Drum Circle Tonight?

I plan to be at the drum circle tonight unless there's a good chance of rain. I'll bring a couple extra chairs if I come. Sarah, if she makes it at all, will be late, so please bring your own chair(s) if you can. Anyone near Drake Park who can comment on current conditions? I live out in the boonies. Thanks!

UPDATE: It's currently raining out here, so I'm not gonna make the drum circle tonight. Rumor has it Ubuntu will be at the Munch n' Music tomorrow, so maybe if the weather's good I'll show up for that. See you at next week's circle! - Dave

Music & Dance This Weekend

This weekend we have many performances of music and dance at the Bend Summer Festival. I'm particularly interested in the following performances. Many of these performers I've seen before and enjoyed immensely.

Saturday, July 14

1:30pm - Coyo plays in the Wells Fargo parking lot, featuring Dale Largent on hand drums.

3:30pm - One World Taiko plays in the Wells Fargo parking lot.

4:30pm - Taarka plays on the corner of Bond St. and Oregon Ave., also featuring Dale on hand drums.

5:00pm - Master drummer Sidiki Diallo of Senegal plays in the Wells Fargo parking lot.

Sunday, July 15

2:30pm - One World Taiko plays in the Wells Fargo parking lot.

2:30pm - Gypsy Fire and Sister Fire Belly Dance perform at Wall St. and Louisiana Ave.

4:00pm - Master drummer Sidiki Diallo of Senegal plays in the Wells Fargo parking lot.

Hope to see you there! - Dave Goodman

Drum & Dance Workshops with Bara and Aliou

West African Jembe Drumming & Dance Workshops with Bara M'boup and Aliou Diouf from Senegal

Saturday, July 28th and Sunday, July 29th, 2007
Drum class: 1:00 pm $15
Dance class: 2:30 pm $15

Gotta Dance
917 NE 8th Street
(541) 322-0807

Bara M'boup

Visit Guinea with Karamba Dioubate

Drum and Dance African Cultural Exchange to Guinea, West Africa

January 10th - January 31st 2008 with Griot Karamba Dioubate

A special three week workshop to visit the people and places in Guinea where West African music and dance and culture originated. Study and play with master dancers and drummers.

Travel with Griot and master musician Karamba Dioubate to various artistic and cultural centers. Karamba knows the region and the people and will lead the way in an experience of a lifetime. Karamba played with Fish de Rice and Famouro Kouate's group Keke in Guinea, then toured Europe and the US with Fatala, a traditional drum and dance troupe formed by master percussionist Yacouba Camara. He has been living the US since 1992, teaching drumming in the New York and Oakland communities and workshops nationwide.

Drum and Dance Workshop

Participants will travel with Karamba Dioubate to his home town in Boke where they will stay with and be cared for by the Dioubate family. Trips will be made to surrounding communities such as Dahanka, Kamsar, Kabata, Kamakulu, and Kolabe to visit people of the Sousou, Landouma, Baga, Mandang, Hahanke, Fula, Natua and other ethnic groups. Each community and ethnic group has its own cultural traditions, and we will participate in cultural performances and join in their unique music and song and dance. Conakry, the capital city, hosts one of the largest markets in West Africa.

Daily Class Schedule

There will be two dance and one drum class each day with local artists. Drum students will be able to perform with local drummers to accompany dance classes. Interested students can arrange for classes in balafon or other local instruments at a small additional charge. In the evenings there will be history and storytelling sessions with Karamba's father, Aladji Souroon Dioubate, and singing and entertainment on drums balafon, and other local instuments by Karamba and other local performing artists. We will also visit clubs with Karamba's family for live music and dancing.

Contact Information

Please send inquiries to:
Karamba Dioubate
6514 Bancroft Ave., Apt. B
Oakland, CA 94605
Cell: (510) 717-9134
E-mail: ryamar762001@yahoo.com
Family in Conakry, Guinea: 011 224 512104

ALSENY YANSANE Drum & Dance Workshops

Event listing from our email:

ALSENY YANSANE offers 2 special Drum & Dance Workshops in Bend, July 20th & 22

Attention drummers and dancers, ALSENY YANSANE, Master teacher and 14 year member of the world renowned, BALLETS AFRICAINS of Guinea is coming to Bend, Oregon to offer special West African Drum & Dance workshops guaranteed to rock your world! www.wontanara.blogspot.com

Friday, July 20th

6:00-7:30 PM-Drum
7:30-9:00 PM-Dance

Tulen Center
20 NW Greenwood Ave
(541) 771-9869

Sunday, July 22nd

11:00-12:30 PM-Drum
12:30-2:00 PM-Dance

Gotta Dance
917 NE 8th Street
(541) 322-0807

These workshops are perfect for beginning and experienced drummers alike and dance students looking to improve their technique or just get a good work out. All workshops will be accompanied by sizzling, hot live drumming! All workshops are $15 or 2 for $28

ARTIST BIOGRAPHY: Since age seven, Alseny Yansane has been immersed in the musical and dance tradition of his native country, Guinea, West Africa. Alseny trained and performed in many competitions as a dancer, drummer, and acrobat in the dawning of the Republic's newly won independence from France. Historically, this was a time when art and cultural appreciation and cultivation were at an all-time high and the training that artists received was rigorous and systematic. Artists had to compete on a national level annually as a way of moving up to higher levels of artistic status. These competitions were held in the heart of Alseny's neighborhood and attracted groups from all over Guinea who represented specific art and culture from
various regions and ethnic groups.

This has given Alseny a wealth of knowledge about the history and cultural diversity behind Guinean performance arts, a solid artistic foundation, and a strong drive for excellence.

Alseny has worked with some of Guinea's most reputable performance groups, including Kemoko Sano's Ballet Merveilles and Jean Macuely's Ballet Sanke. In 1993, Alseny was recruited to join the most prestigious of all the national groups, the world-renowned Ballets Africains. Chosen to tour with them several times, Alseny has dazzled audiences all over the United States, Canada, Bermuda, and Morocco.

Alseny's dance style is powerful, yet graceful. His movements have amazing precision and extension. He has brought crowds of spectators to their feet with his fancy acrobatics and lifting techniques. As a drummer, Alseny has incredible stamina and projection of sound. As a cultural ambassador, he has a wide understanding of the rhythms from each geographical region of Guinea and has brought new songs and musical arrangements to the Pacific Northwest.

Alseny is also a wonderful teacher who is energetic, inspiring, and fun. He knows how to make West African dance and drumming accessible to a variety of levels by breaking things down and being patient and encouraging. His joy and passion for his work fires up students of all ages and backgrounds.

Welcome

This is where we will post news and upcoming events. You can add the RSS feed to your news reader so you can see when something new is posted.