JUNE 7 & 8

The “DanceAfrica D.C. Festival,” a two-day extravaganza of African arts and culture, exemplifies the philosophy that art and life are one. In keeping with the African proverb, “If you can talk, you can sing. If you can walk, you can dance,” the festival kicks off with a master class on West African dance, led by festival director Chuck Davis. Families will enjoy the free and reduced-price performances of dance, music, drumming, and storytelling by groups including African Heritage Dancers & Drummers, the Volta Ensemble, and Kayaga! of Africa. The outdoor marketplace will have good food, fine textiles, and artwork, as well as festival merchandise designed by Synthia Saint James. Saturday night’s Gala Performance at the Lincoln Theatre takes the audience from the Motherland’s west coast to Brazil to the good ol’ U.S.A. with D.C.’s own Memory of African Culture and Chuck Davis, Roots of Brazil from New York (pictured), and hiphop company Rennie Harris PureMovement of Philadelphia. The African Marketplace, indoor and outdoor performances take place from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-8 p.m. Sunday at Dance Place, 3225 8th St. NE. FREE-$6. (202) 269-1600; Gala Performance at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Lincoln Theatre, 1215 U St. NW. $18. (202) 328-6000. (Holly Bass)