Press release: Cirque Kalabanté
For immediate release
Februar 20, 2026
Cirque Kalabanté’s Afrique en Cirque Showcases Contemporary African Cirque In Dazzling Show For All Ages at the Carpenter Center on March 21 at 8 p.m.
LONG BEACH, Calif — Cirque Kalabanté’s Afrique en Cirque celebrates contemporary African cirque at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center on the campus of California State University, Long Beach, on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 8 p.m. Created and directed by Guinean-born multidisciplinary artist and former Cirque du Soleil performer Yamoussa Bangoura, the Afrique en Cirque is inspired by daily life in Guinea. Featuring gravity-defying acrobatics and human pyramids, all set to live Afro-jazz, percussion, and kora, Afrique en Cirque vividly communicates the strength, agility, and communal traditions of West African culture in a performance for all ages.
Kalabanté Productions has toured extensively across Canada, the United States, and internationally. Their appearance at the Carpenter Center offers SoCal audiences an electrifying evening of acrobatics, music, and cultural storytelling. Tickets to see Cirque Kalabanté start at $43.75. Families save with a buy three, get one free offer at online checkout with code FAMILY4PACK.
About Cirque Kalabanté
Yamoussa Bangoura began studying circus arts in the 1990s in Conakry, Guinea, drawing inspiration from European circus broadcasts and training independently on local beaches and open spaces. He also studied the Nyamakala tradition of circus practiced by the Fula people of West Africa and later joined Guinea’s original circus company, Circus Baobab, touring Africa and Europe.
In the early 2000s, Bangoura joined Cirque Éloize, the Montreal-based contemporary circus company. He subsequently performed with Cirque du Soleil and Cavalia. In 2007, he founded Kalabanté Productions in Montreal, establishing a multidisciplinary company dedicated to African circus arts and recruiting members of his extended family—including siblings and cousins—to join the ensemble. In 2018, the company opened a studio and school in Montreal offering training in African dance, circus, and drumming.
Event Details
Cirque Kalabanté – Afrique en Cirque
When: Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 8 p.m.
Venue: Carpenter Performing Arts Center
California State University, Long Beach
6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach, CA 90815
Tickets: start at $43.75, available at carpenterarts.org
Special Offer: Buy three tickets, get one free with code FAMILY4PACK.
Refreshments can be purchased and enjoyed in the Center’s lobby. Additional ticketing information is available at carpenterarts.org/ticket-office. Press photos are available at carpenterarts.org/press.
ALSO THIS MARCH AT THE CARPENTER CENTER
Versa-Style Street Dance Company
Tribute: Guardians of Street Dance
Friday, March 13, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Hotel California - The Original Eagles Tribute
Sunday, March 15, 2026 at 3 p.m.
Kandace Springs - Lady in Satin
Wednesday/Thursday March 18–19, 2026 at 7 p.m.
Attendance and Parking Information
We advise patrons to visit our Frequently Asked Questions page at www.carpenterarts.org/faqs before any performance for the most up-to-date attendance information.
Convenient parking is available directly in front of the Carpenter Center in lot G12. All parking lots on campus, including lot G12, are operated by CSULB’s Parking and Transportation Services, which sets all parking fees. The Carpenter Center does not earn any portion of the collected fees. Parking fees this season remain at $10 after 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and $10 all day on weekends. Additional parking information is available at www.carpenterarts.org/parking.
About the Carpenter Center
The Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center is located on the campus of California State University, Long Beach. Its 1,054-seat theatre gracefully accommodates large and small productions, including a season of performances showcasing emerging and established musicians, dancers, actors, speakers, comedians, and visual artists, as well as other artistic, educational, and cultural experiences that enrich lives, promote lifelong learning in and through the performing arts, and serve as a gateway between the university and the greater community.
