May 2, 20198:00 pm - 11:00 pm Bossa Bistro & Lounge, 2463 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Venue & Event Link - $10 EthioJazz all-stars Feedel Band bring their funky mix of genres to Bossa every first Thursday of the month!
With the largest Ethiopian community outside of Ethiopia itself, it’s no wonder DC birthed Feedel Band, a group with ties to the homeland but reverence for imported rhythms and global tones. “Feedel” means “letter” or “alphabet” in Amharic – a fitting name as the band is developing a musical language all its own, paying its dues to trad EthioJazz but also rewriting the book on the genre.
The members of Feedel Band boast bang-up résumés, having performed with many illustrious musicians, both individually and as a group. They take their cues from Ethiopian legends such as Walias, Ibex, and Roha Band, but their style of Ethiopian funk, soul, and jazz is straight original.
Doors: 8 pm Cover: $10 at the door
•
3
African Collaborations: Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Sahel
African Collaborations: Sudan, Ethiopia, and the Sahel
May 3, 20197:00 pm - 9:30 pm Bossa Bistro & Lounge, 2463 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Venue & Event Link - $10 Early Show! Join Amal Nourelhuda, Thalib Razi, and Kumera Zekarias for this curated exploration into East Africa and its beautiful melodic traditions.
Amal Nourelhuda is an accomplished Sudanese singer who was part of legendary Sudanese orchestras with Mohammed Wardi and other artists. She is a multilingual performer whose career has taken her to Lebanon, Sudan, and the U.S. Amal also will share her own original songs for this performance.
Thalib Razi is a local singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who draws inspiration from folk music traditions from around the world, particularly the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, and the Indian Ocean. His debut solo album, The Fire Inside, was released last fall. He also plays oud for Al Qamar Ensemble, a local group of musicians dedicated to Islamic musical and Sufi traditions.
Kumera Zekarias is a DC-based singer, composer, guitarist, and the bandleader of Kino Musica, a local band focused on Ethiopian and East African musical traditions. His current musical focus is the oud and guitar-based Oromo musical traditions of Eastern Ethiopia.
Cost: $10 at the door
https://www.facebook.com/events/429945957753543/
Emel Mathlouthi & Ryan Harvey
Emel Mathlouthi & Ryan Harvey
May 3, 20198:00 pm - 10:00 pm WILD DAYS, 1201 K Street Northwest Rooftop, Washington, DC 20005, USA
Venue LinkTunisian singer/songwriter Emel Mathlouthi and Ryan Harvey performing at Wild Days on the rooftop of Eaton Hotel.
• •
4
5
Etana
Etana
May 5, 20198:00 pm - 11:30 pm Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $25 - $28 Reggae music has birthed yet another rarity- A spirited and soulful singer/songwriter in the eloquent and enchanted empress Etana. Since recognizing the power of music and widespread influence, singer/songwriter Shauna McKenzie returned to her birthplace Jamaica, after being left with a negative pop industry experience. Adopting the moniker of Etana for it’s powerful meaning “The Strong One” in Swahili; Her strength was manifested this time around by pursuing a musical career on her own terms. Etana’s elegantly modest Rasta-chic sartorial style is as distinctive as her sound: An audacious fusion of folk, soul, jazz and reggae supporting a powerful vocal range suggestive of the ancestral spirit of South Africa’s Miriam Makeba. The Regality of reggae queen Marcia Griffiths and the soulful verve of Etta James. “I looked at how women were being represented in Jamaican music and how little girls were being influenced negatively by tinder surroundings, I wanted to be a positive influence and change some of the way things that were being taught” Etana Reflected.
•
6
7
THEATER: The Chibok Girls: Our Story
THEATER: The Chibok Girls: Our Story
May 7, 20197:30 pm - 9:30 pm Gonda Theatre, 149 Old N Way, Washington, DC 20007, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $20 The US Premiere of Renegade Theatre's searing work of testimonial theater about the abduction of 276 girls from their school in the Nigerian town of Chibok by the Boko Haram in 2014, and the enduring reverberations of their story. Written and directed by Wole Oguntokun, The Chibok Girls: Our Story will be presented in tandem with The Lab’s special guest Nobel Prize winning playwright and author Wole Soyinka, who will premiere excerpts from his brand new work A Humanist Ode for Chibok, Leah. This long-form epic poem pays tribute to 15-year-old Leah Sharibu, one of the 108 girls abducted from Dapchi by the Islamic State for the West African Province (ISWAP), a splinter group of Boko Haram, in February 2018. Leah was the only one not returned after the Nigerian government paid an enormous ransom. She refused to renounce her faith and has been held captive since.
