For more information on Ed Shockley’s work: mosaictheatreproductions.com

May 27th

3 – 4:30pm

At the CEC 

*Suggested Donation at the Door

May 17, 2012

2pm – 8pm

AtPhiladelphiaFolklore Project

735 S. 50th St.

*Join us for this FREE open house at the PFP to view historic images and bring your own to scan on site, help build a timeline, and enjoy complementary refreshments.

(Photo courtesy of afrikylolo.org ; photo by Benjamin Ganghi-Shepard)

A Day Dedicated to African Dance, Drumming & Community Building

ALL FUNDS RAISED WILL BENEFIT THE CEC

Saturday April 28th, 2012

9am-1am 

SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY:

9-10am    Drum Call- Registration & Check in – Meet & Greet – free coffee and Danish

10-11am   Film Screenings: “Renaissance on Sacred Ground” and “Making Homeplace” followed by a discussion with the filmmakers and Scribe Video

11:15am- 12:45pm  Djembe Drum Class with M’Bemba Bangoura

 11:15am- 12:45pm  Women’s Enrichment Workshop with Alia Sutton-Bey

1-2:30pm  Dance Class, Afro-Cuban with Ama Schley

3-4:30pm  DanceClass, Ivory Coast with Atito Gohi

5-6:30pm   Panel Discussion: “Developing a Cultural Agenda Through the Practice of African Dance and Drum”

9pm-1am  *Dance Party Fundraiser!  Included in full day ticket or $15 party only.  Music by DJ Orville Peters of Xanadu Productions.

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*To register for the event go to http://cec-community-festival-auto.eventbrite.com

*Full Day Ticket – $40 / Single Class – $20 / Suggested Donation for Film Screenings & Panel Discussion

* Vendors Welcome (arts, crafts, clothing etc.) – Please contact the CEC to register.

*For More Info: www.cecarts.org  (215) 387-1911 or Kwasi – (215) 715-5521

A message from the Festival Committee:

Several months ago….community elder and master drummer “Kwasi” Daryl Burgee  came to me with a concern and a dream… For many, the state of our communities are dire. We as members of various communities have a responsibility to do whatever we can to make lives better and add value to the world.

 African dance and drumming is a cultural expression with the potential to play a major role in building strong positive individuals who are essential to building and maintaining our communities.

 The CommunityEducationCentermore commonly known as the CEC is a nonprofit organization, a community space for artists and arts participants to come together to experience the arts and to build a sense of shared community.

 There is an opportunity for the African Dance and Drumming Community and CEC to effect meaningful social change if come together as a community. 

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY MEAN TO YOU?

WHAT IS YOUR COMMITMENT? 

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE?

 Please join us for the CEC Community Festival a day dedicated to African dance, drumming, community building, and  HOPE! 

Peace and Blessings,

The 1st CEC Community Festival Committee: CEC Executive Director Terri Shockley, Daryl “Kwasi” Burgee, Jeannine Osayande, Brother Robert Dickerson, and Victor Silver.

 WOMEN’S ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:

 *Facilitated by Alia Sutton-Bey

“P.A.C.E Yourself Girl- Steps to Mental Wellness“  In this workshop, participants will learn practical steps needed to maintain their mental wellness. Although specific to the unique needs of African-American women, the steps can be used by any woman who has experienced stress, depression or anxiety. The goal of the workshop is for participants to begin re-thinking both their inter/intra-personal relationships.

FILM DESCRIPTIONS:

*“Renaissance on Sacred Ground” is the story of Philadelphia’s legendary African dance artists Arthur Hall and Ilifife Cultural Center. 

*“Making Homeplace” is the story of the historically Black neighborhood of Swarthmore.  Both films were made through Scribe’s Precious Places Program.  Scribe’s Executive Director Louis Massiah will lead us in a discussion.

PANEL DISCUSSION:

*“Developing a Cultural Agenda Through the Practice of African Dance & Drumming Tradition” facilitated by C. Kamal Nance. Panalists include: Nia Eubanks Dickson, Robert Dickerson, Aliyah Bey, and Ell Sawyer.

OUR HONORED CLASS INSTRUCTORS:

Ama Schley started dancing long before she can recall. Her mother, Carol Butcher, who danced and performed with the Arthur Hall Afro-American Dance Ensemble, would take her to rehearsals, dance classes, and performances. It was in these settings that her mother saw Schley’s passion for dance. She stopped dancing for a short while but returned to it when she moved toSan Diego,California to study African dance with her father Yaw Asiedu. She performed with several companies directed by her father from 1997 to 2001. Upon returning toPhiladelphia, she joined Kulu Mele.  Schley has taught dance classes for the Jolof Empire Organization at schools throughoutPhiladelphia.  She will be teaching Afro-Cuban dances of the orisha, including Elequa, Yamayah, and Babaluaye.

