[Wadabo_updates] New Drum Classes w/ Sory Diabate - Saturdays in Cambridge

Dear African Dance & Music Communtiy,

 

Sory Diabate, Djembe Fola from Mali West Africa,

offers two new drum classes in Cambridge on Saturdays:

DANCE & DRUM CLASS FOR CHILDREN (up to 11yrs)

Every Saturday 12-1:30PM, $8 per student

 

DRUM CLASS FOR ADULTS  (youth 12 & up)

Every Saturday 1:30-2:45 $12 per student

 

At the Tobin School in Cambridge 197 Vassal Lane

617.838.2540 for more information.

[Wadabo_updates] Camp Fareta July 6-13 in California!

Hey there, dancers and drummers --

 

Spread the word and save the dates -- Camp Fareta, hosted by Youssouf Koumbassa, will be happening again this summer, in the same beautiful, sunny location in central California, July 6-13.  We're expecting to have the same great chef as well, and here's the list of confirmed or nearly-confirmed artists that Youssouf has lined up who will be gracing us with their presence:

 

Dance:  Youssouf (of course!), Abdoulaye Sylla, Moustapha Bangoura, Mariama Camara, Alseny Soumah, Marietou Sano, Marie Basse-Wiles, Djeneba Sako, Babacar M'Baye

 

Drum:  M'Bemba Bangoura, Fode Bangoura, Mangue Sylla, Bolokada Conde, Wadaba Kourouma, Karamba Dioubate, Lansana Kouyate (balafon), Moussa Traore, Cheikh M'Baye

 

Of course there will be kids camp, work-exchange, fire circles at night, and a warm and friendly community atmosphere.  (For photos from the last two years, check out http://www.dancingvillage.com/ -- we hope to have the text updated in a month or so.)

 

It's going to be another great camp, and we hope to see you there! 

 

be well,

 

christina

[Wadabo_updates] Samba class CANCELED this Sat 2/16

Dear African Dance & Music Community,

Deraldo Ferreira's Samba class at the Dance Complex
IS CANCELED FEBRUARY 16TH.
(Deraldo is in Brazil)
Class will resume next week, 2/23, 1:30-3pm.

We look forward to Deraldo's return...

The Dance Complex
536 Mass Ave, Central Sq, Cambridge
www.DanceComplex.org

[Wadabo_updates] DANCE This weekend - Sekou Sylla & Demba Sene

Dear African Dance & Music Community,

This weekend there will be two fantastic guest artist classes:
1 - Guinea dance with Sekou Sylla, Friday 7:30 YWCA
2 - Sabar dance with Demba Sene, Sunday 1:30 Dance Complex
*****************************************************************************
1- Sekou Sylla, former member of Les Ballets Africains,
is teaching the dance arts of Guinea, West Africa
for Pape N'Diaye's Friday Djembe dance class
17 February - March 23
Every Friday evening, 7:30-9:00pm

$12, with LIVE music by master drummers
at the Cambridge YWCA,
7 Temple Street, Central Sq Cambridge
For schedule updates on this class visit www.wadabo.com

Sekou Sylla was a principle dancer, acrobat and musician with Les Ballet Africains, the National Dance Company of the Republic of Guinea, West Africa, until he relocated to Massachusetts in 1996. Sekou has taught and performed all over the world including Africa, Australia, Europe, Spain, Korea, Finland, France, England, Mexico and North and South America and recently taught African dance in Brazil at Melé deBalé and at the Universidade Federal da Bahia. Sekou currently teaches at Mount Holyoke College and Greenfield Community College. For more information about Sekou and his work please visit www.Bamidele.com

2- Demba Sene, former member of Le Ballet National du Senegal,
will teach Sabar dance on Sundays (Pape N'Diaye's class)
February 17th - March 23rd
Every Sunday, 1:30-3:00pm

$12 per class, with LIVE music by master drummers
Class is held at The Dance Complex
536 Massachusetts Ave, Central Sq. Cambridge
www.DanceComplex.com
For schedule updates on this class visit www.wadabo.com

Demba Djiby Ndalor Sene began studying Djembe dance in his home country of Senegal, West Africa at the age of eight. By 16 he was dancing with Goree Mon Historie, a professional company in Dakar, Senegal.  He spent three years as a lead dance for Le Ballet National du Senegal, touring internationally. Since coming to the United States Demba has taught, choreographed or performed with: Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zanes Dance company (New York City), The Spielpalast Cabaret (Vermont and The Burlesque Festival in Brooklyn, NY), & Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater (Vermont). Demba has also taught workshops for various professional performing groups including Le Cirque du Soleil "O" Production in Las Vegas, Ron Brown Evidence Company in NYC, Djoniba Studios and Maimouna Kieta School of African Dance in NYC, Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater in Vermont,  & Goree Studios in Baltimore MD.

