The African Dance Festival

A few years ago that I came across a web site that was instantly added to my list of favorites. The African Dance Festive held in Tallahasse Florida.


A full gym of predominately female dancers with a few preteen boys warm up for class.
All of the woman and girls are dressed in various states of African ethnic clothing
yet most of the males have on athletic wear all are barefoot.

Across the hall vendors are setting up in an even larger gym that has soft biege tarp covering the flooring.This is also where classes for kids to learn so dances take place and later in the day it was set up for the lecturer series.One with authors and a health synposium.

Despite being held at a local community college's athletic areana the festival had a warm that only black folks can bring. Kids ran from room to room playing and being corrected by elders without the threat of their parents being upset over them being put back in line.

I sat next to the sweetest little two year old quietly watching her mom in one of the dance classes.Her dark chocolate angelic face look up at me and smiled as I silently wondered just how wonderful it would be to have a little me to share it with.

Sisters of all ages filled the gyms with an assortment of young boys and a handful whites.
I noticed one lone white girl pounding on a djembe up in the bleachers,I later saw her in a drumming class.She looked to be enjoying herself and I felt that in that place and time all of us who were there sharing the moment were home.