppers

6:30 - 7:45pm ET | $FREE
Have you ever stepped at a back yard BBQ or watched a team of steppers float across a dance floor with such ease? Yes honey, that’s Chicago Style Steppin’ and you can do it too. Join the NY Chicago Style Steppers as they first show you how to move like a graceful boss across the floor. They’ll then take you through a 30-40minute demonstration. We’ll end the night with groovin’ sounds and light movement under the stars. Bring a parter or find one there ;).

Saturday, August 28 – All Day Dance Classes

All classes are available to the public for free, but we encourage everyone to show their appreciation to our hard working artists and staff by making a donation. Want to dance all day? Grab a Day Pass and dance ‘til you can’t dance anymore. All ticket purchases help Cumbe continue to create inspirational and culturally immersive programming for everyone.

Reggaeton y Flow with Shari Chéverez

11:00 - 11:50am ET | Tickets $0 & Up
Dale mas flow with the fierce musicality, sensual body movement, and hard hitting riddims of Reggaeton, a fusion of Dancehall, Hip-Hop, and Afrobeats with Spanish rap and song. From Kingston to San Juan to Lagos, Reggaeton developed as an underground sound in Puerto Rico in the early 90's and has taken the Latinx world by storm over the last 20 years. Come experience the Afro Latin Fusion that is Reggaeton at it's finest with Shari Chéverez!

Afro’Dance with Angel Kaba

12:30 - 1:20pm ET | Tickets $0 & Up
Afro'Dance class is a mixture of the new generation of African influences and Street Dance. In this class, you will work with music heavily influenced by the rhythm and trends from the Congo, Ivory Coast, Angola and beyond. Urban street styles are incorporated into the backdrop of this heavily African based technique. The cultural, social and free-spirited side of this class creates an environment where students dance, learn, have fun, and feel free.

Guinea West African Dance Class with Darian Parker
with LIVE Drumming

1:30 - 2:20pm ET | Tickets $0 & Up
Learn the basics of West African dance in this introductory class designed to make the shyest new dancers feel welcome, have fun, and build the confidence to get on the dance floor. If you’ve always wanted to start dancing but felt intimidated or if you want to get back to basics and learn the footwork from the ground up, this the experience you’re looking for. The amazing Darian Parker will return to Cumbe to breakdown and share the soulful and intricate dances of Mali, West Africa.

Experimental Sabar with Babacar Top
with LIVE Drumming

2:30 - 3:20pm ET | Tickets $0 & Up
Experimental Sabar fuses contemporary movement with Sabar, connecting today’s dances with traditional movements. Originating from traditional ceremonies, Sabar is often referred to as the national pulse of Senegal. It is known for its rhythmic complexity and sophistication in both movement and music. With its light-footed roots, elegance and ecstatic rhythms Experimental Sabar offers an opportunity to delve into the specificity of Sabar as a dance form and connect to an authentic way of expression.

Afrobeats with Tamara Jones

3:30 - 4:20pm ET | Tickets $0 & Up
A class for all! Come and enjoy this African dance class that infuses contemporary dance with traditional moves. Students will enjoy Urban Afrobeat steps infused with traditional West African, Hip Hop, Jazz, Funk and Dancehall. This class is designed to strengthen the student’s ability to adopt a range of styles and get an understanding of how these movements are connected. Get ready to sweat, workout and enjoy the sounds of popular music from Nigeria, Ghana and across the African continent.

Afro-Haitian Dance with Julio Jean
with LIVE Drumming

4:30 - 5:20pm ET |Tickets $0 & Up
Journey to the nanm (“soul” in Haitian Kreyol) of Afro-Haitian dance and become acquainted with the different Iwa (gods) in the Vodou religion through their dances, songs, rhythms and rituals. You’ll explore the undulating movements of Yanvalu, the powerful precision of Nago, and the grace and beauty of the Kongo dance – all traditional Haitian dance forms with roots in West Africa and the South American Amazon. Haitian dancer and teacher Julio Jean’s extensive credits include work with Katherine Dunham and performances of his company’s choreographies at Alvin Ailey and Central Park’s Summer Stage. He is also a songwriter and composer of traditional Haitian music.

Drumming In These Streets
A Performance by Batalá New York

5:30 - 5:45pm ET |Tickets $FREE
Batalá New York is an all-female percussion ensemble playing Afro-Brazilian music, primarily Samba Reggae — a genre originating in the state of Bahia in northeast Brazil. As its name suggests, Samba Reggae is world music that incorporates Brazilian samba and Caribbean reggae. Like Samba Afro and Axe, Samba Reggae incorporates African rhythms preserved and honored through Afro-Brazilian religions such as Candomblé. All 3 genres have influenced Batalá's repertoire. During Carnaval every year, Samba Reggae is performed in the streets of Salvador, the capital of Bahia, by musical blocos with percussion sections numbering in the hundreds of drummers moving together. In homage to that tradition, Batalá New York’s performances are percussive, energetic and highly dynamic with colorful costumes and lively choreography. Learn more at www.batalanewyork.love.

Dancing In These Streets – A Community Dance Party
Music by Taela Naomi

5:45 - 8:00pm ET | Tickets $FREE
Join us for a dance party! We’re gonna dance it out and enjoy the sounds and rhythms of the diaspora under the stars.