See you dancing,
Darya

[Wadabo_updates] Joh's class CANCELED TODAY - Tenefig class WILL BE HELD

Dear African Dance & Music Community

JOH CAMARA'S class (dance @ 630) at the Camb. Boys & Girls Club
IS CANCELED FOR TODAY.
He will teach Sunday 1:30 dance class @ Dance Complex .

TENEFIG DIABATE'S workshop (dance @ 7:30) at the Camb. YWCA
IS BEING HELD TONIGHT.
Just a reminder that Tenefig is also teaching on Saturday & Sunday at the Dance Complex. See listing below:

Tenefig Diabate, former member of Les Ballets Africains
will teach THREE special workshops in the
dance arts of Guinea, West Africa:
FRIDAY, Feb 8th 7:30-9pm (Pape N'Diaye's class) YWCA Saturday, Feb 9th 4:30-6:00pm (Fatou N'Diaye's class) DC
& Sunday, Feb 10th 1:30-3:00pm (Pape N'Diaye's class) DC

$15 per class, with LIVE music by master drummers
Friday class at the Cambridge YWCA 7 Temple Street
Both Sat & Sun classes are at The Dance Complex 536 Massachusetts Ave,
Both studio are located in Central Sq., Cambridge
www.DanceComplex.com


at the Dance Complex. Listing below:

[Wadabo_updates] Diaspora Dance & Music @ Harvard's Folklore & Nationalism Conference (Feb 8 & 9)

Dear African Dance & Music Community,

Harvard's Folklore & Nationalism Conference
(Friday Feb 8th & Saturday Feb 9th)
features several presentations on African & Diaspora dance & music.

Of particular interest:
1 - Performances Friday (2/8) night at 7pm - Cape Verdean Dance (Carla Martin) & Sabar Drumming (Patty Tang)
2 - Panel (#4) Saturday (2/9) at 3pm - Various presentations on Haitian, Cape Verdean, & Senegalese dance/music arts

For full conference listing & info:
http://fas.harvard.edu/~folkmyth/folknationalism.htm
This event is free and open to the public
Harvard University,  The Barker Center, 12 Quincy Street, Harvard Sq, Cambridge, MA

FOLKLORE & NATIONALISM

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8^TH 2008

6:15 Gregorian Chant

6:20 Welcome and Introduction - Stephen Mitchell

"Kaguramen" (Japanese mask dance) - Tomie Hahn

6:45 Buffet Dinner

7:15 Performances

Scottish Song - Maggie Harrison

Cape Verdean Dance - Carla Denny Martin

Sabar Drumming - Patty Tang 

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9^TH, 2008

3:00 PANEL FOUR

"A Party for the Spirits: Transnational Vodou in Haiti and Boston" (Grete Viddal)

"Cape Verdean Music in Diaspora: Language, Nation, and Community" (Carla Martin)

"Drums and Dancing Lions: The Simb Tradition of Senegal" (Patty Tang)

"Folklore and Contested Nationalism, Whose Country Is It Anyway?" (David Guss)

 

4:00 WINE, CHEESE, & WIND-DOWN

 

[Wadabo_updates] Tenefig Diabate teaches FRIDAY 2/8, Saturday & Sunday

Dear African Dance & Music Community,

Visiting master dancer,
TENEFIG DIABATE,
will teach an additional class this weekend:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH @ YWCA 7:30-9pm

Full class schedule below:
Tenefig Diabate, former member of Les Ballets Africains
will teach THREE special workshops in the
dance arts of Guinea, West Africa:
FRIDAY, Feb 8th 7:30-9pm (Pape N'Diaye's class) YWCA Saturday, Feb 9th 4:30-6:00pm (Fatou N'Diaye's class) DC
& Sunday, Feb 10th 1:30-3:00pm (Pape N'Diaye's class) DC

$15 per class, with LIVE music by master drummers
Friday class at the Cambridge YWCA 7 Temple Street
Both Sat & Sun classes are at The Dance Complex 536 Massachusetts Ave,
Both studio are located in Central Sq., Cambridge
www.DanceComplex.com

[Wadabo_updates] Kakande with Mory Kante! @ Johnny D's Feb 21

Greetings all -
In addition to the big shows that come through town, there are often
chances for us to see some great acts in more intimate settings.
Thursday, February 21st will be one of those nights.
Kakande will be playing Johnny D's featuring a guest appearance by Mory
Kante! This concert is a CD Release Party for much anticipated new album
Dununya.

