GLOBAL RHYTHMS

Global Rhythms is a free Labor Day weekend showcase of music, dance, film, and storytelling from around the world, presented by the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture. Performances and presentations highlight traditions from Benin, Hungary, Ireland, Latin America, and other cultures, with opportunities to experience dance, folk music, world music, and international cinema.

The event includes a short film about a young boy in Benin who longs for a bicycle, intergenerational contemporary dance imagining a future of ordinary immortality, Hungarian folk dance and music, traditional Irish dance, a reggae and world music performance, and a lively Latin-influenced horn ensemble finale.

When: September 5, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Showtimes: “Rechargeable (Consequences of an Almost Eternal Life)” runs from 12:00 to 12:55 p.m. in the Bumper Car Pavilion. “Mon Vélo” screens at 1:00, 2:45, and 3:45 p.m. in the Ballroom Back Room. Tisza Ensemble with Szikra performs from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m.; The Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance performs from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m.; Zedicus performs from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.; and Capital Horns performs from 5:15 to 6:00 p.m. These performances take place in the Bumper Car Pavilion.

Tickets: Free

RSVP: Preferred but not required.

Presentations: “Mon Vélo” is a 12-minute short film directed by Francky Tohouegnon of Benin, presented in collaboration with House of Djeli Inc. It follows Oumar, a 12-year-old boy whose father promises him a bicycle if he finishes at the top of his class. After the school results are announced, Oumar experiences a troubling dream in which his new bicycle is stolen, then works with his friend Comlan to recover it. Tohouegnon previously worked as an assistant director and co-founded Chapêtre 3 Films with his twin brother, Franklin. His socially focused films have included “Symphonie,” “Courriers Vides,” “Indélébile,” and “Mon Vélo,” with work broadcast on Canal+ and TV5MONDE.

Dance: Contemporary Hungarian dancer and choreographer Kata Juhász presents “Rechargeable (Consequences of an Almost Eternal Life),” an intergenerational work featuring professional dancers and Glen Echo Park community participants. The performance imagines a world where people can buy extra years of life, pause their existence like a streaming subscription, or choose when to awaken from hibernation. Performers are Kata Juhász, Máté Czakó, Annetta Dexter Sawyer, Lila McConnell, Carol Hurwitch, Daphne Shy, and Lilliam O. Collmann. Music is by Tijana Stanković and Albert Márkos; Tamás Lóky is responsible for the text, dramaturgy, and concept, with choreography by Juhász.

Lineup: Tisza Ensemble presents Hungarian folk dance and music with Szikra, whose performances draw on the folk traditions of the Hungarian Csángó people of Moldva and Gyimes. Szikra’s instrumentation includes flutes, violins, jaw harp, and traditional percussion, and the program encourages audiences to listen, clap, or dance along.

Lineup: The Culkin School of Traditional Irish Dance performs Irish dance and music. Founded in 1997 by Sean and Denise Culkin, the school offers instruction from age five through adulthood and emphasizes Irish cultural traditions, community, and long-term connections among students.

Lineup: Washington, D.C.-area artist Zedicus combines reggae, rock, alternative, and world music with jam-band influences.

Lineup: Washington Conservatory of Music’s Capital Horns closes the program with arrangements by ensemble members Doug Fox and Nielsen Dalley. The repertoire includes tango, bossa nova, sailing songs, folk songs, polkas, waltzes, ABBA’s “Mamma Mia,” and “Despacito.”

Venue: Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts and Culture, 7300 MacArthur Boulevard, Glen Echo, Maryland 20812.

Parking: Free parking is available in the main parking lot at 5801 Oxford Road. The venue recommends searching for “Glen Echo Park Parking” in Google Maps.

Suggested donation: The event is free, and a suggested donation of $10 supports free festivals and concerts as well as the preservation and maintenance of Glen Echo Park’s historic buildings.

Contact: (301) 634-2222; info@glenechopark.org.