In Andrea Markus’ West African class at The Ailey School in New York City, listening is just as important as moving. “My goal is to get them to really listen for what makes each rhythm distinct,” she says. As her 7- to 8-year-old students sing, hear the drummer and then dance the steps, they become […]
KanKouran West African Dance Company hosts its 33rd annual dance and drum conference, Diamono (meaning “roots”), September 2–4 in Washington, DC. Master dance teachers and musicians from Mali, Senegal, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea, including KanKouran artistic director Assane Konte, will conduct three days of classes. A concert will be held Saturday, […]
Maguette Camara was raised in Dakar, Senegal, where he studied West African dance and drumming with Ballet Bougarabou Dance Company. Now, he lives in New York City, where he’s on faculty at The Ailey School, The Ailey Extension, Barnard College and Djonibo Dance Centre at Peridance Capezio Centre. Here, he teaches a Kuku combination, which […]