The Alloy School, West African: Dance & Drum
KST Presents
with Ebony Castaphney and Yamoussa Camara
Saturdays, February 11, February 18, February 25, March 4, March 11, March 18, March 25, April 1
12:00pm – 12:50pm
All ages
KST’s Alloy Studios | 5530 Penn Ave.
$10/class for full session; $12.50/drop-in
Bring your loved ones to experience the fundamentals of traditional West African dance and rhythm. Classes involve grounding full body movements accompanied by percussive rhythms, drumming, and the occasional vocal song. This intergenerational class offers invigorating adaptive exercise for all people.
ABOUT THE TEACHING ARTISTS
Ebony Castaphney also known as Ms. Ebony Naima Zan is native to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She uses art such as movement, poetry, storytelling, and vocal expression as forms of wellness. For the last decade Ebony has studied a variety of diaspora arts, gravitating more towards the deep rooted traditional dances of Guinea West Africa. She developed a strong passion to preserve black cultural arts as well as black history in America. With the purpose of building black pride amongst people of color and honoring their legacies. Ebony continues to move with purpose sharing her passion, knowledge and love for the arts with the youth of the Nia Dance Ensemble. The ensemble is a project that she began 3 years ago with the hopes of helping at-risk youth develop a sense of purpose, passion and confidence amongst others. Ebony and Nia Dance Ensemble perform locally with aspirations of uplifting, inspiring and healing their community through the engagement of song, movement and the melodic rhythms of Africa.
Yamoussa Camara (West African Drummer) was born in the village of Boke, Guinea, West Africa. With the national companies Ballet Djoliba, Les Ballets Africains, and Merveilles d’Afrique, he toured Europe, Africa and the United States. Yamoussa had the distinction of being the youngest lead drummer in Les Ballets Africains. In 1995, Yamoussa immigrated to the United States. Since that time he has performed with numerous companies, including Wosa of Washington D.C. on their Taiwan Tour, an eclectic group of artists at S.O.B.™s in New York City, and a jazz ensemble in New Haven, CT. He taught drum and dance at Yale University for 10 years and has traveled the U.S. teaching, performing, choreographing and polishing presentations for various dance ensembles. Yamoussa currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA where he teaches the African Drum and Dance Ensemble at the University of Pittsburgh and West African dance at Point Park University. Yamoussa also teaches drum and dance classes and workshops for adults and children, and performs with various ensembles in addition to his own ensemble Camara Drum and Dance. Yamoussa is available for dance and/or drum classes and workshops, private drum lessons, and performances in Pittsburgh and anywhere in the US. To book Yamoussa or Camara Drum and Dance, email yamoussa@gmail.com or call 412-872-1317.
AND DON’T MISS…
Open House
Saturday, February 4
10:00am
KST’s Alloy Studios | 5530 Penn Ave.
FREE
Interested in registering for classes or already registered? KST has a one-hour orientation for families at KST’s Alloy Studios. Meet The Alloy School Education Coordinator, Simon Phillips, and hear from our Teaching Artists, each of whom will present their style and share what students will learn over the course of the session.
The Alloy School Showcase
Let’s Move Family Dance Party
Saturday, April 8
10:00am
Kelly Strayhorn Theater | 5941 Penn Ave.
Pay What Moves You: $5 – $20
Celebrate The Alloy School journey with our Showcase and Let’s Move Family Dance Party at Kelly Strayhorn Theater. Each class will present material from their class session on the mainstage, after which we move to the lobby for family beats and community crafts.
The Alloy School is made possible with support from the Henry C. Frick Educational Fund of the Buhl Foundation and The Grable Foundation. Kelly Strayhorn Theater is supported in part by the taxpayers of Allegheny County through a public grant from the Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD). RAD works here.