Learn an African cultural dance with dance practitioner Rebecca Jeffery.
Learn some new moves this Black History month with professional dance practioner Rebecca Jeffreys of Andigwa Dance.
All adults & accompanied under 16's welcome.
Rebecca will lead a dance workshop to learn the dance and culture of Chadzunda, the headman of Gule Wamkulu. Gule Wamkulu is also known as “The Great Dance” of the Chewa tribe from Zambia, Malawi & Mozambique. The Chewa culture shows itself through masked dances at village ceremonies in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.
PROFILE OF ANDIGWA DANCE
I have been teaching dance fitness and exercise for all ages since 1992. I have been dancing since I was very young in Africa. I specialise in African dance with the aim of teaching and learning about African culture through dance and music to bring about health fitness and happiness and lift people’s spirits in mind body and soul. All classes involve a warmup, a dance section and a fabulous cooldown to stretch, relax and meditate, leaving the session feeling uplifted. My classes also involve sharing my unique experience of dances which have been influenced by Africa such as salsa, samba as well as Belly dance and flamenco.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
I first encountered a Gule Wamkulu celebration when I was a little girl attending a wedding at my mother’s village in Malawi. I was terrified by a frightening creature who ran after us and we scattered in terror! Unknown to me, I was experiencing a sacred ritual of the ‘Great Dance’ – the Gule Wamkulu of the Chewa tribe practiced at my mother’s village in Malawi and by all Chewa tribes in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique. I will teach this dance and we will learn it’s culture at a Black History month workshop on Saturday 11th October at 2.30 -3.30pm.
Part of the Get Creating season & Let's Celebrate Black History Month at Barnstaple Library.