Workshops & Presentations

artist educators * ongoing classes * residencies *
lectures / demonstrations * ceremonies * in-school assemblies
corporate events
Our Fall and Spring Classes (and more)
registration click here

Ongoing Classes

*Iwa L'ewa African Dance Class (see left for details)
February Classes

2/26 "Dance for Haiti" Cancelled for tonight to be rescheduled
Our Friday evening class teaches traditional West African dances for all ages and all levels of ability. We have live musicians who play, as we warm up, go through a break down of the movements, take the steps across the floor, and end with the Bantaba (communal dance circle).

Yewande Kelley-Johnson has given classes at Julliard, Monroe College and Chicago's DanceAfrica. Our Fall/Winter session begins September 18 to December 18, 2009 with a Kwanzaa performance (date and location TBA) in Plainfield.

African Dance at Sharron Miller Academy
Wednesdays 7:45pm
14 S. Park St.; Montclair, NJ

This one hour class is for teens and adults. Yewande works with a djembe orchestra led by Ossie Simmonds.

Fall session begins September 23

Workshops

A Taste of Africa
A wonderful fully interactive workshop that exposes any audience to language, clothing, music, song and dance of traditional West Africa. In this workshop the participants ultimately become the presenters with the assistance of our Iwa L’ewa artists learning and trying each of these tastes of Africa. We conclude with the dance, so this educational workshop ends with a festive feel. This is a great for an international or diversity day for a company, school or organization. It provides broad strokes to help participants get a picture of Africa.

Motion of Life: West African Dance
(40 minutes-1 Hour Workshop)
This workshop is an introduction to African dance movement with information on dance culture & folklore. Participants will need space and should bring their enthusiasm for this energetic workshop.

A Day of African Dance
These four workshops in a day is an introduction to African dance movement with information on dance culture & folklore. Participants should be ready for learning and high spirits. Traditional clothing and music will be part of the learning experience. Students will learn a brief choreography and participate in a Bantaba (dance circle) to close the workshop. Live musical accompaniment keeps the students connected to the music and dance.

Rocking at the Savoy
This dance workshop provides an exposure to Swing dance, also known as Lindy Hop. Learn about the movements and their meanings, the people who created this dance and how it impacted on the history of that time. Savoy style swing and lindy (the original) is what is taught in this workshop.

Sounds of Africa
This workshop is an introduction to African polyrhythm with information on the culture and folklore of West Africa. Participants will learn a song and have an opportunity to work as a unit playing on various percussion instruments. We'll provide the instruments, however, if you have percussion instruments of your own, we'll gladly include them.

Djembe Orchestra - African Classical Music
This workshop exposes participants to the djembe orchestra of West Africa. The djembe orchestra is played not only in West Africa but has become a popular drum orchestra in the United States. Be ready to acquire some history and techniques as well as learn a rhythm. Participants must bring a drum to this workshop. Some drums may be available for rental.

Songs of Africa - Old World or New World (your choice)
Learn various songs from West Africa and even the Diaspora and learn how they relate to the people of the community. For participants old enough to read and write, we request that you bring paper and pencil/pen in order to record what you learn. New World songs can take you from the fields and plantation work songs of our enslaved African ancestors to the folkloric songs of Haiti, Brazil, right up to blues, spirituals and jazz of the United States.

Jazz: America's Classical Music
A great instrumental workshop exposing music students from elementary to college age to various jazz idioms and helping them understand and work with the art of improvisation.

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Residencies

Dance Residencies We Are All Part of the Village
(8 days: inquire also about our 12 or 20 days Residency) Dance or Music residency - your choice. The goal is to work with a core group throughout the residency and give them a more in depth exposure to the complexities, technique and vocabulary of West African dance or music. If you choose the dance residency, it includes live drumming.

Storytelling Residencies

Global Story Village
Stories, proverbs and fables from around the world highlighting various cultures and people. Participants will investigate the meaning, history and culture from these various rich resources.

Africa Old and New World
Stories with attention to real life tales of great scientists, business people, artists and every day folks. This workshop is used to teach history of the peoples of Africa and Africans of the Americas.

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Lectures / Demonstrations

A Taste of Africa (20 minutes to 1/2 hour)
This lecture covers clothing, music, dance and language. It's an interactive workshop great for a diversity or international day at work, school or other organization. It provides some broad strokes to help participants get a picture of Africa.

African Spirituality
A great workshop for any group interested in information on traditional African spiritual practices. This workshop comes with a handout listing books, videos and music for further research.

Jazz America's Classical Music
A talk on the importance of jazz to American music and musicians.

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Ceremonies

Naming Ceremony - Officiating the celebration of birth of a new child and welcoming them into the family and the world with traditional African customs.

Weddings - We offer several services, dancers and live drummers for a wedding or a reception, officiating an African centered ceremony and consulting on various African and African American traditions for marriage.

Memorials - We've performed music, traditional African dances and have a wonderful vocalist who has a broad repertoire of songs to remember that important loved one.

Kwanzaa Ceremony - From an explanation of the principals of Kwanzaa, libation (African traditional prayer) and lighting the kinara, to stories and dance and / or music shared. Our Kwanzaa ceremony, no matter the size, is interactive with audience participation that makes each Kwanzaa experience unique.

Affirming the Afrikan Woman in You
A 5-week (one day a week) workshop of meditation / dance as prayer and celebration of the woman’s body with participants setting up a visual space for focus and remembrance.

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In-School Assemblies

The performances conducted by the Iwa L'ewa Heritage Dance Ensemble or other African Global Arts artists are all designed to be educational as well as entertaining. Because audience participation is a part of each our programs, they are all good choices for school assemblies. We've presented these programs at colleges and universities as well as elementary, middle and high schools. Each performance can be geared to fit anywhere from 40minutes to an hour period, so let us know your needs.

Corporate Events

The workshops and performances listed above are not only great for diversity days or celebrations of African American History month and Martin Luther King's birthday, but we've conducted these presentations at various programs for Johnson & Johnson, Bristol Meyers, and Allstate Insurance just to name a few. Colorful costumes, musicians, dancers, with exciting music and beautiful choreography make a impact your company will enjoy. If you have a special need or request, please let us know.

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