(MC)2 Festival: August 24-29, 2026

(MC)2 is a multi-cultural dance festival curated by George Staib & staibdance, taking place August 24-29 presented by Roswell Cultural Arts Center and in partnership with Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance / Roswell Dance Theatre.
The festival unites Atlanta based culturally rooted dance organizations under one roof for six days of classes, performances and community conversations. Join us for the most varied and diverse assembling of culturally rooted dance organizations in Atlanta!

Schedule of Events

Classes will be held at Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance from August 24-27
Performances will be held at Roswell Cultural Arts Center on August 28 & 29

Keep scrolling to get to know the festival participants, learn more about the schedule of events & register!

Meet the 2026 Festival Participants

CLASSES

CLASSES

Class SCHEDULE

All classes take place at Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance - 601 Houze Way, Suite 100, Roswell, GA 30076.

MONDAY AUGUST 24

⏰ 6:00-7:15 PM | Flamenco rhythm and dance led by Berdolé Flamenco
⏰ 6:00-7:15 PM | Angikam: expressions through bodily movement led by Academy of Kuchipudi Dance
⏰ 7:30-8:45 PM | Atlanta Irish Dance led by Atlanta Irish Dance
⏰ 7:30-8:45 PM | West African Roots: exploring traditional dances to inform contemporary movement
led by Giwayen Mata

TUESDAY AUGUST 25

⏰ 6:00-7:15 PM | Alma Mexicana Atlanta led by Alma Mexicana Danza Folklórica
⏰ 6:00-7:15 PM | Chinese Dance led by Atlanta Chinese Dance Company
⏰ 7:30-8:45 PM | Emo: Performance Hip-Hop led by Lyrik London/Haus of London

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 26

⏰ 6:00-7:15 PM | African led by Dr. Theresa Howard
⏰ 6:00-7:15 PM | Angikam: expressions through bodily movement led by Academy of Kuchipudi Dance
⏰ 7:30-8:45 PM | Flamenco for beginners led by Flamenco Underground
⏰ 7:30-8:45 PM | Emo: Performance Hip-Hop led by Lyrik London/Haus of London

  • MONDAY CLASSES
    Class: Flamenco Rhythm and Dance
    Recommended Footwear: Flamenco shoes, character shoes, or barefoot. No tap shoes

    Class: Angikam – Expressions Through Bodily Movements
    Recommended Footwear: Barefoot

    Class: Atlanta Irish Dance
    Recommended Footwear: Ballet or jazz shoes

    Class: West African Roots with Giwayen Mata
    Recommended Footwear: Barefoot

    TUESDAY CLASSES
    Class: Alma Mexicana Atlanta
    Recommended Footwear: Shoes with a small heel (character, tap, or jazz shoes); barefoot optional

    Class: Chinese Dance
    Recommended Footwear: Ballet shoes preferred; barefoot optional

    Class: Emo: Performance Hip-Hop
    Recommended Footwear: Lightweight sneakers

    WEDNESDAY CLASSES
    Class: African
    Recommended Footwear: Barefoot

    Class: Angikam – Expressions Through Bodily Movements
    Recommended Footwear: Barefoot

    Class: Flamenco for Beginners
    Recommended Footwear: Closed toed shoes, Ex: character shoes or sneakers/street shoes

    Class: Emo: Performance Hip-Hop
    Recommended Footwear: Lightweight sneakers

All classes are beginner-friendly and attendees are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing you can move freely in.

Class PRICING

Single Class: $18
3-Class Package: $45
5-Class Package: $60

Register for Class

PANEL DISCUSSION

PANEL DISCUSSION

Thursday, August 27 | 6:30-8:30 PM

Join us for an energized kick-off celebration with community, culture, conversation and food! This must-be-experienced event kicks off with a Family Feast, with food provided by local Roswell Restaurants, followed by a moving panel discussion: The Closeness of Continents.
Meet the dancers and Artistic Directors of each performing organization and hear them reflect upon the journey of preserving the DNA of their historic, cultural dance forms. Let their stories bring you closer to your own. 

Doors open at 6:00 PM
6:30 PM | Family Feast
7:30-8:30 PM | Panel Discussion

Location: Tolbert Yilmaz School of Dance
Price: FREE, Registration required

Panelists: Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, Alma Mexicana Danza Folklórica, Atlanta Chinese Dance Company, Atlanta Irish Dance, Berdolé Flamenco, Flamenco Underground, Giwayen Mata, Lyrik London/Haus of London,
Dr. Theresa Howard

The Closeness of Continents

Register for Panel Discussion

PERFORMANCES

PERFORMANCES

FRIDAY, AUGUST 28 | 7:00 PM
Program A

Featuring: Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, Atlanta Chinese Dance Company, Atlanta Irish Dance, Berdolé Flamenco, Giwayen Mata, Lyrik London/Haus of London
Location: Roswell Cultural Arts Center

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29 | 7:00 PM
Program B

Featuring: Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, Alma Mexicana Danza Folklórica, Atlanta Chinese Dance Company, Flamenco Underground, Giwayen Mata, Lyrik London/Haus of London
Location: Roswell Cultural Arts Center

Attend a Performance

Festival Sponsors:

Programming Partner — Atlanta Dance Medicine

Grant & Foundation Support:

Funding for this program is provided in part by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and The Foster G. McGaw Educational Foundation.

THE STORY

THE STORY

The heart hungers for a home, well, mine does. 

Inside the unspoken understanding among family members, the smell of that dish cooking and those particular instruments playing those particular chords resides the usher to our pasts and our current sense of belonging. You know it when you feel it, and you delight in the fact that you can’t describe it.
I came to know the pertinence of this sensation the more distant “my people” became. It's a longing that I forget exists until I am among the elements of my culture. When it’s stirred, it is all consuming - as though I want the world to know about this most precious and private DNA. 

Sometimes I feel the need to quiet the otherworldliness of my history,  and other times feel compelled to use it as a shield, my motive for being. All the while, whether dormant or active, the sensations of home can take on their full glory in the blink of an eye.
While you may never understand the embodied hand gestures, the odd grunts nor the oddball logic that moves an idea around my brain, you will always be welcome at any table I set.

This is (MC)2.

It is an opportunity to witness and celebrate otherworldliness in its pristine and gritty glory. 
It is an opportunity for varied cultures to temporarily build their unique and beautiful homes on the same street.
It is a chance to join hands, sit at the table and bathe in the intimate and personal stories that define many people from many places.

Join hands with us,
George Staib