Filter by Category
Our Classes
Sankofa Rhythm: Senior Tap (Adults)
with Jailyn Harris
Sankofa Rhythm: Senior Tap keeps legacy alive through rhythm and motion. Designed for older adults, this joyful class strengthens mobility, memory, and musicality while honoring the Black roots of American tap. Whether returning to dance or stepping in for the first time, students move with pride and purpose.
Class Day: Wednesdays
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Session Dates: September 28 – November 7, 2026
First Class Meeting: September 30, 2026
Performance Dates: November 7, 2026
Location: Karamu House, 2355 East 89th Street, Cleveland, OH 44106 | Lower Dance Studio
Required Materials: Comfortable movement clothing and tap shoes
Contact our Arts Education Department: info@karamuhouse.org Phone: (216) 795-7077
Will run
Sankofa Acting: Finding Your Voice (Ages 10-13)
with Dar'Jon Bentley
Ages: 10 - 13
Sankofa Acting: Finding Your Voice is a class for beginners. This class honors the past while planting seeds for future performers. This beginner-level course teaches acting fundamentals—character, voice, body, and ensemble work—through culturally relevant stories and scenes. Students build confidence, creative empathy, and performance readiness.
Class Day and times: Mon AND Wed, 5:00-6:30 pm
Session Dates: October 5 – October 28, 2026
First Class Meeting: October 5, 2026
Performance Dates: In-Class on Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Location: Karamu House, 2355 East 89th Street Cleveland, OH 44106 | Upper Drama Studio
Required Materials: Comfortable movement clothing and sneakers
Annual Registration Fee: $25.00 (non-refundable)
Full Tuition & Sliding-Scale Financial Assistance Available
To request financial aid for class, use promo code FINAID26 at checkout to pay only the $25 registration fee at the time of enrollment. Do not select a payment plan. You will be contacted by Karamu's finance office with next steps.
A member of our finance team will contact you to collect documents such as paystubs or tax returns to assess your family's financial aid eligibility. We will then provide a tuition award and create a personalized payment plan that meets your needs.
Please Note: The $25 annual registration fee is required for all students, regardless of tuition option.
Contact our Arts Education Department: info@karamuhouse.org Phone: (216) 795-7077
To request financial aid for the acting class, use promo code FINAID26 at checkout to pay only the $25 registration fee at the time of enrollment. Do not select a payment plan. You will be contacted by Karamu's finance office with next steps.
Will run
Little Griots: Story and Stage (Ages 5-9)
with Sydney Smith
Ages: 5 - 9
Welcome your young performer into the world of theatre through storytelling, play, and performance. Little Griots: Story and Stage is designed to introduce children ages 5–9 to the foundations of acting while fostering creativity, empathy, and collaboration. Through games, improvisation, and age-appropriate scene work, students gain confidence on and off the stage.
Class Day: Saturdays
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Session Dates: October 5 – October 31, 2026
First Class Meeting: October 10, 2026
Performance Dates: In-Class on October 31, 2026
Location: Karamu House, 2355 East 89th Street Cleveland, OH 44106 | Upper Drama Studio
Required Materials: Comfortable movement clothing and sneakers
Annual Registration Fee: $25.00 (non-refundable)
Full Tuition & Sliding-Scale Financial Assistance Available
To request financial aid for the LITTLES Dance and/or LITTLES Acting class, use promo code LITTLES26 at checkout to pay only the $25 registration fee at the time of enrollment. Do not select a payment plan. You will be contacted by Karamu's finance office with next steps.
A member of our finance team will contact you to collect documents such as paystubs or tax returns to assess your family's financial aid eligibility. We will then provide a tuition award and create a personalized payment plan that meets your needs.
Please Note: The $25 annual registration fee is required for all students, regardless of tuition option.
Contact our Arts Education Department: info@karamuhouse.org
Phone: (216) 795-7077
To request financial aid for the LITTLES Dance and/or LITTLES Acting class, use promo code LITTLES26 at checkout to pay only the $25 registration fee at the time of enrollment.
Will run
Sankofa Social: Urban Ballroom Dance (Adult)
with Duane Johnson
Sankofa Social: Urban Ballroom Dance is a vibrant and welcoming class designed for adult life-long learners of all experience levels." ...a social, mature, and soulful partner dance experience that merges the structured elegance of traditional ballroom with the smooth, rhythmic, and improvised styling of 1970s Detroit club dancing. It is often referred to as "Detroit Ballroom" or "Urban Contemporary Ballroom," focusing on fluid movement to mellow R&B, soul, and jazz music, prioritizing connection, sophistication, and a "glide" across the floor rather than high-energy, high-impact movements. - LA Times, 2012
Participants will build coordination, balance, confidence, and partner connection while exploring movement that feels both grounded and expressive. Whether you are stepping onto the dance floor for the first time or returning with experience, this class emphasizes joy, community, and personal style.
Adult Urban Ballroom Dance honors Karamu’s legacy as a home for cultural expression and artistic growth, offering adults a space to stay active, build community, and celebrate movement in an uplifting, culturally connected environment.
ATTIRE:
Comfortable clothes, shoes with a smooth bottom for dancing or sock covers over rubber soles.
Sock covers: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FKNDFY7P?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
This year’s program proudly aligns with Karamu House’s year-round theme:
Class Day: Tuesdays
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Session Dates: October 5 – November 7, 2026
First Class Meeting: October 6, 2026
Performance Dates: November 7, 2026
Location: Karamu House, 2355 East 89th Street, Cleveland, OH 44106 | Pavilion
Required Materials: Comfortable movement clothing
Contact our Arts Education Department: info@karamuhouse.org Phone: (216) 795-7077
Will run