Dance of the African Diaspora –
Ross & Craig

This class will focus on the traditional dances (Orishas) of the African new world -- from their origin in Nigeria, to Cuba, Haiti and Brazil. We will learn about the impact of these dances on the African Diaspora, both in their differences and similarities. We will examine how change occurs in movement from its original action to its present manifestation by looking at adaptability, influence, transformation and resistance.

Kwame A. Ross is a performer, choreographer, musician, and community activist, formerly from New York City and now a resident of Tallahassee, Fl.  For the past thirty years, Kwame has been engaged in the preservation and continuum of African culture through the arts and community service. He has served as Cultural Ambassador to Egypt and Associate Artistic Director of Urban Bush Women.  Kwame is Artistic Director of African Drum and Dance Ensemble of Tallahassee, Fl. He is working, in collaboration with Michael Wimberly, on a community project for the Azores Islands. Kwame is in the process of developing a new performance arts company called, Lumbe Project.