West African Dance Classes with Djibril Camara

About the Classes: Open to beginners through advanced. Offered every Sunday evening.

The classes introduce attendees to dances from Guinea, in particular. Dances from other West African countries are also presented. Yankadi, Macru, Soli, Dundunba, Lamban, Sinte, Triba, Koukou and more are among the dances taught. Live drumming accompanies the class. Class begins with a warm up with live drumming, instruction in particular steps associated with a dance (w/o drums), dancing those steps (drumming), and solo circle (drumming).

What to Bring: Water, wear comfortable dance/workout clothes, and shoes are optional.

About Djibril:

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.

West African Dance Classes with Djibril Camara

About the Classes: Open to beginners through advanced. Offered every Sunday evening.

The classes introduce attendees to dances from Guinea, in particular. Dances from other West African countries are also presented. Yankadi, Macru, Soli, Dundunba, Lamban, Sinte, Triba, Koukou and more are among the dances taught. Live drumming accompanies the class. Class begins with a warm up with live drumming, instruction in particular steps associated with a dance (w/o drums), dancing those steps (drumming), and solo circle (drumming).

What to Bring: Water, wear comfortable dance/workout clothes, and shoes are optional.

About Djibril:

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.

West African Dance Classes with Djibril Camara

About the Classes: Open to beginners through advanced. Offered every Sunday evening.

The classes introduce attendees to dances from Guinea, in particular. Dances from other West African countries are also presented. Yankadi, Macru, Soli, Dundunba, Lamban, Sinte, Triba, Koukou and more are among the dances taught. Live drumming accompanies the class. Class begins with a warm up with live drumming, instruction in particular steps associated with a dance (w/o drums), dancing those steps (drumming), and solo circle (drumming).

What to Bring: Water, wear comfortable dance/workout clothes, and shoes are optional.

About Djibril:

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.

West African Dance Classes with Djibril Camara

About the Classes: Open to beginners through advanced. Offered every Sunday evening.

The classes introduce attendees to dances from Guinea, in particular. Dances from other West African countries are also presented. Yankadi, Macru, Soli, Dundunba, Lamban, Sinte, Triba, Koukou and more are among the dances taught. Live drumming accompanies the class. Class begins with a warm up with live drumming, instruction in particular steps associated with a dance (w/o drums), dancing those steps (drumming), and solo circle (drumming).

What to Bring: Water, wear comfortable dance/workout clothes, and shoes are optional.

About Djibril:

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.

West African Dance Classes with Djibril Camara

About the Classes: Open to beginners through advanced. Offered every Sunday evening.

The classes introduce attendees to dances from Guinea, in particular. Dances from other West African countries are also presented. Yankadi, Macru, Soli, Dundunba, Lamban, Sinte, Triba, Koukou and more are among the dances taught. Live drumming accompanies the class. Class begins with a warm up with live drumming, instruction in particular steps associated with a dance (w/o drums), dancing those steps (drumming), and solo circle (drumming).

What to Bring: Water, wear comfortable dance/workout clothes, and shoes are optional.

About Djibril:

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.

West African Dance Classes with Djibril Camara

About the Classes: Open to beginners through advanced. Offered every Sunday evening.

The classes introduce attendees to dances from Guinea, in particular. Dances from other West African countries are also presented. Yankadi, Macru, Soli, Dundunba, Lamban, Sinte, Triba, Koukou and more are among the dances taught. Live drumming accompanies the class. Class begins with a warm up with live drumming, instruction in particular steps associated with a dance (w/o drums), dancing those steps (drumming), and solo circle (drumming).

What to Bring: Water, wear comfortable dance/workout clothes, and shoes are optional.

About Djibril:

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.

West African Dance Classes with Djibril Camara

About the Classes: Open to beginners through advanced. Offered every Sunday evening.

The classes introduce attendees to dances from Guinea, in particular. Dances from other West African countries are also presented. Yankadi, Macru, Soli, Dundunba, Lamban, Sinte, Triba, Koukou and more are among the dances taught. Live drumming accompanies the class. Class begins with a warm up with live drumming, instruction in particular steps associated with a dance (w/o drums), dancing those steps (drumming), and solo circle (drumming).

What to Bring: Water, wear comfortable dance/workout clothes, and shoes are optional.

About Djibril:

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.

bluegrass duo, Billy Strings and Don Julin, presented by Folk and Roots Festival

Champaign-Urbana's longest-running weekly Irish traditional music session, led by Jake Schumacher and hosted by O'Neil's.

The session focuses on the traditional dance music of Ireland--jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes and much more--played on authentic Irish instruments including fiddle, button accordion, concertina, pipes and tenor banjo. Throughout the evening occasional songs are sung, stories are told, and often dancing starts during the second hour (sets, polkas and waltzes). Visiting musicians from throughout the US and the world will occasionally stop by for a few tunes.

Musicians with some experience in playing Irish music are welcome, and those with an interest in learning to play Irish music are encouraged to come and listen, as well as all who enjoy Irish and Irish-American culture, music, food and drink. For more information, contact Jake Schumacher at boscapod@gmail.com.

Champaign-Urbana's longest-running weekly Irish traditional music session, led by Jake Schumacher and hosted by O'Neil's.

The session focuses on the traditional dance music of Ireland--jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes and much more--played on authentic Irish instruments including fiddle, button accordion, concertina, pipes and tenor banjo. Throughout the evening occasional songs are sung, stories are told, and often dancing starts during the second hour (sets, polkas and waltzes). Visiting musicians from throughout the US and the world will occasionally stop by for a few tunes.

Musicians with some experience in playing Irish music are welcome, and those with an interest in learning to play Irish music are encouraged to come and listen, as well as all who enjoy Irish and Irish-American culture, music, food and drink. For more information, contact Jake Schumacher at boscapod@gmail.com.