Monday, August 24, 2009
African Children Learning Cultural Dances
The girls line up first and when the music starts, they begin to dance to the beat of drums--dah dah --pause--dah; dah dah--pause--dah.
They twirl with arms out, bent at the elbows, their feet keeping up the rhythm of two beats and a pause and another beat. Over and over again. They smile. They laugh. They are having a really good time.
Then it is the boys' turn. Louder with more force. They twirl, they stomp, they smile.
They are so proud of their culture, and their parents are happy they are learning something that has been forgotten, or for the smallest, has never been learned.
Twice a week at Parkside Community Center for two hours each these young people are reconnecting with their cultural roots.
Soon they will plan a performance for the public. Come back to this site to find out more. I will be posting pictures of the dancers in the coming days.
They twirl with arms out, bent at the elbows, their feet keeping up the rhythm of two beats and a pause and another beat. Over and over again. They smile. They laugh. They are having a really good time.
Then it is the boys' turn. Louder with more force. They twirl, they stomp, they smile.
They are so proud of their culture, and their parents are happy they are learning something that has been forgotten, or for the smallest, has never been learned.
Twice a week at Parkside Community Center for two hours each these young people are reconnecting with their cultural roots.
Soon they will plan a performance for the public. Come back to this site to find out more. I will be posting pictures of the dancers in the coming days.
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