Thiante: Spiritual Senegal
Saturday, February 28, 2026
8 pm
Nanji Family Foundation Auditorium
$45 Regular • $40.50 Friends • $33.75 Students and Seniors
Tickets to this performance include Museum admission.
Member presale begins Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 1 pm
Public sale begins Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 12 pm
Join us for an evening of captivating rhythms, stirring vocals, and mesmerizing movement, and experience Senegalese traditions as they are lived and felt — alive, communal, and unforgettable.
Presented in partnership with the Batuki Music Society, Thiante: Spiritual Senegal unfolds in two vibrant acts. The first introduces Zikr, a dynamic tradition of vocal recitation, chanting, and cyclical rhythm that immerses participants in the communal energy of Senegalese sound culture. The second half showcases Sam Fall, a Baye Fall ritual form that fuses poetic praise, intricate rhythms, and spirited movement, creating a powerful, immersive experience of collective expression.
Thiante is a living cultural practice, rooted in centuries-old traditions of Senegalese marabouts. Its rhythmic repetitions, call-and-response patterns, and intricate vocal lines create an experience that is both captivating and transformative, offering insight into how sound, movement, and community intertwine in Senegalese life.
These practices are not staged as entertainment but presented as authentic examples of Senegalese sonic traditions, where rhythm, repetition, and performance convey identity, values, and shared experience.
Originating within Senegal’s influential Sufi brotherhoods, including the Mouride and Qadiriyya orders, these forms reflect a rich history of spiritual, ethical, and artistic life. The Baye Fall community, known for its vibrant ceremonies and communal rhythms, continues to shape Senegalese culture both at home and across the diaspora.