About the AcademyYoung voices. Deep roots. Powerful rhythms.

Growing confidence, celebrating African cultural heritage, and bringing people together, one beat at a time.

Academy youth and two instructors in matching kente-print outfits gathered behind djembe and conga-style drums on a lawn

Our story

More than a performance group

The AIFS Youth Drumming Academy is a cultural arts and youth development program of African Immigrant Family Services (AIFS) in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Academy provides children and youth with opportunities to learn African drumming traditions, rhythm, dance, performance, teamwork, leadership, cultural expression, and community engagement.

Through hands-on instruction and public performances, participants build confidence, strengthen cultural identity, develop artistic and leadership skills, and share African cultural traditions with diverse audiences.

The Academy is more than a performance group. It is a platform for youth development, cultural preservation, education, leadership, belonging, and community connection.

Music is where we begin. Youth development is at the heart of what we do.

An Academy performer speaks into a microphone beside fellow performers in beaded necklaces and woven wraps, with drummers seated behind them

The Academy experience

A place to find your rhythm. And your voice.

Learn: Skills that grow
Listen, practice, and create together.
Belong: Roots that connect
Explore heritage and share traditions.
Lead: Confidence that lasts
Step forward on stage and in life.

The path

From the first beat to the community stage.

Learning, expression, and connection are part of every rhythm.

Learn & grow
Hands-on drumming, rhythm, movement, and cultural learning help young people develop focus, creativity, and teamwork.
Ask about participation
Perform & connect
Youth bring energy and cultural expression to festivals, schools, universities, and community celebrations.
Request a performance
Share & discover
Schools and organizations host interactive drumming workshops and cultural partnerships with the Academy.
Explore a partnership

Youth development

More than drumming

Every rehearsal and performance is a chance to grow. The Academy is a platform for youth development, cultural preservation, education, leadership, belonging, and community connection.

Five smiling Academy girls in matching kente-print outfits at an outdoor multicultural festival

Participation helps youth develop

Confidence
Leadership
Teamwork
Discipline
Communication
Creativity
Cultural identity
Performance skills
Community responsibility
Cross-cultural understanding

Families: ask about joining Support youth development

What guides us

Mission, vision, and values

Mission

The AIFS Youth Drumming Academy empowers children and youth through African drumming, dance, storytelling, cultural education, and performance. We build confidence, leadership, teamwork, and pride in heritage, one beat at a time.

Vision

A community where every young person can take pride in their heritage, lead with confidence, and connect across cultures through rhythm.

Values

Respect for culture. We share each tradition with care for where it comes from.
Youth voice. Young people lead, on stage and in the circle.
Teamwork. Every rhythm depends on everyone.
Excellence. We practice with discipline and perform with pride.
Community. Music is how we bring people together.

Our approach to culture

Many traditions. One circle.

Africa is home to more than 50 countries and thousands of languages, peoples, and artistic traditions. We never present one rhythm, dance, or garment as representing the whole continent.

The Academy's music, movement, and stories draw on the African drumming traditions represented by our participants and instructors, and by the diverse African communities of Omaha. When we teach or perform a piece, we aim to share where it comes from and what it means.

We celebrate the richness of African cultural traditions while creating space for young people from diverse backgrounds to learn and connect.

A program of African Immigrant Family Services

African Immigrant Family Services (AIFS) is a nonprofit organization in Omaha, Nebraska, serving immigrant and refugee communities, with a focus on African and French-speaking families.

The Academy is part of AIFS youth development programming. AIFS also runs ProMoCare maternal health, the Health Screening & Education Center, case management and family support, ESL and adult education, community support services, and AIFS WEB TV.

Visit aifs-usa.org Donate to AIFS

Book the Academy

Ready to bring the rhythm to your event?

From schools and universities to festivals, conferences, community celebrations, nonprofits, and corporate events, the AIFS Youth Drumming Academy can create a memorable cultural experience for your audience.

Book us today Performance options