Cheick Hamala Diabate
Cheick Hamala Diabate
May 7, 20199:30 pm - 11:30 pm Bossa Bistro & Lounge, 2463 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Bossa Bistro website “Cheick Hamala’s Griot Street Band carried the evening from beginning to end. They played two sets; one in the middle that appeared to wake everyone up, and the one that closed out the night with people of all ages, sizes, and nationalities. At one point during the crazed dancing, an elderly man fell smack down on his behind from dancing so fast and then to our surprise leaped right back onto his feet without skipping a beat." — Voice of America
• •
8
THEATER: The Chibok Girls: Our Story
THEATER: The Chibok Girls: Our Story
May 8, 20197:30 pm - 9:30 pm Gonda Theatre, 149 Old N Way, Washington, DC 20007, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $20 The US Premiere of Renegade Theatre's searing work of testimonial theater about the abduction of 276 girls from their school in the Nigerian town of Chibok by the Boko Haram in 2014, and the enduring reverberations of their story. Written and directed by Wole Oguntokun, The Chibok Girls: Our Story will be presented in tandem with The Lab’s special guest Nobel Prize winning playwright and author Wole Soyinka, who will premiere excerpts from his brand new work A Humanist Ode for Chibok, Leah. This long-form epic poem pays tribute to 15-year-old Leah Sharibu, one of the 108 girls abducted from Dapchi by the Islamic State for the West African Province (ISWAP), a splinter group of Boko Haram, in February 2018. Leah was the only one not returned after the Nigerian government paid an enormous ransom. She refused to renounce her faith and has been held captive since.
•
9
Janelia Soul: Funk Parade Preview
Janelia Soul: Funk Parade Preview
May 9, 20196:00 pm - 7:00 pm John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F St NW, Washington, DC 20566, USA
Event Link - FREE SHOW Funk Parade 2019 is happening on Saturday May 11th. Funk Parade is DC's largest all day celebration of music dance and culture taking place along the historic U Street Corridor. The festival is made up of the mighty Funk Parade itself that winds through the neighborhood and over 30 stages throughout the neighborhood hosting musical performances all day. Funk Parade is a celebration for everyone: all ages, races, cultural backgrounds, sexual identities and walks of life. Funk Parade is the sub atomic particle of love that makes you want to move and enjoy the company of all humans. We are excited to partner with the Kennedy Center once again to present an amazing day of music and celebration. Make sure to visit the HFA Stage (Located near Florida Ave and V St NW) on Saturday May 11th from 1:00pm to 7:00pm. To find out more visit www.funkparade.com
Featured Artist(s) Funk Parade The MusicianShip [WORD]play Open Mic Sessions Janelia McNair Sanya
THEATER: The Chibok Girls: Our Story
THEATER: The Chibok Girls: Our Story
May 9, 20197:30 pm - 9:30 pm Gonda Theatre, 149 Old N Way, Washington, DC 20007, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $20 The US Premiere of Renegade Theatre's searing work of testimonial theater about the abduction of 276 girls from their school in the Nigerian town of Chibok by the Boko Haram in 2014, and the enduring reverberations of their story. Written and directed by Wole Oguntokun, The Chibok Girls: Our Story will be presented in tandem with The Lab’s special guest Nobel Prize winning playwright and author Wole Soyinka, who will premiere excerpts from his brand new work A Humanist Ode for Chibok, Leah. This long-form epic poem pays tribute to 15-year-old Leah Sharibu, one of the 108 girls abducted from Dapchi by the Islamic State for the West African Province (ISWAP), a splinter group of Boko Haram, in February 2018. Leah was the only one not returned after the Nigerian government paid an enormous ransom. She refused to renounce her faith and has been held captive since.
Black Motion w/ Jandro
Black Motion w/ Jandro
May 9, 201910:30 pm - May 10, 201912:30 am U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $15-$25 South African duo Black Motion formed in early 2010 when Robert Mahosana (DJ Murda) and percussionist Thabo 'Smol' Mabogwane decided to work together. The partnership quickly began to yield fruit, with their music earning widespread radio play and being featured several local compilations.
