Ndyio ya Milele: A Tribute to Kelly Burgét
UZIMA! Drum and Dance, Michiana’s only African/Afro-Contemporary dance company, returns to the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center at Notre Dame with a special concert performance honoring the life and legacy of UZIMA!’s founder, the late Kelly Burgét, on July 18, 2026.
Ndyio ya Milele (pronounced In-dee-yo yah Mi-lay-lay), translates from Swahili to “Eternal Yes”. “Yes” was more than a word for Kelly – it was her way of existing. Kelly’s “yes” was her commitment to faith, to art, to culture, to teaching, and to building something rooted in purpose and carried forward by community.
This profoundly personal concert will feature UZIMA!’s current dancers, drummers, Sauti ya UZIMA! vocalists, and band as well as returning UZIMA! performers and special guests who have given their “yes” to this concert in honor of Kelly. The concert will feature works of dance, song and spoken word that represent the spectrum of Kelly’s artistic life as well as her ever-present faith. Through each selection, UZIMA! will escort the audience on a journey through Kelly’s remarkable life and creative spirit.
Following the concert, all ticket holders will have the opportunity to enjoy an after-party on the terrace featuring the music of The Island Guys steel drum band, delicious food offerings from South Bend Social in partnership with the DeBartolo’s catering department, beverages, including some special adult beverages from Perry Vine. Performers and audience members will be able to connect, reflect, and share the fellowship of community that was always Kelly’s ultimate intention.
Ndyio ya Milele (pronounced In-dee-yo yah Mi-lay-lay), translates from Swahili to “Eternal Yes”. “Yes” was more than a word for Kelly – it was her way of existing. Kelly’s “yes” was her commitment to faith, to art, to culture, to teaching, and to building something rooted in purpose and carried forward by community.
This profoundly personal concert will feature UZIMA!’s current dancers, drummers, Sauti ya UZIMA! vocalists, and band as well as returning UZIMA! performers and special guests who have given their “yes” to this concert in honor of Kelly. The concert will feature works of dance, song and spoken word that represent the spectrum of Kelly’s artistic life as well as her ever-present faith. Through each selection, UZIMA! will escort the audience on a journey through Kelly’s remarkable life and creative spirit.
Following the concert, all ticket holders will have the opportunity to enjoy an after-party on the terrace featuring the music of The Island Guys steel drum band, delicious food offerings from South Bend Social in partnership with the DeBartolo’s catering department, beverages, including some special adult beverages from Perry Vine. Performers and audience members will be able to connect, reflect, and share the fellowship of community that was always Kelly’s ultimate intention.
Where is it happening?
DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, Debartolo Performing Arts Center, 100 Performing Arts Ctr, Notre Dame, IN 46556, United States
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Host or PublisherUZIMA Drum and Dance
