The 2025 Folklife Festival continued Friday night at the Island Center on St. Croix with an evening of bomba, bamboula and African dance.
The night began with the Dembaya Arts Conservatory’s performance of Malian drumming and dance. Puerto Rico-based bomba group Afriktaal took the stage next. Their act was followed by Cedelle Christopher’s cariso history of St. Croix.
Presented by the Ten Sleepless Knights, the Folklife Festival kicked off at the Whim Museum two weeks ago with a day of cultural activities like moko jumbie mask-making, head-tie wrapping, woodworking and maypole dancing.
Upcoming events include “A Crucian Taste,” which starts at 7 p.m. Saturday at Fort Frederik, and the “Rock Your Style/The Splendor of USVI Madras,” which starts at 7 p.m. March 22 at Fort Frederik.
Upcoming St. Thomas events include:
The Evolution of the Moko Jumbie at 7 p.m. on March 28 at Fort Christian
Night of Bomba, Bamboula, and African Dance at 7 p.m. on March 29 at Fort Christian
Folklore Festival Workshops from noon to 6 p.m. on March 30 at Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial Park
Afriktaal member Jocelyn Velez performs with the Puerto Rico-based bomba group during the 2025 Folklife Festival’s Night of Bomba, Bamboula and African Dance Friday night at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)The evening kicks off with performances from the Dembaya Arts Conservatory Friday night at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)Dembaya Arts Conservatory founding member Shanarae Matthew introduces the group during the 2025 Folklife Festival’s Night of Bomba, Bamboula and African Dance Friday night at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)Bomba group Afriktaal takes to the stage during the 2025 Folklife Festival’s Night of Bomba, Bamboula and African Dance on Friday night at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)Drummers with the Dembaya Arts Conservatory perform Friday night at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)Shanarae Matthew performs with the Dembaya Arts Conservatory Friday night at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)Diondra Setorie and Kaisha Arnold of the Dembaya Arts Conservatory perform Kassa, a harvest dance from Guinea in West Africa, on Friday night at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)From left, Afriktaal members Jean Osorio, Esteban Millán, Luis Negrón, Alejandro Ramón, Alondra Ortiz, Karlina Cintrón, Lizbette Guerrido, Paula Clemente, Ramdol Ramirez and Jocelyn Velez perform during the 2025 Folklife Festival’s Night of Bomba, Bamboula and African Dance Friday at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)Cedelle Christopher tells the history of St. Croix through cariso during the 2025 Folklife Festival’s Night of Bomba, Bamboula and African Dance Friday at the Island Center on St. Croix. (Source photo by Kit MacAvoy)
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