FORRÓ NEW YORK WEEKEND
SPRING EDITION - 2026
MAY 22-24
Forró New York Weekend - Spring Edition 2026 is a Brazilian forró festival in New York City.
The festival brings together workshops, social dancing, live music, and guest artists across a three-day program.
The weekend is structured as a full experience of learning, dancing, and live music, open to all levels, including beginners.
It includes official programming produced by Forró New York Weekend, and it also connects participants with independent forró events happening in the city as part of the broader local scene.
Dates: May 22-24, 2026
Locations: New York City
(primarily Manhattan, see complete schedule section)
Membership OfferMay 22-24, 2026 (three-day festival)Various locations (read event description)Forró festival in New York City with workshops, social dancing, live music, and DJs. Open to all levels, including beginners.
Members of the Forró New York Association receive 25% discount on the festival.
For participants planning to attend multiple activities throughout the year, this can be a valuable option.
WHAT MAKES THIS EDITION UNIQUE?
Each edition of the Forró New York Weekend follows a consistent artistic and educational vision, combining workshops, social dancing, live music, and community-focused programming.
The Spring 2026 edition introduces a few structural changes to shape the flow of the weekend.
We begin on Friday with an opening social dance designed as an accessible entry point into the weekend experience.
On Saturday, all official activities take place at Gibney, bringing workshops, practice, and social dancing into a single location. This centralization creates a continuous learning and dancing environment throughout the day.
Within this structure, the space shifts between class and social dance settings, including a dedicated performance setup that changes the atmosphere over the course of the evening.
The Saturday schedule ends earlier than typical nightlife hours in New York City, allowing participants to also engage with other forró events in the city if they choose.
On Sunday, the program continues at Ripley Grier Studios, followed by the traditional Sunday party at Beija-Flor, an established weekly event produced independently by the Beija-Flor team.
The festival is part of the broader forró ecosystem in New York City. Some events featured during the weekend are independent productions presented as part of the overall experience, not organized by Forró New York Weekend.
COMPLETE SCHEDULE
*Subject to change
Explore the full schedule of workshops, social dances, and performances.
Friday, May 22, 2026
OPENING DANCE PARTY
"Forró em Vinil"
Beija-Flor*
38-02 29th St, Queens, NY 11101
9:00 pm - 1:00 am
Forró vinyl party with DJ Thassyo
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*This event does not require a festival ticket and is independently produced by Beija-Flor.
Saturday, May 23, 2026
WORKSHOPS - Gibney
53A Chambers St, New York, NY 10007
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Dance workshops
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SOCIAL PRACTICE & PARTY - Gibney
53A Chambers St, New York, NY 10007
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Sunday, May 24, 2026
WORKSHOPS - Ripley-Grier Studios
520 8th Ave, New York, NY 10018
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Dance workshops
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DANCE PARTY - Beija-Flor*
38-02 29th St, Queens, NY 11101
5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Live music
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*The Beija-Flor Sunday party is a recurring event in the city. This is an independent event produced entirely by Beija-Flor and does not require a festival ticket.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AND CLASS STRUCTURE
The Forró New York Weekend workshops are organized into different tracks and levels, allowing participants to create an experience that matches their interests, background, and goals during the festival.
BEGINNER TRACK WORKSHOPS
The workshops marked in white are part of the Beginner Track.
These classes are especially designed for beginners and recently initiated dancers who want a more structured and accessible introduction to the festival experience.
The Beginner Track focuses on foundations, movement organization, basic turns, rhythm, and core concepts that help students feel more comfortable and confident in social dancing.
Participants with a Beginner’s Pass have access to these classes.
At the same time, dancers with Full Passes or Day Passes are also welcome to join them. Many experienced dancers choose to revisit foundational concepts during the weekend, since refining basics often brings new clarity, musicality, and comfort to the dance.
OPEN LEVEL CLASS
The Sunday 2 PM workshop, marked in pink, is an Open Level class.
This means the class is not specifically for absolute beginners, but rather a shared space focused on fundamental elements of forró that are valuable across all levels.
The topic - “Body Contact, Communication, and Posture” - is designed to be explored both by experienced dancers and by beginners who already completed the foundational introductory classes.
Open Level classes often create an interesting environment where dancers with different backgrounds can work together on sensitivity, connection, body awareness, and dance quality rather than only complex vocabulary.
INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED WORKSHOPS
The workshops marked in dark red are designed for intermediate and advanced dancers.
These classes are included for participants with a Full Pass or Day Pass.
The topics in these rooms usually explore more complex movement combinations, variations, musical ideas, partner connection, creativity, and technical development. Some classes may also assume previous experience with partner dancing and with the basic vocabulary of forró.
PASS ACCESS OVERVIEW
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Full Pass holders may attend any workshop during the festival.
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Day Pass holders may attend any workshop on the day included in their pass.
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Beginner’s Pass holders may attend:
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the Beginner Track workshops (white)
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the Open Level workshop (pink)
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This structure allows participants to choose between a more guided beginner experience or a more flexible immersive experience across all workshop rooms during the weekend.
INSTRUCTORS & DJ
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Camila (Paris)
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James (Newark)
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Davi (NYC)
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Dora (NYC)
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Rafael (NYC)
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DJ Thassyo (NYC)
Forró New York Weekend is one of the leading recurring forró festivals in the United States, connecting dancers from New York City and around the world.
FULL PASS - COMPLETE FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE
The Full Pass is designed for dancers who are already part of the forró scene and want full access to the Forró New York Weekend.
It includes all workshops, social dances, and festival activities across the entire weekend.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
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Access to all workshops across the weekend (8 hours across two afternoons)
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Entry to social dances and parties
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About than 20 hours of combined festival activities
WORKSHOPS
Workshops are organized across different levels:
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Beginner level (fundamentals)
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Open level (accessible to all levels)
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Intermediate and advanced level
Intermediate and advanced workshops are exclusive to Full Pass holders.
THE EXPERIENCE
The Full Pass offers full immersion into the New York forró community over an entire weekend of dancing, learning, and social connection.
BEGINNERS PASS - STARTER EXPERIENCE
The Beginner’s Pass is a special program designed for first-time participants at Forró New York Weekend.
It provides access to selected beginner-friendly workshops, helping new dancers feel comfortable entering the festival experience from day one.
This pass is designed to support people with little or no prior experience in forró, offering a guided introduction to the dance, music, and social atmosphere of the festival.
Learn more about the Beginner’s Pass and how it works in detail on our blog.
FESTIVAL TESTIMONIALS
These testimonials offer a real sense of the experience of being part of the festival.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is this festival suitable for beginners?
Yes. We offer a dedicated Beginner’s Pass with a structured sequence of classes designed specifically for those starting from zero.
At the same time, the event also brings experienced dancers, guest artists, and advanced workshops - making it valuable for all levels.
Do I need a dance partner to attend?
No. Partner rotation is part of the classes, and the community is very welcoming.
You will meet and dance with many people throughout the weekend.
What pass should I choose?
We offer Full Pass, Day Pass, and Beginner’s Pass options. The Full Pass includes the complete experience across the weekend, while other options allow more flexible participation.
Where does the festival take place?
The Spring 2026 edition takes place in New York City, primarily in Manhattan, with additional venues depending on the schedule. Full details are shared and updated on this page and in our WhatsApp group for participants.
FURTHER READING
Some reflections about social dancing, connection, community, and the kind of environment we try to cultivate in our events:
→ Why the Forró Community Feels So Welcoming for Beginners
→ Reciprocity in Social Dancing
→ What Is a Forró Festival? Complete Guide to Social Dance Immersion, Classes, and Music