Since it opened 15 years ago in a renovated former Art Deco movie palace, the Atlas Performing Arts Center has had a visible impact on its H Street Corridor neighborhood through its regular work in presenting “art that informs, educates, enlightens, and inspires,” as the institution’s executive director Doug Yeuell puts it. That is also essentially the goal of Intersections, a festival that aims to showcase art that makes “a difference in our society, culture, and world.” The 11th annual festival offers more than 50 performances from artists ranging from musicians to filmmakers, dancers to speakers. The festival officially launches on Thursday, Feb. 20, with a concert by folk-pop singer Malinda and her band as part of a launch party with light bites and drinks starting at 7 p.m.

Highlights from this weekend and the next are listed below. Descriptions are adapted from those submitted to us by the individual artists. The festival runs through Sunday, March 1 at the Atlas, 1333 H St. NE. A festival pass is $85. Tickets to the Launch Party are $45, or $25 for the concert only. Individual ticket prices vary.

Call 202-399-7993 or visit www.atlasarts.org/intersections for a full schedule and details.

Friday, Feb. 21

AN EVENING WITH LAURA COATES

Lang Theatre, 8 p.m.
$25

ELIZABETH McCAIN

A Lesbian Belle Tells…
Lab Theatre 1, 8 p.m.
$35

True stories of growing up in a traditional Mississippi family, coming out in D.C., experiencing family estrangement, and finding love and belonging.

GABRIEL MATA/MOVEMENTS

This is Where/I Begin…
Lab Theatre 2, 8 p.m.
$25

A solo dance exposing the plight of a DACA recipient/Dreamer and the relationship of living in the states.

Saturday, Feb. 22

JESS HOEVERSEN AND MARIAH LOPEZ

Small Creatures
Lab Theatre 2, 1 p.m.
$25

Mariah Lopez performs her work “Indelible” and Hoversen presents “The Light of Slow Descent.”

MOTION X/DANCE DC

The Fate of Choice
Lang Theatre, 2 p.m.
$25

A new multimedia dance performance that explores free will vs. determinism.

BRENDA A. HAYES

BackBurner Dreams
Lab Theatre 1, 2:15 p.m.
$20

The film follows three women of color as they try to bring the dreams and passions they had for their lives before marrying and raising children.

SILK ROAD DANCE COMPANY

The Golden Road to Samarkand
Sprenger Theatre, 2:15 p.m.
$25

Dances of Uzbek, Uyghur, Kazakh, Afghan, Persian, Georgian, and Indian origin celebrate the diversity and beauty of Silk Road cultures.

AYESIS CLAY

Sculpting Clay or How I Became Mother of Unicorns
Lab Theatre 1, 4:30 p.m.
$25

A coming of age tale of one woman’s attempts to navigate the fantastical journey of her dreams while repeatedly being drawn into the complicated, often dark realities that her students face.

JANE FRANKLIN DANCE

EyeSOAR
Lab Theatre 2, 5 p.m.
$25

Audio, video, and movement highlight the wonderful people and organizations in an industrial neighborhood.

IN PERSON FILM

Blood is At the Doorstep
Lab Theatre 1, 7 p.m.
$20

DISSONANCE DANCE THEATRE

Diaspora
Sprenger Theatre, 8:15 p.m.
$25

An evening-length program celebrating West African, Caribbean, South American, and American music by performing works of contemporary ballet and modern dances set to soca, blues, samba, and soul.

GIN DANCE COMPANY

Unveil
Lang Theatre, 8:30 p.m.
$35

Includes the pieces “Breaking News” and the elegant contemporary ballet “Infinity.”

LOVE IN THE TIME OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Lab Theatre 2, 8:30 p.m.
$20

Sunday, Feb. 23

ANNA MWALAGHO

Never Thought I Was Black Till I Came to America
Sprenger Theatre, 2 p.m.
$25

A one-woman play that tells the story of an African immigrant living in America.

THE SAPAN INSTITUTE

Journeys
Lang Theatre, 2:30 p.m.
$25

Explores the many stories of the South Asian American experience through music, dance, and theater.

ANDREW EARL SIMPSON

The Lost World
Lab Theatre 2, 4 p.m.
$20

DEIDRE STAPLES

White-ish
Lab Theatre 1, 4 p.m.
$25

A comical journey of a black girl wanting to be white, exploring what it means to be black aesthetically, socially, and spiritually, and what it means to be black in white spaces.

