West Africa (countries including Sierra Leone, Ghana, Senegal)
Artistic Areas:
Percussion, predominantly djembe (skin drums) workshop. Supplementary percussion instruments such as shekere, taka taka or agogo bells, and some school percussion may be used during these workshops
Blend of traditional and contemporary storytelling with music, riddles, call and response and song, depending on the age and level of the audience.
Usifu is a professional actor, dancer, percussionist and storyteller, whose unique skills introduce audiences and participants to West African traditions and cultures. An effervescent personality, Usifu's background in theatre makes him an ideal and dynamic workshop leader. His workshops combine elements of drumming, dancing, storytelling and games to uplift, inspire and educate youngsters and adults alike. See Usifu in action on our Reel Lives DVD.
Quotes
"It was lovely to see so many happy, smiling faces. Usifu is not only a mesmerising performer, but a skilled and intuitive facilitator. "
West Africa (countries including Sierra Leone, Ghana, Senegal)
History of workshop
As with West African percussion, dance accompanies most celebrations and festivals in Africa. These vary from festivals such as harvesting and activities such as laundering clothes at the river or cooking. This region has many major celebrations, rituals and rites of passage, such as coming of age, birth, courtship, marriage and death. The dance moves are designed to reflect movements made during the act or events mentioned above, and are still carried out today in villages, towns and cities during ceremonies and festivals.
Culturally, some of the dances are specifically carried out by either children, adults, males or females, depending on the ritual or celebration. Dancing is an art form that is introduced at a very early age, where everyone attends and sees the dances being performed, and is therefore passed on from generation to generation.
Songs and 'call and responses' generally accompany the dance and music. This does not mean that West Africans only dance traditionally. Night clubs and dancehalls are open all night and people often dance until sunrise! Popular western artists are often played here in clubs and bars, such as Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Atomic Kitten and Madonna.
Content
The workshop session will start with simple steps and movements, which are built on and become more complex, depending on the age and ability of the participants. Learn how the music and dance fit together for performances, and how the drum speaks to the dancers and provides the necessary prompts to dance, to make a change, to increase speed or to stop. If time allows, time and space will be given for the participants to develop their own part of the dance routine. Songs and/or call and response will accompany the dance routine.
Ages/abilities
KS1 and above
SEN
INSET
Conferences
Training and teambuilding exercises
Numbers
One class size per workshop - maximum of three workshops per day
Time needed
Minimum 60 minutes per workshop, but a whole day with one class can achieve a high-quality performance for the school and parents
Space needed
School hall or large, cleared classroom
Equipment/facilities to be provided by the school Children need to wear comfortable, loose clothing and gym shoes.
School/class preparation for artist's visit
Think about dance environments and occasions - when do the children dance?
Who teaches them?
Why do they dance?
Do the children in class have dances that everyone knows (barn dances, Maypole dancing and, if children are from other countries and cultures, do they have other dances - could they teach you)?
This is an opportunity for the children in your class to develop and learn about each others' cultures, as well as those of children in other countries and cultures.
Make links to the curriculum. Look at the flag, food, clothes and celebrities of the area.
Bring the continent to life and make it a real experience.
Percussion, predominantly djembe (skin drums) workshop. Supplementary percussion instruments such as shekere, taka taka or agogo bells, and some school percussion may be used during these workshops
History of workshop
As in the UK, traditional music and dance accompanies most celebrations in Africa, with some rhythms specific to each celebration. The artists will adapt these rhythms and songs to the classroom they are working in, explain the background and make cultural comparisons with the UK.
The djembe drum is particular to West Africa and has many tales about its history and social significance. It is one of the most common drums found throughout West Africa, originating from the Mali and Guinea regions.
Djembe means to come together and share the music in Bamana (West African dialect). To play the djembe well is to speak the Bamana language with the rhythms. To appreciate the sounds of the djembe is to receive the deep message of its communicating rhythms.
Drummers often suspend the djembe from straps clasped about the shoulders in order to play it with ease. There are three basic strokes played on the djembe: 'slap,' 'tone' and 'bass'.
There are hundreds of rhythms that drummers and dancers throughout West Africa know, and each of these rhythms tells its own story. A drummer must be knowledgeable of the meanings of the rhythms to speak effectively with the drum. Each djembe rhythm and dance has a purpose, a time and a place. Some rhythms honour groups of people; other rhythms mark certain occasions.
Content
Experience the music and, if time allows, some songs and stories from West Africa with an uplifting and energetic fully participatory workshop (that means teaching staff are involved too!). Learn about the importance of the drum, what they are made of, who plays them and at which occasions, as well as creating rhythms and some secret drum language with call and response.
You will be guaranteed smiles with an educational and fun session that lends itself to many areas of the national curriculum, from literacy, music, geography, citizenship and PSHE, as well as learning about a slice of life in West Africa.
The rhythms, calls and responses are introduced by using simple English phrases. This helps the participants remember their rhythms, especially when the workshops become more complicated and several rhythms are played together.
Numbers
One class size per workshop - maximum of three workshops per day
Time needed
Minimum 60 minutes. The artists can often work with one class all day and lead to a special end-of-day school performance which parents can be invited to, or used in school for development and linked activities after the artists have gone.
Space needed
School hall, or other large cleared space, with chairs in a circle for each participant
Equipment/facilities to be provided by the school
Chairs set in a circle and school percussion to complement the drums.
School/class preparation for artists visit
Find out what the children know about the country/region and where they got this information. Children often have negative stereotypes of Africa, which can easily be addressed incorporating positive images of Africa and its modern cities etc. See further web links.
Find West Africa on a map, look at climate, trade, religion, language, sports (especially football) etc of the country/region. Are there any celebrities from the region? What are the links between the UK and West Africa?
Blend of traditional and contemporary storytelling with music, riddles, call and response and song, depending on the age and level of the audience.
History of workshop
Storytelling has been a means of communicating morals and histories for centuries within cultures around the world. Oral tradition was used as a means of communication long before the advent of pens, paper and the printing press. Stories told how people should live and behave, songs conveyed news and information.
See how this is achieved in this performance - note that there are no books, notes or visual prompts - just the smiling faces of the staff and children to work with!
Content
Listen to some wonderfully evocative West African stories, often with familiar characters such as Anansi. The artist will introduce friendly, funny and some cheeky characters, setting a journey for a special story with suitable amounts of interaction for different ages, including actions, songs, riddles, clapping, call and response and some percussion. Expect to learn about moral issues, as well as taking on board catchy songs and rhythms. A story experience you will never forget!!
Ages/abilities
Reception and above
SEN
INSET
Conferences
Training and teambuilding exercises
Numbers
Two to three classes per performance, depending on the ages of the participants
Time needed
60 minutes
Space needed
School hall or cleared classroom
Equipment/facilities to be provided by the school
Table and chair
School/class preparation for artist's visit
Look at maps of West Africa
Find out what the children know about stories and storytelling
Talk about children's experiences of stories - what do they do and what do they teach them?
Why do we tell stories?
Discuss favourite stories
Write your own stories in groups, or individually, following the experience with the artist
