EXPLORING
AFRICAN
CULTURE
Kwassa Kwassa
COUNTRY: The Congos
We dance the hip-swirling, life-affirming Kwassa Kwassa.
The Eskista
COUNTRY: Ethiopia
We dance the shoulder-shaking eskista.
The Kpanlogo
COUNTRY: Ghana
We dance kpanlogo to celebrate independence.
The Malipenga
COUNTRY: Malawi
We dance the Malipenga in the context of a complicated historical relationship with the colonizing British.
Griots
COUNTRY: Mali
We praise our children as we would if they were royalty and we were the royal griots.
The Imilchil Marriage Festival
COUNTRY: Morocco
In North Africa we get engaged to be married in the Atlas Mountains.
The Talking Drum
COUNTRY: Nigeria
We inspire our children to talk like a drum, and vice versa.
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.
Mwaka Kogwa
COUNTRY: Tanzania/Zanzibar
We visit Zanzibar where we celebrate a local version of Nowruz, banana-leaf battle and all.
The Amagunjju
COUNTRY: Uganda
We dance the "Amagunjju," a consciously jovial dance with the mission of improving the mood of a toddler king.
The Mbende Jerusarema
COUNTRY: Zimbabwe
We dance to assert our cultural independence! (and to stomp on moles.)