All is set for the inaugural Dera & Dance, Malindi Weekender themed ‘The Love & Romance Edition’ from 30th April to 3rd May 2026 at Mwembe Resort in Kilifi County.
The women-only coastal experience is designed as a premium cultural retreat combining dance, music, conversation, leisure, and connection, all held within a space where women can fully express themselves, unguarded and at ease.
At its heart, Dera & Dance is about women’s empowerment through expression. In a collective of women, movement becomes more than dance, conversation becomes more than talk, and presence becomes its own quiet form of power. When women gather in spaces that invite them to take up room — to move freely, to speak openly, to rest without apology, to celebrate their femininity without performance — something shifts. The weekender is built around this idea: that expression is empowering, and that expression flourishes in community.
“Dera & Dance was born out of a simple conviction that when women come together to move, to dress beautifully, and to be in their bodies without apology, they remember something powerful about themselves,” says Wanjiru Mbiyu, founder of Ginga Bella and creator of the Dera & Dance concept. “The dera is more than a garment; it’s an invitation to soften, to flow, to feel feminine and free. And dance is how we let that feeling speak. This weekender is our offering — a space where women can return to themselves through rhythm, sisterhood, and joy.”
For Jean Githinji, community host of Malindi Afro Latin, the partnership felt natural from the start.
“Malindi Afro Latin has always been about creating spaces where people can express themselves through movement and culture, and there’s something deeply special about a space curated entirely for women,” she says. “Bringing Dera & Dance to Mwembe Resort, on this coast, in this season, feels like the right kind of gathering. Women need places like this where the space holds you, the music moves you, and the company reminds you that you are not alone in any of it.”
The weekender will feature a range of curated activities including a movie night, sunset dhow experience, happy hour, makeup and henna moments, guided love and romance conversations, Ginga and Kishuri workshops, live performance, poolside relaxation, and open dance experiences.
A collaboration between Malindi Afro Latin, Ginga Bella, and Mwembe Resort, the event aims to celebrate feminine energy, cultural expression, and meaningful connection in a beautiful coastal setting, offering women a rare space to gather, express, and be fully seen.
Tickets are available for both residential packages and non-resident individual experiences, with more details available through the bios of Malindi Afro Latin, Ginga Bella, and Mwembe Resort.