 Atito, born Bi Gohi Johnson, is originally fromBelfla,Ivory Coast. At age fourteen, he realized that he had a natural talent and love for dance. It was while working for the Nayai Club in Abijan, the country’s capital,  that he auditioned and joined the National Ballet. It was with the National Ballet that Atito came to theUS. He later continued his career inNew York with the Mask Dance Company of theIvory Coast. He has taught at Djoniba Dance and Drum Centre, and has performed as a dancer and musician at Disney World, Brooklyn Academy of Music, HBO, Henry Street Settlement and Summer Stage, to name a few. Atito will teach dance of theIvory Coast.

 M’Bemba Bangoura has traveled throughout the world as a performer and teacher of African drum and dance and is revered worldwide for his high level of mastery. As a native ofGuinea,West Africa, M’Bemba began drumming at a very young age. By the age of 21, he was acclaimed as a master drummer and was invited to play for Ballet Djoliba, the most respected ballet company inGuinea at that time. Since moving to theUS in 1992, M’Bemba has performed, taught and choreographer extensively in theUS and abroad.  

 Alia Suttuo-Bey holds a B.S. in Sport and Recreation Management fromTempleUniversity and a M.S. in Community Psychology fromSpringfieldCollege.  She has just recently retired from the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation after nineteen years of service. She spent fifteen of those years a director of various recreation centers where she worked with communities to build programs that support youth and families. Alias’s retirement was on the heels of being approved to start her dissertation; the culminating requirement towards earning her PhD in Counseling Psychology from Walden University.

An evening of African and African-inflenced dance featuring local artists from around Philidelphia is curated by Terri Shockley, Executive Director of the Community Education Center.

The program features the Umfundalai dance technique of Kariamu & Company: Traditions which draw upon key movement principles, asthetics, and cultural traditions from the African Diaspora.

Enjoy original music and percussive dance by Germaine Ingram and Bobby Zankel, Breakdance by Rennie Harris RHAW,  West African Dance by Cachet Ivy Performing Arts Collectiveand  the Umfundalai technique of Kariamu & Company: Traditions.

Entry is free with Museum admission donation: $12, adults; $10, seniors (65 and above); $8, children (6-17) and full-time students with ID; free for children under 6.

Penn Museum is located at 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (on Penn’s campus, across from Franklin Field).

ETC. Performance Series: April Insanity!!!

ETC. Performance Series, also known as

Phillys FAVORITE hi-drama, lo-key performance series

is an opportunity for performance artists of any and all genres to show their work to a new and diverse audience in an intimate venue.

Dance, music, theater, performance art, stand-up comedy, spoken-word poetry, etc. is all welcome!

Performances are given bi-monthly on the first weekend (Saturday, Sunday) of the month at the Meetinghouse Theater of the CEC.

Featuring talent from:

Bodyfields Performance Collective
Robin Prichard
Lauren Williams
Craig Scull
Madhusmita Bora
Courtney Lapresi
Persona Zenobia Dance Ensemble
Fusion Dance Company
Eisa Jackson
Kareem Mims
Tamara Carrasco
Illstyle & Peace Productions
and MORE!!!

May 17, 2012

2pm – 8pm

At Philadelphia Folklore Project

735 S. 50th St.

*Join us for this FREE open house at the PFP to view historic images and bring your own to scan on site, help build a timeline, and enjoy complementary refreshments.

* Selected scenes from AND Company Theater’s

“To Be Young Gifted & Black “ A portrait of Lorraine Hansberry  In her own words                                                                                

Adapted by Robert Nemiroff, Directed by Andre G. Brown

* Dance performance -Musical tribute- African Art Gallery – Soul Dancing- Prizes, Giveaways, and much more !

 One evening only at the CEC            

$15 at the door 

For tickets go to

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/225155

More information at www.andcompanytheatre.org or call AND Company Theater (609) 891-7555

For more information about this performance please visit http://imagesofthemotherland.com/dogon.html

A unique, one-time gathering of nonprofit leaders, many from the arts community, who will meet to discuss a revolutionary idea in nonprofit management- sharing resources and growing together!

Click here to register for this event.

For ticket information go to http://danceboxoffice.com/product_details.php?item_id=13