EXPLORING AFRICAN CULTURE
CONGO: KWASSA KWASSA
COUNTRY: The Congos
We dance the hip-swirling, life-affirming Kwassa Kwassa. (More.)
ETHIOPIA: THE ESKISTA
COUNTRY: Ethiopia
We dance the shoulder-shaking eskista. (More.)
GHANA: THE KPANLOGO
COUNTRY: Ghana
We dance kpanlogo to celebrate independence. (More.)
MALAWI: THE MALIPENGA
COUNTRY: Malawi
We dance the Malipenga in the context of a complicated historical relationship with the colonizing British. (More.)
MALI: GRIOTS
COUNTRY: Mali
We praise our children as we would if they were royalty and we were the royal griots. (More.)
MOROCCO: THE IMILCHIL MARRIAGE FESTIVAL
COUNTRY: Morocco
In North Africa we get engaged to be married in the Atlas Mountains. (More.)
NIGERIA: THE TALKING DRUM
COUNTRY: Nigeria
We inspire our children to talk like a drum, and vice versa. (More.)
SOUTH AFRICA: GUMBOOT DANCING
COUNTRY: South Africa
We stomp, clap and slap our gumboots as we experience a dance that was a literal life-saver in the mines. (More.)
TANZANIA: MWAKA KOGWA
COUNTRY: Tanzania/Zanzibar
We visit Zanzibar where we celebrate a local version of Nowruz, banana-leaf battle and all. (More.)
UGANDA: THE AMAGUNJJU
COUNTRY: Uganda
We dance the "Amagunjju," a consciously jovial dance with the mission of improving the mood of a toddler king. (More.)
Zimbabwe: THE MBENDE JERUSAREMA
COUNTRY: Zimbabwe
We dance to assert our cultural independence! (and to stomp on moles.) (More.)