Always one of Rootead’s most popular programs, Community Drum and Dance is a multigenerational, traditional West African Dance celebration, which will be held at numerous locations throughout the Greater Kalamazoo area this summer.
All ages and all levels are encouraged to attend these classes, which are accompanied with live drumming, and all events are pay-what-you-can and donation-based with online registration requested.

“All people within the village join Community Drum and Dance whether they’re pregnant, carrying their newborns on their back, babies, infants, grandparents… It’s a really great experience for anybody to join to explore the live drumming and dancing of West African dance,” said Jay Young, Youth and Cultural Arts Director at Rootead. “There are people who usually watch and listen as well. You can be someone who watches. You can be someone who is dancing. You can be admiring the drums and the music. Everybody’s just in the space bouncing energy off one another. It’s just amazing.”

In addition to three classes at various community locations (July 3 will be at Harrison Park, Sept. 25 at Urban Zone, and Sept. 11 at a TBA location), Rootead is participating in El Concilio’s Health Day at Spring Valley Park on Aug. 14.

Each class will focus on a specific rhythm.

The Harrison Park event (Saturday, July 3 at 2 pm) features the Yanvalou rhythm. A Haitian spirit dance of resilience and faith, Yanvalou traces its origins to Benin, West Africa. The dance, itself a fusion of multiple ethnic traditions, served to unite a similarly diverse group of people in the fight against slavery. Its spinning, undulating movements resemble waves on the ocean.

The El Concilio Health Day Event at Spring Valley Park (Saturday, Aug. 14 at 11am) celebrates the Dundunba rhythm. The “strong man's” rhythm and dance, Dundunba is an iconic West African celebratory rhythm to build power.
And both the September events (2 pm Sept. 11 at the Kalamazoo Nature Center and 2 pm Sept. 25 at Harrison Park in partnership with Urban Zone) will feature the Kakilambe rhythm. Kakilambe refers both to specific percussion patterns and to a dance that’s symbolic of the celebration of life, crop growth, and the birth of children.

Registration for these events is available at:
https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLScafalmBPZ.../viewform...

For more information or to request an interview with Rootead’s Youth and Cultural Arts Director, email jay@rootead.org or call (269) 720-9200