Special thanks to BK  mob 021 262 1007  for these awesome pictures from Mohameds performance at the Harbour Light Theatre, June 4th 2010

Mohamed Bangoura will be teaching an African Drum and dance workshop June 5, 6, and 7th, 10 to 6 pm each day.

The cost for the three day workshop is $250 before May 15th (earlybird rate) and $300 after May 15th.

Deposit- $75 to confirm your place

The Saturday and Sunday workshop, June 5th and 6th will be at North New Brighton War Memorial Hall, 93 Marine Parade in New Brighton, 10 am to 6 pm both days.

On Monday June 7th, the workshop will be at Club Havana, 52 Princess St, near Tower Junction shopping centre, 10 am to 6 pm.

Contact me and I will give you the details for depositing money to confirm your place in the workshop.

Also, on Friday June 4th at 7.30 pm Mohamed will be performing and headlining an “African Dance Party” at the Harbour Light Theatre on London St in Lyttelton.

$15 per person. Doors open at 7.30 pm, show starts at 8 pm

This is a video of Mohamed on television from a few years ago;

Mohamed was born in Guinea, West Africa in a village called Bourramya-Koubya. This village is a few hours north of Conakry, the capital of Guinea. Mohamed started to play at the age of 5, and has been surrounded by music is entire life. Mohamed was a member of the internationally acclaimed “Percussions de Guinee” and other National Ballet ensembles based in Conakry.

Mohamed is now based in Sydney and holds regular workshops in drum and dance. He teaches and performs throughout Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, and Japan. He also takes students back to Guinea every year as an introduction to Guinean culture.

If you want to learn more about Mohamed you can visit his websites djembekan and Mohata

African Dance, Drum, and Music workshop with Chris Berry March 27 and 28, 2010

Come learn the healing rhythms, songs, and dances with drums and mbira and storytelling taught by Chris Berry

After 23 years of study, initiation & immersion in African music, Chris Berry has been Given the name Gwenyambira “one whose music calls the spirit”. A distinction reserved only for those who have mastered both the complexity & magic of the music. Now Based in New York & touring regularly with his incredible world fusion dance band PANJEA, Chris, advised by many of Zimbabwe spirit mediums has embarked on an international journey to share the ancient knowledge of Njinji using storytelling music, drum,  and dance. It is the hope that people around the globe will become practitioners of this powerful healing art form & use it as a means of strengthening ourselves, our communities & ultimately restoring balance & joy back into our societies

Music, drumming, dance, craft and knowledge will be taught at the Workshop that will be used in the final ceremony on the Sunday evening. The ceremony will be one of cleansing, healing and re-connecting with our deeper selves. The structure of the ceremony will be based around the four elements and directions whose sacredness is shared by many cultures around the world.  The emphasis will move from acquiring more dances and rhythms to using music and dance as a catalyst to the sacred.

The people of Zimbabwe use the M’Bira as a way of calling the Ancestral Spirits and Chris uses it as a powerful tool in his storytelling to immerse the listener in the deeply meaningful journey that these stories can take you on.

Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm    Yaldhurst Memorial Hall, corner of Yaldhurst and Pound Rd, Christchurch,

Map here for Saturday venue

Sunday, 10 am – 10 pm at North New Brighton War Memorial and Community Centre, 93 Marine Parade, New Brighton

Map here for Sunday venue

COST:   $170  Earlybird rate ( $200 After March1st)

Deposit: $80 (non refundable, to confirm your place)

Further information: Ra Mc Rostie 03 434 8224  or mob 021 1154884

or Jeff Duyndam 03 357 2217 or mob 021 02737514

Email:   ra@korudance.com   jeffduyndam@xtra.co.nz

Website: www.drumtalk.co.nz

]]> http://www.djembejournal.com/african-drumming/chris-berry-in-christchurch/feed/ 0 http://www.djembejournal.com/african-drumming/chris-berry-choir-workshop/ http://www.djembejournal.com/african-drumming/chris-berry-choir-workshop/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:32:55 +0000 jeff http://www.djembejournal.com/?p=1186

Chris is going to lead a choir workshop at the Muse, inside the School of Music on Barbadoes Street in Christchurch.

Here are the details,

Chris has worked with over 42 different choirs in the USA and Canada. Songs are accompanied by live drumming, Mbira (Thumb piano) or Marimba. The material is drawn from the ancient choral traditions of the Shona people whose favourite proverb is, ‘if you can talk you can sing.’ The uplifting songs include five part harmonies and lots of counter point indicative of most African choral music.

After 23 years of study, initiation & immersion in African music, Chris Berry has been Given the name Gwenyambira “one whose music calls the spirit”. A distinction reserved only for those who have mastered both the complexity & magic of the music. Now based in New York & touring regularly with his incredible world fusion dance band PANJEA,Chris advised by many of Zimbabwe’s spirit mediums has embarked on an international journey to share the ancient knowledge of Njinji using storytelling music, drum and dance. It is the hope that people around the globe will become practitioners of this powerful healing art form & use it as a means of strengthening ourselves, our communities & ultimately restoring balance & joy back into our societies.

THURSDAY  MARCH 25th     Venue- Muse Community Trust 140 Barbadoes Street, Level 3, inside the School of Music

6PM TO 9PM COST $30        Booking Essential

Further information:

Ra McRostie 03 434 8224  or mob 021 1154884

Jeff Duyndam 03 357 22217 mob 0210 273 7514

Thanks to all who have participated in the African drum and dance classes during 2009. It has been an awesome push forward in the growth our African drum and dance community here in Christchurch.

Chris Berry will be teaching an African dance and drum workshop in Christchurch the last weekend in March 2010.

Also, Mohamed Bangoura will be returning in June.

The new year looks good for more fun classes and more performances for us.

This Tuesday, December 15th is the last drum class before our Christmas break.

African drum class will start up again Tuesday January 5th.

Happy Holidays and happy drumming!

Saturday the 28th of November, Ra is teaching an African dance class at Centennial Hall from 12 am to 2 pm. We are lucky to have Ra come to Christchurch again so soon after our Halloween performance. Her dance classes are for all levels of dancers. She starts the class with a warm up, then shows each dance move by breaking down the steps. It is easy to follow along. Ra finishes with a cool down and stretching. Wear comfortable clothes. Here is the poster with details for the African dance class,

Here is a way better quality video of our multi cultural show performance, African dance show on Halloween

Thank you all for creating a very happening scene last Saturday night at the multi cultural show on Halloween night.

You sounded awesome drummers!

The dancers were right on time and looked beautiful!

Here is a link to one of hopefully many videos from the show,  African dance and drum show

The last weekend in October Ra is teaching two African dance classes 7.30-9.30 pm Friday Oct 30th at Centennial Hall in Somerfield and 11 am-1 pm Saturday Oct 31st at Caledonian Hall, 135 Kilmore St.

Ra has been in Australia studying with her African dance teachers, including a week long dance and drum camp with Mohamed Bangoura’s brother Epizo Bangoura. I’m sure she will be happy to share the new rhythms and dance!

Here is the poster for her classes,