On Friday, May 2, the Hemispheric Institute will host An Elders’ Gathering & African Dance Circle at Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Plaza in Brooklyn. The in-person event, curated by folklorist Aissatou Bey-Bara, invites the public to explore the enduring legacy of African performance traditions and their influence on Afrofuturism through conversation, rhythm, and movement.

The evening will open with a panel discussion featuring artists and cultural leaders Aquah Tcherbu Beale, Januwa Moja, Amaniyea Payne, and Obara Wali Rahman King. The panelists will reflect on the foundational role of African dance, drumming, and regalia in shaping diasporic identity and creative expression across generations. Topics will include the power of the drum, embodied knowledge through performance, and the visual storytelling of African aesthetics.

Following the panel, attendees will be invited to take part in a live movement workshop led by choreographer Amaniyea Payne, accompanied by drummer Obayana Olumide. The interactive session aims to bring the discussion full circle—connecting historical and contemporary practice through physical engagement.

The program serves as the culminating event of the Hemispheric Institute’s series We Not New To This, We True To This, curated by archivist Camille Lawrence, who will also moderate the discussion. The event will be filmed and preserved in the Hemispheric Institute Digital Video Library (HIDVL), contributing to an ongoing archive of diasporic performance.