Currently in its second year, the Festival of African Dance Symposium once again brings a second year of dance, music and celebration to the Tufts campus. Featuring presentations from African performance ensembles from MIT, Trinity College and the Eastman School of Music - in addition to Tufts own group - the Symposium will display a range of cultural arts from the African Diaspora.
The day starts off with the symposium, followed by an afternoon of workshops and an evening full of festivities and performances. Speakers at the symposium include: Patricia Tang (MIT), Eric Galm (Trinity), Martin Scherzinger (Eastman) and David Locke (Tufts).
Each instructor will be discussing the different cultural aspects of the their respective presentation's focus. MIT will present the sabar of Senegal, which is adapted from Tang's studies of the Wolof people's griot percussionists in the African country. Tang studied sabar (Wolof drums) with Lamine Tour?© while in Senegal. An ethnomusicologist specializing in West African music, Tang brought her teachings to the MIT Rambax, where she directs the Senegalese drumming ensemble.
Trinity's contribution to the event is a discussion on the samba of Brazil, a sultry and passionate dance established in 1917, but was adopted by Brazilian society in 1930 as an exotic ballroom dance. Many aspects of the samba were adapted from traditional African dance rhythms and movements.
The mbira is the highlight of Scherzinger's showcase as it is arguably the most important instrument in Zimbabwe's music and culture. The Shona people of Zimbabwe take great pride in the mbira, which is a thumb piano-like instrument that consists of forged iron keys bound to a wooden box. The mbira is frequently played at spiritual ceremonies and social celebrations.
Finally, the Tufts ensemble will present a colorful showcase of vibrant Dogomba dance and drumming from Ghana. The Dogomba, a large community of people living in northern Ghana, have a number of traditional dance and drum songs native to their culture, most of which are spirited and exuberant in nature. Drumming, in particular, is a very important aspect of Dogomba life, and becoming a drummer is a great privilege and responsibility. Only males, however, are given this privilege in Dogomba society, women are allotted the role of dancing - another crucial staple to the Ghanaian culture.
Tufts has been fortunate enough to welcome the highly regarded Dogomba drummer and performer, Dolsi-naa Abudakari. Dolsi-naa has traveled from his farm in northern Ghana to teach his culture and traditions to Professor David Locke's African dance and music classes. Teaching songs, dances and customs of the Dogomba people, Dolsi-naa has teamed-up with the acclaimed Professor Locke to gather together an ensemble of students who could perform for the larger university community. Locke also organized a trip to Ghana over spring break
Tufts sophomore Scheivon T. Jarrett said, "The Dogomba dance class has been an amazing experience for me. I've learned so many things about the culture and traditions of the Dogomba, through Dolsi-naa and Professor Locke's teachings. Also, actually traveling to Ghana over Spring Break helped me to further understand the things I had been taught in class."
The Symposium will be held on Saturday, April 2. Admission is free. The events begin at 9:30 a.m. and run until 10 p.m., and are sponsored by Tufts Department of Music, Drama/Dance and the Tufts Diversity Fund. For more information on specific times and locations, look to the Tufts Department of Music's Calendar of Events.
