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Join us at Ifetayo

Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy continues to support our community with holistic cultural arts education at the lowest fee structure possible.

The Academy offers African-centered, multidisciplinary programming to all who would like to join. Our offerings include Youth Theater Ensemble, Dance (African, Modern, Hip-Hop, Ballet, and more), Music (West African Drum, Trap Drums, and more), Visual Arts (Fashion, Painting/Sketching, and more), Martial Arts (Capoeira), Cultural Heritage (Africana Studies), Rights of Passage (Girls/Young Women, Boys/Young Men), Toddler Creative Expressions, and more.

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CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM

ACTING/DEVISED THEATER: In acting class, students will cultivate technical and expressive skills of the acting process. They will learn to tell their own stories and create characters from published works relevant to the Diaspora while developing their stage presence, expressive voice, and at all levels learn to identify basic stage and performance terminology. They will develop the ability to engage active listening while cultivating authentic responses. Devised theater will allow them to become co-creators and writers of their own works which will culminate in public presentations. Other areas covered in the course include performance poetry. Students interested in theater, spoken word, public speaking, debate & recitation, and vocal music are highly encouraged to take acting/devised theater.

AFRICAN DANCE: In African Dance classes, students gain a basic understanding and appreciation of African tradition and its cultural significance. At each level, students learn common West African movement vocabulary specifically within Djembe, Sabar, Kutiro, and Ivoirian (Cote d’Ivoire) dances while also learning to isolate specific body parts in polyrhythmic musical patterns as they interact with live drumming accompaniment. All students practice applying African percussive elements such as call-and-response and the break as they enjoy the process of learning movement combinations and choreography.

AFRICAN DRUM: Students in Djembe Orchestra learn to identify the cultural relevance of the traditional and internationally recognized West African djembe drum orchestra and all of its components. By tuning their ears to the role of each drum in the orchestra (i.e djembe, songba, kinkini, and dundun), students begin to identify regional rhythms & songs as they consistently practice African percussive elements such as call-and-response and the break. With directed interaction, developed hand placement skills, and a command of complex timing patterns, advanced students enjoy the developing skills to accompany dance classes and interact with student dancers during the choreographic process.

AFRO-MODERN DANCE: Afro Contemporary is a dance style that combines traditional African dance with Western contemporary techniques found in modern dance. It bridges the gap between African dance, rooted in cultural rituals and meaning, and the dance techniques of Western culture. This dance style blends techniques from multiple genres, including classical ballet, jazz, modern dance, and lyrical dance. Founded in 2014, Black Girl Spectrum (BGS) aims to nurture and bring awareness to Black girl brilliance. BGS explores the spectrum of identities among Black girls and women while working to create safe spaces for them to live as creative citizens. The initiative seeks to amplify the cultural and creative empowerment of Black girls and women through dance, dialogue, and popular education tools. *Offered in partnership with Camille A. Brown & Dancers.

BALLET: In Ballet classes, students learn all basic ballet positions while synchronizing and interpreting ballet movement vocabulary and combinations. Students become more spatially aware of their individual placement in relation to other dancers in ensemble work, at the barre. and/or with floor-barre techniques while simultaneously learning to strengthen their own core. All students gain a better sense of ballet’s cultural relevancy through the use of common ballet vocabulary terms. within the general field of dance.

CAPOEIRA: Capoeira is the Brazilian martial art that teaches students to resist, defend, dance, and play all at the same time. Students learn commands and songs in Brazilian Portuguese and become comfortable with the instruments and visual culture of rotating between watching, singing, and playing. They also develop confidence, agility, and skill as they do acrobatics at varying speeds while interacting with classmates. Toddlers and beginner-level students become more spatially aware of their surroundings while more advanced students accomplish more physically challenging maneuvers within smaller spaces while learning about Capoeira’s rich history of Afro-Brazilian culture.

CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS: Students in the Toddlers Creative Expressions class learn to use songs, movement, poetry, storytelling, and visual arts to express themselves young artists. By exposing students to multiple arts disciplines, they build confidence, improve coordination and speech through repetition of songs and poems, and develop motor skills with hands-on art projects. Through the artistic process, students develop friendships and learn to work together in ways that reaffirm their sense of self and belonging to a family, community, and the world at large.

HIP HOP: In Hip Hop Dance, students learn to identify, understand, and appreciate the cultural significance of the dance genre as well as Hip Hop culture. Through muscle isolations, flexibility, and fluidity, students gain knowledge of the techniques of a Hip Hop dancer by building their own skills of self-expression, spatial awareness, musicality, and stage presence. Students also build their own style of uniqueness and finesse as they exhibit an understanding of Hip Hop’s technical vocabulary including Boogaloo, Funk, Breaking, Popping, Locking, Krumping, Turfing, House and Freestyle, thus developing increased self-confidence as performers.

