Archives

No Mystery in Black History!

  This interactive program is filled with story, rhythm, history, and song. Featuring a call and response song followed by “An African Drum Story,” Queen Nur introduces various drums from West Africa and describes their communal importance. Engagement continues with Black History in the U.S. through freedom stories, civil rights chants, poetry, music and empowerment […]

Feet, Drum, Voice: A Soul Steps Workshop

This Soul Steps program explores the rich African-American cultural tradition known as step. Students use their bodies to create hip-hop infused rhythms through call and response patterns and foundational step choreography. They also examine step’s early roots in the mines of South Africa, through South African gumboot dance. If time permits, students can share a […]

From Africa to Brazil – The Afro Brazilian Folkloric Show

The ensemble brings the rich African influenced rhythms and dances originating in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, a region known for customs deeply rooted in the traditions and spirituality of ancestral Africa. Our ensemble tells the story of Africans brought to Brazil as slaves. To alleviate the suffering and preserve their identity they maintained their rituals, dances […]

Diaspora West African Drum and Dance Traditions Workshop

  This program is an intense study of the elements of various Diaspora West African drum, dance, song, storytelling, and masquerade traditions from Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. This Jeannine Osayande & Dunya Performing Arts Company workshop allows students to understand how dance is used to communicate in different ways, and how dance […]

Traditional Stained Glass Painting

In this multi-day residency, students experience first-hand the ancient methods of kiln-fired painting on stained glass.  Students design and paint their own multi-layered glass paintings that can later be assembled into a larger “group-made” stained glass window and displayed in a school or community space.  Through the intricate processes of design, trace painting, matte painting, […]

Civil Rights Movements

This Hip Hop Fundamentals assembly focuses on student involvement in the American Civil Rights movement through dance, audience participation, and a variety of interactive activities. The dancers tackle racism, segregation, and the struggle for freedom in a safe, family friendly atmosphere. Students hear the words of Dr. King, learn how nonviolent direct action helped end […]

Stories from Around the World

Take your students on a lively dance expedition with Nimbus – exploring culture, language and history from throughout the world. With stops in China, Sweden, and Cuba, students make connections between dance and literacy with this performance based on folktales, historical events, and cultural traditions. Bright costumes, engaging music, and live narration enhance the program, […]

The Principles of Hip Hop: Peace, Love, Unity, and Having Fun

Inspire positive change in young people through an exploration of the roots of hip hop culture with Hip Hop Fundamentals. This ensemble of dynamic and energetic dancers use breakdancing and abundant audience participation to explore hip hop’s rich cultural history and how Black youth changed the world. The performance focuses on youth empowerment, creativity, and […]

Arabiqa with Karim Nagi

Karim Nagi is a native Egyptian and performs on multiple percussion and string instruments from around the Arab world. He describes the history of each instrument, shares how they are made, and writes out the names in Arabic script. In the program, Karim involves the virtual audience with rhythmic clapping, word pronunciation, line dancing, and […]