Upcoming Drum and Dance Workshop with Bolokada Condé, Djibril Camara, and Amira Davis

Bolokada Condé, a former visiting artist of the center, will be in town on Saturday, October 6th as part of drum and dance workshop featuring local artists Djibril Camara and Amira Davis.  Schedule and Bios are below.  For more information please contact Jan Brooks, 217-778-2196, dickson@illinois.edu

EVENTS SCHEDULE
9 - 10:30 AM: Drum class, by Bolokada
10:45 AM - 12:15 PM: Dance class, by Djibril
Lunch break (on your own)
1:15 - 2:30 PM: Drum class, by Bolokada
2:45 - 4:15 PM: Dance class, by Djibril
4:30 - 5:30 PM: Children, Family, and Beginner dance class, by Amira
6 - 7 PM: Potluck
7 - 9 PM: Dundunba party

Prices REGISTER & PAY BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30TH AND SAVE MONEY!

Before September 30: 2 drum or dance classes $30, 4 classes $50
On/After September 30: 2 drum or dance classes $35, 4 classes $60
Children/Family class $5 children, $7 adults (advance registration not required)

Born in Kissidougou, Guinea, Bolokada Conde has been playing the djembe since before he could walk. In Conakry, he became the premiere soloist for Les Percussions de Guinee, which led to international tours of Europe and the U.S. As a master folklorist, he served as Musical Director and lead soloist for the international Ballet Warraba, and currently teaches throughout the U.S. He has released two CD’s, a DVD, and is featured in the IMAX movie, Pulse: a STOMP odyssey.

Djibril Camara is from the Baga people, originally from Boke, Guinea in West Africa. He spent his childhood dancing and began his formal training at the National School In Guinea’s capital, Conakry. Djibril was a principal dancer and choreographer for the international touring company Ballet du Afrique Noir of Senegal, as well as Troupe Federale Conakry and Ballet Bougarabou for 17 years, traversing Europe and Africa. Eventually his talent brought him to the U.S. for Ballet du Afrique’s presentation of the Mandika Epic on notable stages such as New York City’s Kennedy Center. For the last ten years he has shared the love of his culture and high energy traditional dance across the U.S., choreographing, teaching, and performing.

Amira Davis has studied African dance, drumming and percussion with notable artists from Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States for 30 years. She has performed with Watoseta Dance Company under Abdoulaye Camara of Senegal and with Sundance Dance Theater under Danny Diallo Hinds, Barbados. Amira holds an EdM and a PhD in Education and has taught in African American and Africana Studies programs.