Mory Kante is an international super star from Guinea, West Africa, and
rarely backs anyone up. However, Kakande (led by Famoro Dioubate from
Guinea) has touched Mory so much that he'll be appearing with them for
this show.

"Kakande takes a unique approach to Mande music—acoustic, kinetic,
textured and grooving. Dioubate's virtuosic balafon riffing is rightly
front and center, backed harmonically by a sweet blend of electric
guitar (Mamady Kouyate), cello (Raoul Rothblatt), flute (Sylvain Leroux)
and sax (Avram Fefer). These players step out occasionally, but mostly
hang with the crisp rhythm section, creating textures that work as well
in a dark, roiling jam like "Paya Paya," as on a slow, mellifluous
praise song like "Mariama Traoré.""
- Afropop Worldwide's Review of Kakande's album "Dununya"
(http://www.afropop.org/explore/album_review/ID/3433/

Come on out and have a great time! More details below.

Press Release:
On Thursday February 21th, Johnny D's presents Kakande, a 9-piece West
African band based out of NYC, celebrating the release of their much
anticipated album, Dununya (http://www.JumbieRecords.com). The West
African music scene has been steadily growing in the U.S. in recent
years and it is sure to explode when this groundbreaking new disc hits
stores. To venerate Dununya's release, African superstar Mory Kante will
join Kakande on stage, in a rare U.S. appearance, and an
once-in-a-lifetime chance to see this legendary musician supporting
another group.

Kakande is a 9-piece collective that demonstrates how the balafon
(xylophone) has electrified African music for 800 years. Lush vocals,
flutes, sinewy guitars, cellos and countless melodic textures are
propelled by the power of Famoro Dioubate's balafon virtuosity. Layers
of intricate melody come together in Kakande to create this explosive
new groove. Mory Kante's support for the group is remarkable, especially
since he was the first African artist to sell a million CDs (see

http://www.MoryKante.com).

February 21th will be a historic chance to join Kakande and Mory Kante
as Boston writes a new chapter in the history of griot music.

Who: Kakande with special guest Mory Kante

What: CD release for new album Dununya

Where: Johnny D's
17 Holland St.
Somerville, MA 02144
617-776-2004

When: Thursday Feb. 21, 2008

Price: $15 advance/$18 door
Advance Tickets at: http://kakande.eventbrite.com/
More Information: Contact Raul Rothblatt - Raul [at] JumbieRecords.com /
718-857-3150 / 646-498-6093

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A full listing of regularly held West African Dance and Drum classes taught by master artists in and around Boston can be found at our website:
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[Wadabo_updates] Serving the Spirits: An Introduction to Haitian Vodou

Dear African Dance & Music Community,
Take this opportunity to learn more about the religious culture
that informs much of Haitian dance and music arts...

SERVING THE SPIRITS: AN INTRODUCTION TO HAITIAN VODOU
a two-part workshop series taught by
Bon Manbo Marie Maude Evans
of Jacmel, Haiti and Mattapan (Boston), MA
Sunday, March 9 and Sunday, April 13
1:00PM-5:00PM  ----  $50 per day

Vodou is a religion of service--service to God, to the spirits, and to our ancestors.  Manbo Maude will draw on her extensive experience to give an extended introduction to the practice of Haitian Vodou.   Topics will include: the major Lwa (spirits), their attributes, and how to communicate with them; how to begin serving in your own home; and how to make a simple altar.

Manbo Maude has over fifteen years of experience as a priestess.  She recently conducted the first Vodou service at Harvard University.   This is a rare opportunity to receive practical instruction from an expert on Haitian Vodou. Workshops will take place in Mattapan (Boston), Massachusetts (accessible by public transportation).

To register, receive more information, or request a full-color flyer,
write paprese@verizon.net or call 302-233-3655.

[Wadabo_updates] Dance with Sekou Sylla, Tenefig Diabate, Demba Sene

Dear African Dance & Music Community,
Over the next two months we will have several
opportunities to study with guest teachers from Guinea & Senegal:

1 - Tenefig Diabate teaches this Saturday & Sunday (Feb 9 & 10)
2 - Sekou Sylla teaches Fridays Feb & Mar (Pape N'Diaye's class)
3 - Demba Sene will teach Sundays  Feb 17 - Mar 23 (Pape N'Diaye's class)
***************************************************************************************

1 - Tenefig Diabate, former member of Les Ballets Africains
will teach two special workshops in the dance arts of Guinea, West Africa
Saturday, Feb 9th 4:30-6:00pm (Fatou N'Diaye's class)
& Sunday, Feb 10th 1:30-3:00pm (Pape N'Diaye's class)

