Drum Power will host its 2nd annual Intergenerational Day of Drum and Dance on Saturday, July 29, 1-7:30 p.m. at Madison Youth Arts Center, 1055 E. Mifflin Street.
The day of classes looks to give attendees a chance to explore drumming and dance taught by master artists across West African, Afro-Cuban, and Afro-Brazilian cultures. Individual classes are $18 and a full-day pass will be $60 with youth participants of the July 17-28 Drum Power Summer Arts Camp receiving all classes for free.
“This event culminates two weeks of instruction and community with Madison youth,” said Yorel Lashley, Drum Power Director, in a release. “We proudly give back to the broader community with a rare opportunity to learn from internationally renowned artists.”
Lashley, who also holds positions at UW-Madison’s School of Education and Center for Arts Education and Social and Emotional Learning, will be joining Mandjou Mara at the beginning of the day for West African Drumming. Mara, a Guinea native, is also a griot and engaging performer on top of being a drum instructor.
Thomas Ross, musical director and president of The Handphibians Inc., a community-based Samba School in Madison, will also perform with special guests for Afro-Brazilian Drumming, pulling from experience as a percussionist and marimbist.
“MYArts is very excited to be the site for the Drum Power Intergenerational Day of Drum and Dance,” Jessica Courtier, MYArts director of community partnerships, said in a press release. “This event brings together truly world-class instructors in a friendly, community-oriented atmosphere. We expect this will be an event filled with joy and learning.”
Brazilian Dance will follow the drumming sessions as Quenia Ribeiro, dancer, choreographer, and dance instructor from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will bring her experience from performing Samba and Afro-Brazilian Dance in Greece, Martinique, Portugal, and Brazil, here to Madison.
West African Dance will round out the day and will be led by Assane Konte, founder of KanKouran West African Dance Company, an organization out of Washington D.C. created to preserve West African culture and history through dance and music.
Teaching on the significance and depth of history and culture throughout West Africa, Afro-Cuban, and Afro-Brazilian expression will be the highlight of the day, and will be the culmination of the two-week Drum Power program that 80 Madison youth are finishing this week.
To learn more and sign up, visit the Drum Power website here.
