Teaching African Music and Dance
“I feel energetic and alert, empowered in mind and body. That’s what playing the drums can do for you” – Lynsey Hanley, the Guardian
Alanouwaly organises African Music and Dance workshops with all age groups: in schools, with elders and with all ages in between. It is a great way to promote diversity, learning to understand, enjoy and respect each other’s cultures.
African Music classes are, in their essence, unifying accessing the emotional, rational and physical. They exercise muscles as well as brain and to drums together you need to be disciplined as a group. It can help to address behavioural issues.
In Africa history and knowledge is traditionally taught through story telling with musical performance and dance.
African culture is, by its very nature, inclusive and workshops can be geared towards families, a wide range of age groups and towards those with special needs. Drum workshops have become popular with companies on team building missions or holding major events and celebrations.
We are continuing the work Salifou started with musicians who have trained in Africa to show you African culture. Everybody working with us will be DBS checked and we have Public Liability Insurance. We can offer one-off workshops to longer courses with set 
goals that can culminate in a final performance with authentic costumes in:
- Schools: Nursery to A-level
- Colleges and Universities
- Special Needs
- Community centres
- Family classes – for the whole family
- Individual tuition
- Prisons
- Corporate events and team-building exercises
Workshop Content
Rhythms of varying complexity from many West African cultures taught using:
- Djembe (lead drum and support drum)
- Dundun (bass drum, 3 different sizes, i.e. tones
- Kririn (wooden slit drum)
- Various small instruments like shakers
- Dance
- Singing
Instruments can be supplied. For schools we have a set of costumes for performances.
We can also do free short presentations about our charity and its work, the water problem in Africa and the history of West-African music.
To book and for more information please contact us to discuss your needs and wishes.