$15 per class, with LIVE music by master drummers
Both classes are at The Dance Complex
536 Massachusetts Ave, Central Sq. Cambridge
www.DanceComplex.com

2 - Sekou Sylla, former member of Les Ballets Africains,
is teaching the dance arts of Guinea, West Africa
for Pape N'Diaye's Friday Djembe dance class
throughout  February and March
Every Friday evening, 7:30-9:00pm

Yes! There is class this Friday, Feb 9th
$12, with LIVE music by master drummers
at the Cambridge YWCA,
7 Temple Street, Central Sq Cambridge
For schedule updates on this class visit www.wadabo.com

Sekou Sylla was a principle dancer, acrobat and musician with Les Ballet Africains, the National Dance Company of the Republic of Guinea, West Africa, until he relocated to Massachusetts in 1996. Sekou has taught and performed all over the world including Africa, Australia, Europe, Spain, Korea, Finland, France, England, Mexico and North and South America and recently taught African dance in Brazil at Melé deBalé and at the Universidade Federal da Bahia. Sekou currently teaches at Mount Holyoke College and Greenfield Community College. For more information about Sekou and his work please visit www.Bamidele.com

3 - Demba Sene, former member of Le Ballet National du Senegal,
will teach Sabar dance on Sundays (Pape N'Diaye's class)
February 17th - March 23rd
Every Sunday, 1:30-3:00pm

$12 per class, with LIVE music by master drummers
Class is held at The Dance Complex
536 Massachusetts Ave, Central Sq. Cambridge
www.DanceComplex.com
For schedule updates on this class visit www.wadabo.com

Demba Djiby Ndalor Sene began studying Djembe dance in his home country of Senegal, West Africa at the age of eight. By 16 he was dancing with Goree Mon Historie, a professional company in Dakar, Senegal.  He spent three years as a lead dance for Le Ballet National du Senegal, touring internationally. Since coming to the United States Demba has taught, choreographed or performed with: Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zanes Dance company (New York City), The Spielpalast Cabaret (Vermont and The Burlesque Festival in Brooklyn, NY), & Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater (Vermont). Demba has also taught workshops for various professional performing groups including Le Cirque du Soleil "O" Production in Las Vegas, Ron Brown Evidence Company in NYC, Djoniba Studios and Maimouna Kieta School of African Dance in NYC, Jeh Kulu Dance and Drum Theater in Vermont,  & Goree Studios in Baltimore MD.

A special THANK YOU to Sister Fatou N'Diaye and to Pape N'Diaye for arranging to bring these amazing guest artists to Boston. 
See you dancing,
Darya

[Wadabo_updates] Music of West Africa this weekend

Dear African Dance & Music Community

Two great opportunities on Saturday night to witness the exquisite music of West Africa:

1 - Toumani Diabate @ Somerville Theatre
2 - Boubacar Diabate & SambaLolo @ Matt Murphy's
********************************************************************************************
1 - From West Africa
TOUMANI DIABATÉ'S SYMMETRIC ORCHESTRA
Saturday, February 2, 8pm | Somerville Theatre - 55 Davis Sq.
Reserved Seating: $35, $28 - www.WorldMusic.org for tickets & info.

Regarded by many as the greatest kora player on the planet, Toumani Diabaté is simultaneously revered as the guardian of traditional African music and as its bold, boundary-crossing innovator. His Symmetric Orchestra captures this careful balance between tradition and innovation, youth and maturity, electric and acoustic. The exhilarating band includes musicians from Mali, Senegal, Guinea and Ivory Coast and features the soaring vocals of the great Malian Kassé Mady Diabaté, Boubacar Diabaté on djembe drum, Lassana Diabaté on balafon (traditional xylophone), Ganda Tounkara on the dry, deserty ngoni lute and Fanta Mady Kouyate on electric guitar.

2 - Our own local band, originally from Mali, West Africa
BOUBACAR DIABATÉ & SAMBALOLO
Saturday, February 2, 11pm | Matt Murphy's Pub - 14 Harvard St Brookline, No cover, Music starts at 11pm, Food until 10pm -
www.MattMurphysPub.com

SambaLolo, featuring Boubacar Diabate, West African Griot from Mali, combines traditional rhythms with modern influences to form a unique style of contemporary Malian Griot music. Singing in Bambara, Diabate tells stories of common shared human experiences such as of love, life and humanity. Through the age-old West African tradition of Griot storytelling, Diabate brings the audience on a musical journey that is embellished with accents of Jazz, Blues and Reggae. For more information about Boubacar Diabate and SambaLolo visit
www.myspace.com/sambalolo