Their breakthrough came with the hit ‘Banane Mavoko’ featuring the late Jah Rich. They’ve also worked with names such as DJ Oskido, DJ Mthi, QT and vocalist Bantu Soul. On stage, Black Motion makes use of vocalists and keyboard players to support their DJ and percussionist act.
They began to receive international attention, with labels such as Tribe and Nulu releasing their tracks internationally. Signed to Kalawa Jazmee and Universal Records, they released their debut album, “Talking to the Drums”, in 2011. It was followed in late 2012 by their second album “Aquarian Drums”, their third album “Fortune Teller in 2014 and more recently their fourth album“Ya Badimo” in 2016 for which they won two SAMAs (South African Music Awards) for Best Duo/Group and Best Dance Album.
Black Motion are know for their raw artistry and energetic, infectious stage performance which is fueled by their trademark cocktail of live percussion, kwaito and house.
• • •
10
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
Black Motion w/ Jandro
Black Motion w/ Jandro
May 9, 201910:30 pm - May 10, 201912:30 am U Street Music Hall, 1115A U St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $15-$25 South African duo Black Motion formed in early 2010 when Robert Mahosana (DJ Murda) and percussionist Thabo 'Smol' Mabogwane decided to work together. The partnership quickly began to yield fruit, with their music earning widespread radio play and being featured several local compilations.
Their breakthrough came with the hit ‘Banane Mavoko’ featuring the late Jah Rich. They’ve also worked with names such as DJ Oskido, DJ Mthi, QT and vocalist Bantu Soul. On stage, Black Motion makes use of vocalists and keyboard players to support their DJ and percussionist act.
They began to receive international attention, with labels such as Tribe and Nulu releasing their tracks internationally. Signed to Kalawa Jazmee and Universal Records, they released their debut album, “Talking to the Drums”, in 2011. It was followed in late 2012 by their second album “Aquarian Drums”, their third album “Fortune Teller in 2014 and more recently their fourth album“Ya Badimo” in 2016 for which they won two SAMAs (South African Music Awards) for Best Duo/Group and Best Dance Album.
Black Motion are know for their raw artistry and energetic, infectious stage performance which is fueled by their trademark cocktail of live percussion, kwaito and house.
• • •
11
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
Janelia Soul @ Funk Parade
Janelia Soul @ Funk Parade
May 11, 20193:00 pm - 4:00 pm Corner of 9th Street and V Street NW, Washington DC
May 11, 20193:00 pm - 6:00 pm Takoma Porch Fest (7336 Carroll Avenue Takoma Park, MD 20912)
Event Link - FREE SHOW! DC Highlife Stars & Friends will be playing two sets on the porch of their good friends Jay & Kerry in Takoma Park, MD. The Festival flyer says 4pm, but the music will be at 3 & 5, with special guests sitting in for a fine ole porch stomping good time!
FILM: FROM CAIRO TO THE CLOUD: THE WORLD OF THE CAIRO GENIZA
FILM: FROM CAIRO TO THE CLOUD: THE WORLD OF THE CAIRO GENIZA
May 11, 20198:30 pm - 11:00 pm E street cinema, Silver Spring, MD 20903, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $15.19 Movie followed by Q&A with filmmaker Michelle Paymar In 1896, Solomon Schechter entered the sacred storeroom of an ancient synagogue in Cairo and discovered a vast treasure trove of manuscripts that revolutionized our understanding of Jewish history and illuminated a thousand years of vibrant Jewish life in the heart of the Islamic world. An accidental archive of more than half a million documents, the Cairo Geniza reveals the richness of Judeo-Arabic culture and reflects periods of relative religious co-existence nearly unimaginable today. DIR/SCR/PROD Michelle Paymar. Canada/U.S./Egypt/France/Israel/UK, 2018, color, 92 min. NOT RATED
• • • • •
12
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
FILM: FROM CAIRO TO THE CLOUD: THE WORLD OF THE CAIRO GENIZA
FILM: FROM CAIRO TO THE CLOUD: THE WORLD OF THE CAIRO GENIZA
