Add a little flash to your dance moves

Do you do the Shaku Shaku? Zanku’s legwork? How about a throwback: the Galala, anyone?

The West African musical genre — Afrobeats — has thousands of distinctive steps and moves that can be learned this week at Norfolk State University.

Friday and Saturday, the 5th annual Afrobeats FEST 757 will feature dance workshops for the public, a dance competition and a West African Dinner concert.

The festival begins Thursday with 200 school children taking a free dance workshop taught by international choreographers; this and another Friday morning class for children are not open to the public. Tickets for adult dance workshops on Friday and Saturday are available.

Festival goers will learn about the roots of Afrobeats with a Friday evening documentary screening followed by a panel discussion on this year’s theme: “Could Afrobeats be the bridge between African Americans and continental Africans?”

Afrobeats derives from a music genre of a similar name, Afrobeat — without the “s” — pioneered by Nigerian musician Fela Kuti who fused traditional Yoruba music, funk, blues and jazz. Afrobeats — with an “s” — also throws hip-hop, pop, rock and more musical styles into the mix, and according to Grammy.com, is becoming increasingly popular on the international stage. Four of the five Grammy nominees for Best African Music Performance this year are Afrobeats artists.

“It’s a constantly evolving genre,” explained Rita Cohen, the founder and executive director of the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance.

An art exhibit with works created by students and members of the NSU Fine Arts Department follows Friday’s panel. A community dance workshop and an African story time and dance for children are scheduled for Saturday. Afternoon events include a dance competition featuring local and collegiate teams including from NSU, Old Dominion and Virginia Commonwealth universities.

The event has tickets for individual events and two-day passes. The festival concludes Saturday with a dinner concert and, of course, dancing.

Colin Warren-Hicks, 919-818-8138, colin.warrenhicks@virginiamedia.com

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If you go

When: 7 to 9 p.m. Friday; 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday

Where: The Norfolk State University Student Center

Tickets: Full festival passes are $99. Most individual event tickets are $29 with an advance purchase; $35 at the door. Prices vary for children and students.

Details: taca757.org/afrobeats