Mainstage Performance

The featured festival artists take the stage with a journey into the diaspora of Black vernacular dance featuring live music by the Winard Harper Collective, Bessie-Award winner Philip Hamilton, and Sanu Basu. The lineup includes Lacina Coulibaly, Yale lecturer in Theater, Dance and Performance Studies and a preeminent specialist in West African Dance. The performance is punctuated by headlining artist Dormeshia, called the “Viola Davis of her art form” by Dance Magazine. Dormeshia has won an Astaire Award, a Princess Grace Award, a Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, a Statue Award, and two Bessie Awards for her contributions to tap dance. Following the performance, the audience will get the opportunity to get up close and personal with the artists as part of a Q&A session moderated by Amanda Reid, Assistant Professor in Theater, Dance and Performance Studies.

Mainstage Lineup

Opening tune / Song

Performance #1
Dunham Contemporary Jazz with Candice Michelle Franklin | music: Philip Hamilton

Performance #2
Chicago Footwork with Donnetta "LilBit" Jackson | music: Michael “Mike D Chicago” Davis

Performance #3
“Until the Lion Tells the Story…” with Lacina Coulibaly

Performance #4
Lindy Hop with Sammy and Candy | band: Winard Harper Collective

Performance #5
African Diasporic Movement with Kara Mack & Sanu Basu

Performance #6
Tap with Dormeshia | band: Winard Harper Collective

For artist bios, see Acknowledgements

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