Better Family Life presents Black Dance USA 2024 in St. Louis, a community event showcasing the best in black dance and culture.

What dance or percussion class do you love and need the most?! The one you feel speaks to your mind, body, and spirit?
As we eagerly count the days to BLACK DANCE – USA on April 11 – 13, here’s a peak of the amazing instructors and classes to choose from!!!
Each class provides what you are looking for, from boosting strengthand refreshing moods to improving flexibility and igniting creativity in the best way!! And, the bonding, camaraderie and community is always overflowing!
Pick a class, or two, or 10, and bring a young person and a friend with you!
West Afrikan Dance with Imania Detry Thursday 9am – 10:30am; 1:30pm – 3:00pm Friday 9am – 10:30am; 8:30pm – 10pm Headlining Concert on Saturday at 7pm
Dancing with Imania is purely lovely! Her gentle and focused style of teaching builds on foundational steps while gradually mixing in beautiful movement variations. Great for beginners to advanced participants, this class will boost your energy levels and expressiveness while improving your flexibility and coordination.
Afrikan Caribbean Dance with Danny “Diallo” Hinds Thursday 11am – 12:30pm Friday 11am – 12:30pm; 1:30pm – 3:00pm Saturday 3:30pm – 5pm
Dancing with Diallo is remarkable! Diallo’s beautiful movement, paced at your level, along with his fountain-of-youth health secrets make this motivational experience life changing. This class will also help you enhance your musicality, fluidity, and balance, while promoting stress relief, ease and grace.
Afro Fusion, Dancehall, and Sinderella with Stacy Letrice Thursday 6:30pm – 8pm” Afro Dancehall FusionFriday 9am – 10:30am” Afro Dancehall Fusion6:30pm – 8:00pm — Sinderella Dancing with Stacy is a treat as she guides you through a self-awareness enhancing warmup and joyful movement that transport you to the islands. Improve your stamina, tone your muscles, and unleash your inner rhythm and passion.
Hip Hop Dance with Anthony “Redd” Williams of St. Louis, Missouri Thursday 11am – 12pm; 8:30pm -10pm
Dancing with Redd is a real joy!! He has an inspiring range of stylized and expressive movement and technique for beginners to advanced dancers. Take his class to sharpen your lines, levels, and confidence while building kinetic acuity, strength, and endurance.
Dunham Technique with Heather Beal-Himes Friday 1:30pm – 3pmSaturday 11am – 12:30pmHeather is the best guide to get you where you need to go as she sprinkles in a remarkable dose of joy and world class teaching chops. The benefits of Dunham Technique include increased strength, flexibility, and body awareness, and a chance to learn more about the legacy of Katherine Dunham and American dance.
Salsa and Bachata Dance with Carmen Guynn Thursday 1:30pm – 3:00pmFriday 11am – 12:30pmSaturday 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Carmen is excellent at gracefully encouraging you past your perceived limits and coaching you every step to complete an entire Salsa and Bachata routine. Enjoy as you burn calories, boost your mood, and improve posture and coordination, all while gaining super fun skills.
Djembe Percussion with Idris Daniel Thursday 6:30pm – 8pmSaturday 9am – 10:30am
Idris is passionate about teaching Djembe as an instrument of personal cultivation. Be inspired by his amazing instruction and life skills for young and old alike. Djembe also improves posture, attentiveness, hand-eye coordination and musicality.
So, come and grab some rejuvenation, healing and bonding and let’s make it happen at BLACK DANCE – USA 2024!! As we celebrate life, culture, and movement!
We got 8 days to go! Dance class tickets are $12 each.*With live drum orchestra led by Idris Daniel and co.
WHERE: Better Family Life, Inc.: 5415 Page Boulevard in St. Louis, MO 63112.
Get your tickets at EventBrite!! April 11 – 13, 2024
Ayodele Drum and Dance Headlining the Concert + Reception on Saturday, April 13, at 7pm, Honoring Mama Safiyah #SpreadtheWordOne of the biggest highlights of this year’s conference is the concert on April 13th at 7pm at COCA, where attendees will have the opportunity to honor Mama Safiyah Chauvin, a beloved local icon known for her five decades of youth advocacy and impactful contributions to Afrikan dance, culture, social justice and empowerment.
The concert will feature the Zulu Connection Stilt dancers, a towering symbol of three generations of stilt dancing in the Zulu family of New Orleans; young talents of the Best Dance and Talent Center, followed by a poignant solo by Heather Beal-Himes, choreographed to Nina Simone’s “Four Women” by Dunham instructor Keith Tyrone Williams. The Kuumba Youth Performance Ensemble (KYPE) will offer an original piece choreographed by their Director, Ms. Samantha Madison, while the Spirit of Angela African Dance Company will shine with an all-male Afrikan dance ensemble. Headlining the night is Ayodele Drum and Dance of Chicago, Illinois. Throughout, a tribute to Mama Safiyah will be interspersed, honoring her enduring impact. The evening will conclude with a lively reception in the lobby, featuring a variety of desserts, vibrant music, and a range of vendors offering their wares.
We’re sending out a call to action to bring a young person with you. Mama Safiyah is all about empowering that next generation and what better way to do that than through culture, knowledge of self, and the arts.
*Concert tickets are $20, available at EventBrite. Click the red Get Tickets button. Note: The Concert is at COCA at 7pm. “I’m ready…We are ready!
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