For our second annual showcase, Mansa Bakary 2, July 7, 2012, we’re raising funds for costumes for our teen dancers and other production costs.  Keur Khaleyi, (pronounced Hah-lay-ye), means house of the children –we prioritize the transfer of our shared African cultural legacy to young people of all backgrounds. Community classes for children, teens and adults focus on conveying the traditional songs, rhythms and movements of the dances.

The teen company is preparing two pieces for our summer showcase: Lenjeng and Sunu. Your donations keep our company and community programs going and specifically support the construction of traditional beaded tops and dance belts for our teen company members, traditional costumes for our young drummers, payment for musicians and production costs for lighting and sound tech for the 2012 concert.

Click the link below to donate to this cause:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1788618662/mansa-bakary-2-the-teen-edition

The eight annual Black Male Development Symposium (BMDS) was initiated by the leadership of Chicago’s Third World Press, one of the oldest African-American publishing houses in the United States.  The venue was established as a national tour that promoted community discussions on the plight of African American Males (AAM).  With Rites of Passage being a major component of the Symposium, it was a perfect fit for what RND and the ROM Project had to offer.

Take a look at the photo gallery below for pictures from the event.

From R.O.M. Project – Black Male Development Symposium, posted by on 5/13/2012 (39 items)

Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher

ASA! class at Roda movements, Takoma Maryland

Join ASA! founder and fitness dance instructor Akosua Akoto every Tuesday and Saturday as she takes you on a fitness journey through dance!

Varying in levels of intensity, ASA! is a low impact, upbeat workout that fuses traditional and modern (“club”) dance movements of west, central, east and southern Africa with aerobic exercises. It targets all muscle groups, particularly core/stabilizing muscle groups, for a full aerobic and strength-training workout disguised in the fun, exciting, and body and soul stimulating manner that defines African dance. An endurance dance-fitness program, ASA! Allows participants to improve cardiovascular capacity, burn calories, improve overall fitness and HAVE FUN!!!

CLASS SCHEDULE:

Mondays – 7:30pm
at the Adinkra Cultural Arts Studio (ACAS)
3804 34th Street, Washington, DC, 20712 www.theadinkragroup.com

Saturdays – 2:30pm
at Roda Movements Studio
7003 Carroll Ave  Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301) 920-0913           www.rodamovements.com

JUST TAP

Just Tap presents its newest work, SOLE Defined, at the Intersections: A New America Arts Festival. SOLE Defined shows the intersection between tap dance and other art forms such as house, body percussion, sand dance, jazz, and West African dance. All of which help to influence the Sole of a tap dancer.

Performers include: Quynn Johnson, Ayles Jones, Melissa Frakman, Aysha Upchurch, Ryan Johnson, Dionte Lee, Lesina Martin, Christylez Bacon, and the Akua Allrich Quartet

PERFORMANCE
Sunday, Mar 11 at 2:00pm
Sprenger Theatre
$15, $10 student/senior

For tickets:
www.intersectionsdc.org
202.399-7993, ext 2

Shange Dance Productions

Shange Dance Productions in conjunction with INTERSECTIONS: A New America Arts Festival presents “Giving it All to the Day”

Celebrating the extraordinary moments in “ordinary” women’s lives, Shange Dance Productions counters the culture of celebrity worship in America in a production that intersects dance, poetry and music. The culminating event of Baltimore-based choreographer Kutia Jawara’s HERstories project, the piece features her signature style — modern dance laced with ballet and powerful West African dance. Look through the lens of this up-and-company company and discover that everyone has a story. For ages 12 & up.

Friday, Mar 9 at 9:00pm

Sprenger Theatre
55 min
$20, $15 student/senior
For ages 12 & up
For tickets:
www.intersectionsdc.org
202.399-7993, ext 2

• Urban Artistry
• KanKouran West African Dance Company
• Coyaba Dance Theater

We’d also like to thank our Community Partners, who also helped in marketing the event, as well as operational support with our opening lecture and the after party to close off the weekends activities:

• Dr. Akua Kouyate
• Andrea Thompson
• Baba Melvin Deale
• DJ Ausar
• DJ Underdog
• Farafina Kan
• Lil’Soso Productions
• Mama Makini Niliwaambieni

Finally, I have to give a personal “THANK YOU” to the Artistic Director  and Musical Director of Rara Tou Limen Haitian Folkloric Dance Company, Portsha Jefferson and Daniel “BRAV” Brevil.  They came all the way from California to Washington DC to support our cause.  They represented Rara Tou Limen and the Haitian culture to the FULLEST!  Words can’t explain how much we appreciate you two!  We hope that next time you come, you can bring the whole company with you! This event was truly an amazing experience.  Stay tuned for our next fundraiser event as we take the Danse Edeyo experience  up I-95 to New York City for “Danse Edeyo:NYC Edition”.

In February 2011, Rhythm N’ Dance took our first trip to Haiti in a partnership with the Edeyo Foundation to support their efforts with the Joyous Heart School in the Bel-Air neighborhood of Port-Au-Prince.  It was a successful project teaching dance to the kids at the school as apart of the after school programming being implemented a year after the massive earthquake that struck the island-nation.

Based off the success of the initial project, the Board of Directors of the Edeyo Foundation have approved a plan for a Summer Dance Camp for the summer of 2012. In November, Rhythm N’ Dance will host the Oakland based Haitian Folkloric dance company Rara Tou Limen as they visit the Washington DC Metro area to teach several workshops to raise funds for the Summer Dance Camp in Haiti.  We have partnered with Coyaba Dance Theater, Urban Artistry and KanKouran West African Dance Company to bring something new to the DC Metro area, but to also raise money for a good cause.

