Healing Black Lives-through ancestral rhythms and movements of Africa
Uzo Method Project x Afro Urban Society Present
African Dance Class with Mandjou Kone & Uzo Nwankpa
November 8 & November 21
11:00AM - 1:00PM
Price: Sliding Scale $5 - $20 (No one turned away for lack of funds, please email info@afrourbansociety.com for assistance)
Location (Given After Registration)
Limited In-Person tickets available to observe COVID-19 protocols + Masks a Must
Workshop Description
This workshop is an opportunity to provide a live drumming and dance healing session for Black and Brown people in the Bay Area to have an exclusive access to ancestral healing without interruptions. I have a vision of having Djembes, Dun Duns, shekeres, bells and other indigenous instruments played by African descendants with some facilitated movement to address the high levels of stress we are all experiencing today. This will be a 2 hour workshop lead by 2 healers Mandjou Kone, an indigenous African woman from Burkina Faso and Uzo Nwankpa from Nigeria.
Live drumming by Richmond Wiggins ( Bumpity Thump)
ABOUT
Mandjou Kone-Mali/Burkina
Mandjou Koné was born and raised in West Africa in the countries of Mali and Burkina Faso. She was born into the Koné family, a well-known Griot Family. The Griots people of West Africa are world renown for their unique ability to record events carefully and accurately, passing history from one generation to the other. One cannot learn to become a Griot; rather one is born into it. Being a Griot there is a responsibility to preserve the culture.
As a young girl Mandjou assisted her Griot father in keeping his band alive by singing, dancing and playing instruments like the Djembe, Bala, Dundun, Kora and Tama. She also danced and performed with the National Ballet of Burkina Faso. With her brothers group ‘Surutukunu’ Mandjou toured Europe extensively as lead singer. Mandjou was then invited to come to the UniteD States to help translate a documentary about the last 40 years of her family’s musical tradition and history.
Taale Laafi Rossellini met the Kone family in Burkina Faso in the late 60's. He produced a documentary about the Kone Family, titled "Great Great Great Grandparents' Music" The film's US premiere was in the National Museum of African Art in Washington DC, Best Documentary Nomination, Los Angeles PanAfrican Film Festival, the biggest Black film festival in the U.S. and later on the west coast at the Cascade African Film Festival in Portland Oregon. "Great Great Great Grandparents' Music" was praised by documentary critics, and received several awards and nominations, including: * Prix Spécial Award, FESPACO (Festival Panafricain du Cinéma de Ouagadougou), the biggest Black film festival in the world. Awarded by Ousmane Sembene, internationally acclaimed author and filmmaker.
Mandjou is a very popular dance educator and has been teaching and performing over the past eleven years throughout the US. In March 2003 in Santa Cruz, CA she was honored with the ‘Calabash Award’ for her excellence in the ethnic arts.
Uzo Nwankpa-Nigeria
Uzo Nwankpa is a fourth generation descendant of healers from Southeast Nigeria. Uzo is the creator of the Uzo Method Project- A Public Health Solution which is used as a means to fulfill their mission to ignite a billion souls rising in the divine. As first generation immigrant to Turtle Island, and global visitor, Uzo is committed to decolonizing patterns, being a bridge between the world of Africans in the continent and the diaspora. This Igbo womyn is committed to learning and healing through her body. As an advocate for communities that use the arts to heal, Uzo is dedicated to creating and exploring diverse ways to combine ancient practices with innovation. The body is magical.
www.theuzo.com