DANCIN’ UNLIMITED

Spot on Jazz
Lang Theatre, 7 p.m.
$20

An evening of choreography that explores all the facets of jazz dance: Blues, Broadway, Contemporary, and Modern.

JAMES FERNANDO

The Electronically Augmented Piano
Lab Theatre 2, 7 p.m.
$20

A pianist and composer whose music lies at the intersection of jazz, classical, and electronic music.

THE VILLAGE DANCE PROJECT

The Black Storybook: Unique to Us, True to All
Sprenger Theatre, 7 p.m.
$30

Thursday, Feb. 27

BEN BEURGEL

Electroacoustic Oboe
Lab Theatre 1, 8 p.m.
$20

A program of recent solo oboe music that uses expressive technology and pushes the boundaries of what the instrument can do.

THERESE & ELIZABETH GAHL

Nocturne
Lang Theatre, 8 p.m.
$30

TVAMEVA + NEHA MISRA

Upakrama – The Beginning
Lab Theatre 2, 8 p.m.
$25

GLADE DANCE COLLECTIVE

Oizys in the Waiting Room
Sprenger Theatre, 8:15 p.m.
$25

Dancers embody and confront our anxiety, asking what it takes to redirect its power and invoke change.

Friday, Feb. 28

ERICK ACUNA

Acuna Acuna
Lab Theatre 2, 8 p.m.
$20

A one-person comedy show based on comedian Erick Acuña’s real life as a Peruvian Latino living in America.

DAY EIGHT SPOKEN WORD

Spoken Truths
Lab Theatre 1, 8 p.m.
$20

WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY SINGERS

Considering Matthew Shepard
Lang Theatre, 8 p.m.
$30

CAPITOL MOVEMENT PROJECT

Capitol Movement Reimagined
Sprenger Theatre, 8:15 p.m.
$25

Saturday, Feb. 29

MISTO DI VOCI ENSEMBLE

Mysticism, Music and Celebration
Lang Theatre, 3 p.m.
$25

Explores mysticism and music of the spheres in a multimedia presentation of Alan Hovhaness’ Saturn.

DOMINIC ANTHONY GREEN

Awaken, Brown Eyes
Lab Theatre 1, 5 p.m.
$20

A collection of four short films detailing the variety of human experiences through the perspective of today’s Black Americans.

MARLOW ROSADO QUINTET

Lang Theatre, 8 p.m.
$30

WASHINGTON IMPROV THEATER AND FRIENDS

Weight of the World, Light as a Feather
Lab Theatre 2, 8 p.m.
$20

Audience members share topics weighing on their minds, and their responses inspire improvisers to create scenes and dialogue as dancers introduce choreography and create movement and patterns.

MARIE McNAIR, TRULY BENNETT, KYOKO FUJIMOTO, REBECCA LALLANDE

Behind the Mask, Beneath the Surface

Sprenger Theatre, 8:30 p.m.
$20
Sunday, March 1

MARJUAN CANADY

Girls! Girls? Girls.
Lab Theatre 2, 1 p.m.
$20

A short performance documentary that explores the past, present and funny yet frightening future of the global black woman.

POLYMATH PERFORMANCE PROJECT

Thrashes to Ashes
Sprenger Theatre, 1 p.m.
$20

FURIA FLAMENCA

Ritmos Españoles
Lang Theatre, 2:30 p.m.
$35

Known for their fiery delivery of flamenco music and song, the company’s twelve dancers will be accompanied by an ensemble of seven musicians.

THEATRE PROMETHEUS

The Wolf You Feed
Lab Theatre 1, 3:15 p.m.
$10

HEIDI MARTIN

Abbey
Lab Theatre 2, 4:30 p.m.
$30

CAPITOL TAP & DISTRICT TAP

Sole Beats
Sprenger Theatre, 5:30 p.m.
$25

This one-hour family-friendly show skips around the globe, highlighting the common themes of how percussive dance is the heartbeat of the world.

JAYAMANGALA

Navagraha – 9 Energies Within and Without
Lang Theatre, 7 p.m.
$20

Dancers explore and use the nine energies to connect the Self with the Universe.

JOSANNE FRANCIS + CHAO TIAN

Parallel Intersections
Lab Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
$25

The sounds of the tropical steelpan elegantly punctuate the bold, ethereal lilt of the Chinese dulcimer, creating an absolutely transcendent soundscape.

BALANCE CAMPAIGN

Rebirth
Lab Theatre 2, 8 p.m.
$25

A concert of new musical works by Sarah Kirkland Snider, Judd Greenstein, and Daniel Kellogg.