Performance
African Dance and Percussion
Richard Mensah Sokpor
Fri, Jun 26, 8pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
180 pesos

Workshops Mon–Fri, Jun 22–26 African Percussion 2–3:30pm Modern Hip Hop 3:30–5pm Traditional African Dance 5–6:30pm Teatro Santa Ana Biblioteca Publica 590 pesos (1 workshop/five days) or 180 pesos for a single class Dancing to the beat By Jennifer Hofmann

Richard Mensah Sokpor presents a program showcasing the variety of music and dances from Ghana. Ghana has distinct regions and districts with many different languages and variety in cultures. Within these diverse cultures one also sees a difference in the instruments and styles of music.

The drum is central to the music, and Ghanaian drummers are known throughout the world for their skill at hand drumming and mastery of complex rhythms. The master drummer improvises and embellishes over the layers of rhythms the supporting drummers lay down. Bells and rattles complement with additional rhythms, hence the term polyrhythm.

The audience travels on a musical journey to Ghana, as they hear songs from the major regions, each with different costumes, instruments and traditions. Music and dance in Ghana and in other parts of Africa are integrated into people’s day-to-day lives—at work and at play, during worship and the healing of the sick. Simple everyday occupations may be turned into dance—Adiko, the fisherman’s dance, for example, or Kaya, a dance based on the “carriers”.

Because of its ritual and cultural significance, musical performance is approached very seriously. Musicians, especially drummers, begin training at an early age. Musical performance is not considered the exclusive province of highly trained professionals, however, nor is musical expression reserved exclusively for scheduled concerts and recitals. African music and dance are an outgrowth of the everyday needs and concerns of the people.

Richard Mensah Sokpor is an instructor of African Traditional, Contemporary and Hip Hop Dance at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, Oregon. He has been learning dance since early childhood in the tradition of the Ga people of Accra, Ghana. He was taught by his uncles, grandfathers and master tribal drummers and dancers. Later on he joined the Ghana National Dance Company. Since 1992 he has been touring around the world and often performs with internationally renowned world-music artist, Master Drummer Obo Addy.

Richard Mensah Sokpor offers workshops in Traditional African Dance, Modern Hip Hop and African Percussion. The workshops will help you to develop a movement vocabulary that deepens your understanding of the poly-rhythmic nature of African based dances and music. The courses address themselves to Dance and drum-interested humans of all ages and any previous experience can enjoy these courses. The percussion and dance workshops are for both beginner and advanced participants, as individual attention is provided within the groups.

Call Jennifer Hofmann at (415) 111-9843 or email siewlei@web.de  for more information and to sign up.