The Saakumu Dance Troupe of Ghana (above), dedicated to introducing audiences to traditional and contemporary African dance and music, will be visiting SUNY Fredonia for workshops and performances on campus and in the community on Feb. 20, 21 and 22.
Events include an African dance workshop Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. in the Williams Center; a drumming workshop with the Fredonia Percussion Guild on Thursday, Feb. 21, at 5 p.m. in Mason Hall Room 1051, a concert on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. in King Concert Hall, and a concert Friday, Feb. 22, at 8 p.m. in the Dunkirk High School Auditorium. All events are free and open to the public.
The award winning troupe is one of the leading dance and music groups in Ghana, West Africa. Led by master musician, Bernard Woma (who teaches in the Fredonia School of Music and is completing a degree at Fredonia in international studies), the group’s repertoire includes a range of spiritual, ceremonial, recreational genres to contemporary African dance forms. Their music and dance is joyful, expressive and highly participatory, featuring the (gyil) African xylophone, drums, calabash water drums and the praise singing (talking drums) of the Akan and Dagbamba people of Ghana.
The visit is funded in part by grants from the Carnahan-Jackson Fund for the Humanities of the Fredonia College Foundation, the Fredonia Black Student Union, the Fredonia Percussion Guild, the Dunkirk-Fredonia NAACP, the International Education Office, the International Studies Office, the Affirmative Action office, the Dean of Arts and Humanities, and the Dunkirk City School District.
According to the group’s artistic leader, Mr. Woma, “Saakumu means traditions, and as the name implies, the company derives its repertoire on the variety of both traditional and contemporary cultures with creativity. We are an artist-founded association driven by a passion for bringing innovative dances and world music to our audiences.”
