37 The Christian Reader October 2008
UMOJA DANCE COMPANY PRESENTS THIRD ANNUAL WOFABE : AFRICAN DANCE AND DRUM FESTIVAL IN NEWARK , NEW JERSEY
Newark , NJ - Umoja Dance Company ( Umojadance . com ) a New Jerseybased , multi-cultural company of dancers founded in 1993 by Karen Love , will present Wofabe : African Dance and Drum Festival 2008 at Science Park High School , 260 Norfolk Street , Newark , New Jersey . In celebration of the third anniversary , the festival will be held three days from Friday , October 24 through Sunday , October 26 , 2008 . The event , presented in collaboration with Performing Arts Services , is the only African dance and drum festival of its kind in the state . Renowned choreographer , Baba Chuck Davis , Founder and Artistic Director of the African American Dance Ensemble , will serve as host .
The mission of Wofabe : African Dance and Drum Festival is to share and preserve the finest traditions of African dance and drumming ; to encourage cross-cultural understanding ; to celebrate traditional African culture , aesthetics and values , and to utilize the resources and information gathered to further promote African art forms to the younger generation .
“ I am pleased to have the opportunity to celebrate African dance and culture in Newark ,” says Ms . Love . “ The community at large can only benefit from this experience . It is equally important to pass on the tradition and culture to our young people and it is our goal to keep the culture growing not just in October but 365 days a year .”
Wofabe : African Dance and Drum Festival will examine traditional African dance , how traditions have evolved and how they have been interpreted by contemporary artists . There will be a panel discussion open to the public , African dance classes with emphasis on movement from Guinea , Ghana and the Caribbean and drumming classes in the djembe and djun djun drums , both of which are prevalent in West African dance and music .
On Friday , October 24 , dance and drum classes take place from 6:00 to 9:15 pm with a special late night master class for all levels with Baba Chuck Davis from 9:30 to 10:45 pm .
On Saturday , October 25 , the day begins with a yoga warm-up class from 9:30 to 10:45 am . Dance and drum classes for all levels begin at 12:45 and end at 5:45 pm with a free class for children from 12 noon to 1:00 pm . Saturday culminates with a rousing dance and drum concert from 7:00 to 10:00 pm featuring Forces of Nature Dance Theatre ( New York ), Asase Yaa African American Dance Theatre ( New York ) and Kulu Mele African American Dance Ensemble ( Philadelphia ).
On Sunday , October 26 , there will be a free panel discussion on “ Teaching African Dance ” from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm . Dance and drum classes on all levels begin at 1:15 pm and continue through 6:15 pm .
Umoja Dance Company African Durm Festival Newark , New Jersey Christian Reader October 2008
Forces of Nature Dance Theatre
Kulu Mele African American Dance Ensemble
Wofabe will sponsor an African marketplace held throughout the festival that features a variety of vendors offering merchandise from the African Diaspora . The African Marketplace is open to the public and provides an excellent opportunity for pre-holiday shopping . The deadline for vendor registration is October 22nd . Vendor applications can be obtained online at www . Wofabe . com
Wofabe : African Dance and Drum Festival is open to dance , drum , and music instructors , students and the general public , hence the name Wofabe which is Sou Sou ( a language of Guinea , West African ) for “ everybody come .”
Dance and drum classes are $ 12 in advance and $ 15 at the door ($ 12 for seniors , students and children under 12 ). Drum rentals ( by reservation ) are available for $ 5 . The Saturday night concert tickets are $ 25 ($ 15 for seniors and children under 12 ).
Wofabe : African Dance and Drum Festival is sponsored by Umoja Dance Company , Performing Arts Services and Science Park High School . This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts / Department of State , a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and administered by the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs .
Concert tickets , group discount packages and additional information may be obtained at www . Wofabe . com or call Karen Love at ( 973 ) 674-0285 or ( 888 ) 667-5531 . Organizers can also be reached via email at Wofabe08 @ aol . com .
37 The Christian Reader October 2008