Jamaica Center For Arts & Learning Presents Weekend Of West African Dance

The festival celebrates the vitality, precision, and spiritual grounding of African dance through workshops and mainstage performances.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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The Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL) in Queens, New York is hosting its annual festival "A Weekend of West African Dance" to celebrate Black History Month. The event will feature interactive workshops and mainstage performances by the acclaimed Kofago Dance Ensemble and FANIKE! African Dance companies, showcasing the rich traditions and continued evolution of West African dance.

Why it matters

The festival underscores JCAL's commitment to presenting culturally grounded work that celebrates artistic excellence, tradition, and exchange. By centering West African dance, the event affirms the enduring influence of African movement on contemporary performance and provides a platform to honor the deep cultural roots and historical significance of this art form.

The details

The festival will kick off with interactive workshops on February 17-18 at 7PM, followed by mainstage performances on February 27-28 at 8PM. Through powerful choreography and live musical expression, the event will highlight the vitality, precision, and spiritual grounding of African dance, honoring ancestral traditions while celebrating their continued evolution. The weekend will also include a post-performance 'dance-back' where audiences can engage directly with the artists.

  • The festival will take place from February 17-28, 2026.
  • The interactive workshops will be held on February 17-18 at 7PM.
  • The mainstage performances will take place on February 27-28 at 8PM.

The players

Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL)

Queens' premier hub for the visual and performing arts, known for presenting culturally grounded work that celebrates artistic excellence, tradition, and exchange.

Kofago Dance Ensemble

An acclaimed dance company deeply rooted in West African movement traditions.

FANIKE! African Dance

Another acclaimed dance company that will be featured in the festival, also deeply rooted in West African dance.

Courtney Ffrench

The Artistic Director of JCAL, who stated that the festival reflects the power of tradition carried forward with intention and care.

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What they’re saying

“A Weekend of West African Dance reflects the power of tradition carried forward with intention and care.”

— Courtney Ffrench, Artistic Director, Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (blackstarnews.com)

What’s next

The festival will continue its annual tradition of celebrating West African dance and culture at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center.

The takeaway

The Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning's annual festival 'A Weekend of West African Dance' provides a platform to honor the deep cultural roots and historical significance of African dance, while also celebrating its continued evolution and vitality as a living art form.