FRIDAY November 11th 2011 6pm-8pm – LECTURE
The Arts Are Healing
1320-B Good hope Road SE
Washington, DC 20020

Join Rhythm N’ Dance and African Heritage Dancers & Drummers as we open the weekends events with a FREE lecture entitled: “Spirituality and Dance: the intersection between rhythm, movement and faith.” Our panelist are:

Baba Melvin Deal – Founder and Artistic Director, African Heritage Dancers & Drummers

Iya OshunRemi Sangonike Aduke – House of Aduke

Junious Brickhouse – Founder, Urban Artistry

Portsha Jefferson – Artistic Director, Rara Tou Limen

Akua Kouyate – Dance Faculty, Howard University

Saturday November 12th 2011 – DANCE WORKSHOPS

Rara Tou Limen’s Artistic Director Portsha Jefferson and Musical Director Daniel “BRAV” Brevil will teach two of their four classes in the DC Metro area on Saturday. Please check the schedule and locations below for a place and time convenient for you:

12pm-2pm: KanKouran West African Dance Company
Randall Recreation Center – 820 South Capitol St SW (on the corner of I st and South Capitol St SW), Washington Dc 20001

6pm-8pm: Coyaba Dance Theater
Joe’s Movement Emporium – 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, MD 20712

Sunday November 12th 2011 – DANCE WORKSHOPS AND AFTER PARTY

The RTL crew teach their next two workshops with Urban Artistry and Coyaba’s second class.

4pm-6pm: Urban Artistry
Dance Bethesda, 8227 Woodmont Ave. #2B, Bethesda MD, 20814

6pm-8pm: Coyaba Dance Theater
Joe’s Movement Emporium – 3309 Bunker Hill Road, Mount Rainier, MD 20712

We close the weekend off with a collaboration give thanks party with our COMMUNITY SERVICE family DJ Underdog and DJ I-Wah! The party is free, but please bring a donation to support the Edeyo Foundation’s work with the Joyous Heart School in Port Au Prince Haiti! We’re also asking everyone to WEAR WHITE to the event in a sign of solidarity!

We are asking the community to support this project by coming out to these workshops to help raise money for this program! It’s going to be something fun and different, so clear your schedule and MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!!!!!!!!

This is a 5 Week Youth Workshop Series with Jamaican-born dance Artist, Choreographer and the 2011 Miss Caribbean Metro USA winner….Stefanie D. Belnavis.

DANCE:WORD….draws on the art of story telling through Movement and Text through the fusion of Spoken Word, Jamaican Folk Dance and Contemporary Modern Dance

DATES: EVERY TUESDAY from Oct 4th – November 1st – 5 WEEKS

TIME: 5:30 PM – 6:25 PM

VENUE: The Urban Nation Academy for the Performing Arts, 8113 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910

WEDSITE: www.urbanationacademy.org

PHONE: 301-565-ARTS (2787)

COST: $50 for 5 weeks ($10 drop-in rate)

AGE GROUP: 13 yrs – 18 yrs

For more information contact Stefanie D. Belnavis at stefaniediahann@gmail.com

Dance Instructor - Akosua Akoto

Come join Akosua Akoto EVERY SATURDAY IN OCTOBER AT 2:30pm at Roda Movements Studio. The first three Saturdays will be ASA! the last two Saturdays will be Traditional West African Dance (see class descriptions below). This is a trial 5 week session folks. Come one COME ALL and we can convince Roda Movements to keep Akosua’s class permanently!!! SEE YOU IN OCTOBER!!!

ASA!

Varying in levels of intensity, ASA! is a low impact, upbeat workout that fuses traditional and modern (“club”) dance movements of west and southern Africa with aerobic exercises. It targets all muscles, including core/stabilizing muscle groups, for a full aerobic and strength-training workout disguised in the fun, exciting, and body and soul stimulating manner that defines African dance. An aerobic dance-fitness program, ASA! Allows participants to improve cardiovascular capacity, burn calories, improve overall fitness and HAVE FUN!!!

Traditional West African Dance

Traditional West African dance is an expression of culture in its purest form. This class brings the rich traditions of various ethnic groups in West African countries including Senegal, Mali, Guinea and Coted’Ivoire. With the great variety of movement and nuance, you will engage every muscle of your body. With the invigorating connection with the drums, you will engage every part of your soul.

This is a 5 Week Youth Workshop Series with Jamaican-born dance Artist, Choreographer and the 2011 Miss Caribbean Metro USA winner….Stefanie D. Belnavis.

DANCE:WORD….draws on the art of story telling through Movement and Text through the fusion of Spoken Word, Jamaican Folk Dance and Contemporary Modern Dance

DATES: EVERY TUESDAY from Oct 4th – November 1st – 5 WEEKS

TIME: 6:30 PM – 7:25 PM

VENUE: The Urban Nation Academy for the Performing Arts, 8113 Fenton Street, Silver Spring, MD 20910
(10 MINUTE WALK FROM SILVER SPRING METRO)

WEDSITE: www.urbanationacademy.org

PHONE: 301-565-ARTS (2787)

COST: $75 for 5 weeks ($15 drop-in rate)

AGE GROUP: 19 yrs AND OLDER

For more information contact Stefanie D. Belnavis at stefaniediahann@gmail.com

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE CLASS!