Rhythms tell their stories

An interactive workshop/performance introducing participants to African polyrhythm and dance. Coordinated by Michael Afolayan and Jessica ben Anosike (a member of the Bantu Dancers), the event also features the ANASA Cultural Centre African percussion ensemble.

Participants are introduced to traditional rhythms through the music of the body (body music, clapping) and the human voice (singing, chanting) and get to experience the participatory call and response music of West Africa.

The ANASA drummers will consist of students from the Centre’s percussion school. In parallel, myths and stories will be narrated with a street theatre dynamic, describing how African instruments and rhythms came into being and got their names, when the rhythms are played, and what they mean in an African cultural context.

The ANASA drummers play djembe, dundun (kenkeni sangbang, dunduba), shekere, kengele and sing traditional African songs.