Culture Rising Dance Conference 2026

August 21–23, 2026 | Lehman College, Bronx, NY

The Culture Rising Dance Conference is a two-day celebration of movement, culture, and community hosted by the Kofago Institute in collaboration with Lehman College. Taking place on August 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 2026, this event will offer free dance classes and workshops for the Bronx community, highlighting styles rooted in the African Diaspora.

Participants will explore Traditional West African, Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, Hip-Hop, Modern, and Contemporary dance styles, taught by a diverse lineup of professional dancers and cultural educators.

Alexandra Jean Joseph (Haitian Folkloric)

Alexandra Jean-Joseph is a New York based educator, choreographer, and performing artist. She studied Psychology with a focus on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies at New York University. As a performing artist, she has studied under, performed, and collaborated with notable Haitian master instructors Mikerline Pierre, Julio Jean, Nadia Dieudonné, Jessica St. Vil Ulysse, and Adia Whitaker. In 2018 Alexandra co-founded Imamou Lele, to preserve and share the traditional stories of Haiti and its diaspora. As Artistic Director, Alexandra actively engages and collaborates with her community through dance and drum classes, workshops, and performances. She strives to promote dance as an experience where spirit and art meet. 

Sandela Malloy (West African)

Sandela Malloy is the Co-Founder, Artistic Director, and Resident Choreographer of Harambee Dance Company. She is also a Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (CHC) and a Registered Nurse, empowering women to heal, move, and thrive.

Sandela discovered her natural affinity for dance while traveling in Ghana, and upon returning to Charleston, SC in 1990, she joined a local dance and drum group. Within two years, she and her husband, Frank Malloy, established their own dance company, Harambee. Weaving together the fabric of their Southern upbringing with the profound lessons gathered from their travels in Africa, they blend these influences to tell stories through movement and music — a harmonious tapestry celebrating the all-encompassing Black experience.

Now thriving for over 30 years, Harambee has grown into a family-run organization, with the couple’s two children integrated into the company’s story over time. Their journey is a testament to the transformative power of cultural exchange and the power of love and art.

Cory “Nova” Villegas (Salsa)

Cory “Nova” Villegas is a Bronx-born dancer, choreographer, and educator  known for her passion for Afro-Latin dance forms and their integration  with traditional styles.  She’s a prominent figure in the NYC dance scene, having trained  extensively and showcased her choreography in various festivals and  collaborations. 

Villegas is interested in combining Afro-Latin forms with traditional  dance techniques, integrating them with music and poetry. Her  choreography has been featured at events and venues such as the Bronx  Arts Festival, the LGBTQ Fuerza Festival, Hunter College’s Kaye  Playhouse Theater, KoDaFe in NYC festival, The EstroGenius Festival,  Jazz Choreography Enterprises, Kulture Kave The Konnecgion, and Clark  Center NYC. She has also collaborated with Latin artists like Don Omar.  In 2019, she co-founded Soul Dance Co.: The Soul Experience, where she  serves as artistic director.