May 12, 20198:00 pm - 10:00 pm AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $15.19 Movie followed by Q&A with filmmaker Michelle Paymar In 1896, Solomon Schechter entered the sacred storeroom of an ancient synagogue in Cairo and discovered a vast treasure trove of manuscripts that revolutionized our understanding of Jewish history and illuminated a thousand years of vibrant Jewish life in the heart of the Islamic world. An accidental archive of more than half a million documents, the Cairo Geniza reveals the richness of Judeo-Arabic culture and reflects periods of relative religious co-existence nearly unimaginable today. DIR/SCR/PROD Michelle Paymar. Canada/U.S./Egypt/France/Israel/UK, 2018, color, 92 min. NOT RATED
• • •
13
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
• •
14
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
Cheick Hamala Diabate
Cheick Hamala Diabate
May 14, 20199:30 pm - 11:30 pm Bossa Bistro & Lounge, 2463 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Bossa Bistro website “Cheick Hamala’s Griot Street Band carried the evening from beginning to end. They played two sets; one in the middle that appeared to wake everyone up, and the one that closed out the night with people of all ages, sizes, and nationalities. At one point during the crazed dancing, an elderly man fell smack down on his behind from dancing so fast and then to our surprise leaped right back onto his feet without skipping a beat." — Voice of America
• • •
15
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
• •
16
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Old Greenbelt Theatre, 129 Centerway, Greenbelt, MD 20770, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
FILM: Rafiki
FILM: Rafiki
May 10, 2019 - May 16, 2019 Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015, USA
Showtimes & Ticket Link - $9.50 - $12.75 Bursting with the colorful street style & music of Nairobi’s vibrant youth culture, RAFIKI is a tender love story between two young women in a country that still criminalizes homosexuality. Kena and Ziki have long been told that “good Kenyan girls become good Kenyan wives” – but they yearn for something more. Despite the political rivalry between their families, the girls encourage each other to pursue their dreams in a conservative society. When love blossoms between them, Kena and Ziki must choose between happiness and safety.
Initially banned in Kenya for its positive portrayal of queer romance, RAFIKI won a landmark supreme court case chipping away at Kenyan anti-LGBT legislation.
Details:
83 min Rated NR in English and Swahili with English subtitles
• •
17
18
19
20
21
Cheick Hamala Diabate
Cheick Hamala Diabate
May 21, 20199:30 pm - 11:30 pm Bossa Bistro & Lounge, 2463 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Bossa Bistro website “Cheick Hamala’s Griot Street Band carried the evening from beginning to end. They played two sets; one in the middle that appeared to wake everyone up, and the one that closed out the night with people of all ages, sizes, and nationalities. At one point during the crazed dancing, an elderly man fell smack down on his behind from dancing so fast and then to our surprise leaped right back onto his feet without skipping a beat." — Voice of America
•
22
23
24
25
Burna Boy
Burna Boy
May 25, 201910:00 pm - 12:00 am Echostage, 2135 Queens Chapel Rd NE, Washington, DC 20018, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $30 Nigerian Afrobeats & Afro-fusion mega start Burna Boy is bringing his globe-trotting sound back to DC for an evening of beats and life.
•
26
27
The Global Get Down: An HBCU Experience
The Global Get Down: An HBCU Experience
May 27, 20196:00 pm - 10:30 pm Pearl Street Warehouse, 33 Pearl St SW, Washington, DC 20024, USA
Eventbrite Link - FREE ShowIn town for the Annual NAFSA Conference? Join us Monday, May 27 for a night of entertainment and celebration with a special purpose. Your donations will help send HBCU students abroad through the HBCU Student Scholarship at Fund for Education Abroad.
Pearl Street Warehouse offers a great selection of dinner options that you can enjoy before the show. It is easily accessible by the green line - The SEU Waterfront metro stop is just four stops away from the Washington Convention Center.
Come for the purpose; stay for the food, music, and company! Confirm your space now by reserving a ticket. Space is limited.