PAINTING, SKETCHING & DRAWING: Students in Painting, Sketching, and Drawing are drawn into the world of visual expression and introduced to a myriad of ways to use their eyes to interpret what they see around them on a blank canvas. Students will learn principles of both traditional and contemporary African art as they analyze the work of famous artists of African descent and their contribution to the world of visual art as a whole. The student artists will explore visual elements (patterns & texture, color, line, shape, space) to create their own works as they make expressive connections between self, nature, and creativity.

VOICE: In Fundamentals of Voice, students are introduced to methods that strengthen, preserve, and improve the first instrument: the human voice. Students develop ear training, practice breath control, and learn exercises such as scales, tongue twisters, harmonization, and warm-up songs to prepare to use their voice in choral, small ensemble, and solo performance scenarios. Students also begin to build their vocal repertoire by researching legendary vocalists and recording artists of African descent throughout the diaspora and by analyzing their vocal techniques and performance. All students interested in theater, public speaking, debate & recitation, and vocal music are highly encouraged to take vocal class.

RITES OF PASSAGE PROGRAM

Sisters in Sisterhood (SIS) Awakening Rites of Passage (ages 6-9), is the awakening stage of our Rites process designed to support, encourage, engage, celebrate, and nurture Sisters of African descent. The sessions are designed to encourage the young sisters through affirmative self-love and creative exploration of African Diaspora Cultural development.

Sisters in Sisterhood (SIS) Pre-Teen Rites of Passage (ages 10-12) is the evolution stage, and is designed to assist young sisters in the first stage of transition into adolescence. Positive role models and coaches provide a major source of support to the young sisters, and guide them to reach inner clarity, and to develop positive self-awareness.

Sisters in Sisterhood (SIS) Transition Rites of Passage (ages 13-15) is the transformation stage, and is designed to assist young sisters in the transition through adolescence. Ifetayo provides each sister with the positive perspective in which black women are leaders and contributors to their community both locally and globally.

Sisters in Sisterhood (SIS) Teen Rites of Passage (ages 16-18) is the passage stage, and is designed to assist sisters in the first stage of transition into adulthood. Discussions and workshops are designed to develop skills necessary to transcend the negative pitfalls that can derail their future success.

I Am My Brother (IAMB) Awakening Rites of Passage (ages 6-9), is the awakening stage of our Rites process designed to support, encourage, engage, celebrate, and nurture Brothers of African descent. The sessions are designed to encourage the young brothers through affirmative self-love,and creative exploration of African Diaspora Cultural development.

I Am My Brother (IAMB) Pre-Teen Rites of Passage (ages 10-12) is the evolution stage, and is designed to assist young brothers in the first stage of transition into adolescence. Positive role models and coaches provide a major source of support to the young brothers, and guide them to reach inner clarity and to develop positive self-awareness.

I Am My Brother (IAMB) Transition Rites of Passage (ages 13-15) is the transformation stage, and is designed to assist young brothers in the transition through adolescence. Ifetayo provides each brother with the positive perspective in which black men are leaders and contributors to their community both locally and globally.

I Am My Brother (IAMB) Teen Rites of Passage (ages 16-18) is the passage stage, and is designed to assist brothers in the first stage of transition into adulthood. Discussions and workshops are designed to develop skills necessary to transcend the negative pitfalls that can derail their future success.

MARCUS GARVEY CULTURAL HERITAGE PROGRAM

Scholars will be introduced to an interactive Africana Studies course in which they learn about Africa’s past, present, and future. They will learn about the African origins of humanity. They learn about the ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and geographic diversity of the continent of Africa while becoming familiarized with the great ancient kingdoms and their leaders. Scholars will engage in active classroom activities such as age-appropriate games and hands-on projects. Scholars will learn to substantiate their own perspectives and theories of Africa’s future as they explore concepts of the Diaspora. Topics include positive social responses to issues affecting the African diaspora such as the Civil Rights, Black Power, Pan-African, Afrofuturism movements, and more. Scholars will also engage in guest-facilitated workshops and cultural trips.

2026-2027 SEASON KEY DATES

All events will take place at our home:
Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy
1561 Bedford Ave., 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11225

PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION

REGISTRATION PROCESS

1. REVIEW
   Click here to review our frequently asked questions around payment policies, important dates, how to register and more! 
2. REGISTRATION
   Click here to register online! 
3. FILL OUT THE FORM
   Make sure you fill out all sections on the form before you select a class
4. ENABLE E-PAYMENTS
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5. LOG INTO PARENT PORTAL
   Once you register, click here to access the parent portal to see your child’s schedule, manage your online payments and more.
   Parent Portal tutorial video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIpdLox0Zrk

If you have questions contact cdaninthe@ifetayo.org

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