20th Annual CubaCaribe Festival of Dance & Music

Start: Friday, April 10, 2026 8:00PM
End: Friday, April 10, 2026 9:30PM

The 20th Annual CubaCaribe Festival of Dance and Music presents a celebratory retrospective of the last 20 years of moving forward in community, resistance and joy. For two decades, CubaCaribe continues to showcase traditional, often unseen, master artists of the Cuban and Caribbean diasporas. This anniversary season features seven dance companies performing and participating in community engagement and educational outreach activities over the course of the festival’s 14 days. A special highlight of the festival is an April 8 lecture demonstration by master percussionist and internationally renowned seven-time Grammy® nominee John Santos, who will be honored by CubaCaribe in an pre-show event on April 12. The Festival runs April 8 through 19 at various locations in San Francisco and Berkeley. The first weekend (April 10-12), at ODC Theater in San Francisco, entitled, Looking back and Moving forward/ Mirando atras, moviendo pa’lante, will feature six diverse pieces by acclaimed Bay Area Caribbean and Latinx performing artists and their companies, chosen for their artistry and impact from past festival performances over the last 20 years by Artistic Director Ramón Ramos Alayo. Many will be accompanied by live music performed by ensembles of master instrumentalists and vocalists. Performing companies include Alayo Dance Company, Arenas Dance Company, Los Lupeños de San José, Cunamacué, Alafia Dance Ensemble, and Moving Juntos Youth Ensemble. The second weekend (April 17 and 18), at Ruth Williams Opera House in San Francisco, entitled, Enraizando/ Rooting Within, features work by Shefali Shah and Aguacero. This evening length performance highlights the transitional experience and journey of young women facing womanhood through Puerto Rican Bomba music and dance. Commissioned by CubaCaribe from the Gerbode Foundation, Enraizando is a major multi-year multi-generational project, involving teen and young adult dancers alongside the professionals of Aguacero.