The Upsurge Dance Festival 2026

Joniece “JoJo” Boykins and Lula Washington Dance Theatre co-host

Upsurge Dance Festival 2026

6th Annual Choreographic Festival

Stay Tuned for More Details!

Upsurge Dance Festival (USDF) is an international annual festival that aims to highlight the voices of choreographers of African descent.

USDF is in search of choreographers of African descent to showcase their work in their annual choreographic festival, Upsurge Dance Festival, on Saturday, October 24th at 7pm at the Lula Washington Dance Theatre in Los Angeles. USDF is an interdisciplinary annual festival geared to present the voices of upcoming and seasoned choreographers. ALL STYLES ARE WELCOMED!

This year, they are seeking past works that have been previously presented. The presented work must not exceed 9 min. Excerpts are welcomed! Artists may submit multiple works for review. Selected artists and their collaborators will be responsible for arranging and covering their own travel and accommodation expenses.

One choreographer will be selected to receive a mentorship opportunity! Previous mentors include well-renowned choreographers such as Sidra Bell, Tamica Washington-Miller, Peter Chu, and Tommie Waheed. You will have the chance to receive one on one guidance for your next work in progress to be shown at USDF’s 2026 showcase. USDF will cover studio space during these mentorship sessions. The selected artist will participate in events such as interviews, pre-show showings, masterclasses, and more!