Venue
The Pocantico Center
200 Lake Road, Tarrytown, NY, 10591, US

Omari Wiles—a force in New York’s ballroom and dance scenes—joins his mother, Marie Basse-Wiles, a revered figure in African diasporic dance, for Djapo, a vibrant new work commissioned by Works & Process. The piece brings together their companies Les Ballet Afrik and Maimouna Keita School of African Dance.

Rooted in the rhythms of Senegal and Mali, this electrifying performance blends traditional West African dance with contemporary African club culture, Afrobeats, and live percussion, shaped through the duo’s intergenerational collaboration. Company dancers come together for an in-process performance of Djapo, exploring the evolution of movement, music, and community, celebrating the deep ties between past and present while amplifying the visibility of African cultural traditions in today’s global dance landscape.

Culminating the event is a community dance lesson inviting all audience members to the dance floor!

Djapo’s development is supported by Works & Process LaunchPAD residencies at Bethany Arts Community, Watermill Center, The Pocantico Center, and Prior Performing Arts Center at the College of the Holy Cross. Music commission was made possible by the Charles and Joan Gross Family Foundation. Additional support was provided by the New York State Council on the Arts.

A reception will follow the performance. Presented in partnership with the RBF Culpeper Arts & Culture program and Works & Process as part of the Culpeper Summer Performance Series.

Photos: Robert Altman and John Dodge