  
Dance
Classes - Beginners Welcome
Classes are held at the
Pan African Connection 612 E. Jefferson, Dallas, TX 75240 (2nd. Floor).
Dance Classes -
Beginners Welcome: Enjoy the energetic
learning experience African Dance and Exercise every Tuesday, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
* $10/per class
Drum & Dance Workshops:
We conduct on-site workshops, classes and presentations
for schools, churches, corporations, private and community based
organizations.
More than Drum and Dance, learn
about the History, Language, Culture and the global impact of African Music and
Dance expression.
For more information call 817-640-1716 or email
babakwasi@seemeonline.com
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African
Dance Classes and Workshops
 African
dance is another vehicle of language arts that have significant movements with
specific meaning and purpose. Most African dances are designed to communicate a
particular message.
Dance
class and workshop participants are informed of the existence and purpose of
various dances and learn specific movements and techniques used for wedding
ceremonies, youth rites of passage, funerals, harvest dances, etc. Our classes
stresses movements from the west and central of Africa, the African American
diaspora and Caribbean Islands. Dance and hand clapping
techniques along with songs and playing of African musical instruments are taught as part of the dance workshop.
The class is accompanied by music and includes warming up exercises.
African Drumming Classes and Workshops
A
brief presentation is conducted on the history and relationship of African music
in connection with aspects of African culture and it’s impact on world music and
other cultures.
In the words of Baba Ishangi of the Ishangi Dancers in New
York, “music is a form of
conveying and transmitting information." African drum is not Morse code; it is
the actual imitation the human voice using drums and other instruments that
reflect the spoken language of the musician. It is believed by some that the
beat of the drums represent the forces of life, correlating to the beat of the
human heart.
Participants who
have instruments will be instructed on how to use them, and eventually play
together as an orchestra by the end of the session.
 Baba Ishangi of the Ishange
Family African Dancers (picture shown on left) was one of many special guest brought to Dallas, Texas to conduct public and private workshops on dance, drum,
history, language and culture. We praise and honor the life of Baba
Ishangi's accomplishments by continuing to lead by the example of doing our best
while inspiring others to do and be their best.
African
Music Lecture and Demonstration
A
collection of African instruments which include, conga drums, talking drums,
ashiko, djimbe, kinkini, doundoun drum, agogo (bell), shekere (beaded gourd),
sanza (thumb piano), and many others instruments. A select assortment of
instruments would be introduced, demonstrated and their use explained, along
with their relationship to other traditional instruments used on our societies.
The
makeup of a traditional African orchestra will be covered, in addition to a
demonstration of the intricacies of African polyrhythmic style. The African
tradition of call and response singing, which carries over into instrumental
music as well, the use of hand clapping, foot stomping, and the use of the voice
to imitate sounds are all part of the wealth of expression utilized in African
music and the workshop.
Since both drum and dance are forms of expression and communication, our
workshops are designed to lay the foundation for positive and productive human
relations and transcending those common values of
confidence, self-determination,
goal setting and collective work and responsibility through forms of
African music and dance expression.
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