Nadah El Shazly with Luke Stewart
Nadah El Shazly with Luke Stewart
May 27, 20198:00 pm - 10:00 pm RhizomeDC, 6950 Maple St NW, Washington, DC 20012, USA
FB Event & Ticket Link - $15 Multiflora Productions presents Nadah El Shazly in duo with Luke Stewart
"Nadah el Shazly is part of a burgeoning underground music scene in Egypt that has been rightly garnering more and more interest of late. Having started out in music in a Cairo punk band singing Misfits covers, El Shazly gradually moved into homemade electronic music before alighting on the mystical hybrid between rock, avant-garde music and electronica that forms the core of Ahwar (“marshlands” in Arabic). With Libyan guitarist Sam Shalabi and fellow Cairo native Maurice Louca (both members of The Dwarfs Of East Agouza with Alan Bishop) adding their prodigious talents to the fray, El Shazly has joined together past and present to position herself at the forefront of the new North African music scene.
• •
28
DanceAfrica, DC 2019
DanceAfrica, DC 2019
May 28, 2019 - June 2, 2019 Dance Place, 3225 8th St NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA
Our 32nd annual festival celebrates the dance, music, and spirit of the African Diaspora. Featuring Mama Sylvia Soumah as Griot, outstanding African dance companies, a master class series, free outdoor activities, and our signature African Marketplace, DanceAfrica, DC is guaranteed to inspire, invigorate, educate, and entertain.
Cheick Hamala Diabate
Cheick Hamala Diabate
May 28, 20199:30 pm - 11:30 pm Bossa Bistro & Lounge, 2463 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA
Bossa Bistro website “Cheick Hamala’s Griot Street Band carried the evening from beginning to end. They played two sets; one in the middle that appeared to wake everyone up, and the one that closed out the night with people of all ages, sizes, and nationalities. At one point during the crazed dancing, an elderly man fell smack down on his behind from dancing so fast and then to our surprise leaped right back onto his feet without skipping a beat." — Voice of America
• •
29
DanceAfrica, DC 2019
DanceAfrica, DC 2019
May 28, 2019 - June 2, 2019 Dance Place, 3225 8th St NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA
Our 32nd annual festival celebrates the dance, music, and spirit of the African Diaspora. Featuring Mama Sylvia Soumah as Griot, outstanding African dance companies, a master class series, free outdoor activities, and our signature African Marketplace, DanceAfrica, DC is guaranteed to inspire, invigorate, educate, and entertain.
Black Gold: Past & Present
Black Gold: Past & Present
May 29, 20196:00 pm - 9:00 pm Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20560, USA
Eventbrite Link - FREE showMusicians from Washington, D.C and Dakar, Senegal discuss the cultural and historical themes that have influenced their work, highlighting the shared connections through their work.
A musical performance and tour of the exhibition "Good As Gold: Fashioning Senegalese Women" follow the panel discussion.
Washington DC Artists:
CHRISTYLEZ BACON JABARI EXUM JEAN-FRANCIS VARRE
Artists from DAKAR: AIDA SOK SAHAD MC THIAT (from the group Keurgui)
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour
May 29, 20198:00 pm - 10:00 pm Strathmore Music Hall, 5301 Tuckerman Ln, North Bethesda, MD 20852, USA
Event & Ticket Link - $38 - $87 Youssou NDOUR, Senegalese Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and activist, makes his eagerly anticipated Strathmore debut. With roots in traditional music and griot storytelling, “African rock’s great global star” (The New York Times) uses his vibrant vocals to anchor powerful songs. NDOUR and his high-energy band Super Étoile create a sound which is both characteristically Senegalese and outward-looking, an exciting synthesis of musical languages. Rolling Stone called NDOUR’s stunning tenor “a voice so extraordinary that the history of Africa seems locked inside it.”
• • •
30
DanceAfrica, DC 2019
DanceAfrica, DC 2019
May 28, 2019 - June 2, 2019 Dance Place, 3225 8th St NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA
Our 32nd annual festival celebrates the dance, music, and spirit of the African Diaspora. Featuring Mama Sylvia Soumah as Griot, outstanding African dance companies, a master class series, free outdoor activities, and our signature African Marketplace, DanceAfrica, DC is guaranteed to inspire, invigorate, educate, and entertain.
•
31
DanceAfrica, DC 2019
DanceAfrica, DC 2019
May 28, 2019 - June 2, 2019 Dance Place, 3225 8th St NE, Washington, DC 20017, USA
Our 32nd annual festival celebrates the dance, music, and spirit of the African Diaspora. Featuring Mama Sylvia Soumah as Griot, outstanding African dance companies, a master class series, free outdoor activities, and our signature African Marketplace, DanceAfrica, DC is guaranteed to inspire, invigorate, educate, and entertain.