African Connections 2021

African Connections 2021

The Online Edition  •   Curated by Tania Amaral 

An event for every Saturday in February to take us deeper into Africa, its diverse countries, people and cultures that make up the second largest continent with the world’s second largest populace.

For the 2nd year in a row, African Connections is conceived, curated and programmed by Tania Amaral, who approached Crimson Coast Dance Society to produce this programming during Black History Month.

We are honoured to support her initiative.

Event Details

February 22, 2021

Harbour City Theatre

African Dance Classes with Tania Amaral, Bison and Izo

African Dance Classes

Class Tickets: $25/class ($20/class if purchasing more than 1)

Sweetheart Deal: Purchase your ticket by Feb 14th and save 20%.

Use this discount code “morethanone” if you book more than one session.

February 23, 2021

Harbour City Theatre

African Dance Classes with Tania Amaral, Bison and Izo

African Dance Classes

Class Tickets: $25/class ($20/class if purchasing more than 1)

Sweetheart Deal: Purchase your ticket by Feb 14th and save 20%.

Use this discount code “morethanone” if you book more than one session:.

February 27, 2021  |  7:00pm – 8:30pm

Online

BANTU - UBUNTU – VUMUNTU

In all languages: "I am because you are!"

Get Together: Closing Party!

BANTU - UBUNTU – VUMUNTU

Open to Adults & Kids | $5.00

Enjoy and make music, song and dance with guest artists.  Interact through facilitated break out rooms that get you talking or groove together to great jams.

Nicole Utulinde, a professional Musician from Rwanda, will guide us into Rwanda rhythm Improvisations with her Ngomas.

Tania Amaral, Mozambique, performs_Afro-Fusioni Sharqi Dance

Learn more about Ubuntu philosophy

We recognize not everyone can attend this performance at the scheduled time it will be live. If you would like a recording of the performance please register below & email dance@crimsoncoast.org for a link. This will be available for one week after the performance.

February 28, 2021  |  4:00pm – 5:00pm

Online

FUSION SHARQI DANCE CLASS

Fusion Sharqi Dance Class

Open Level for Adults | $12.00

Welcome to AFSD level 1. We begin with a warm up. We will then cover basic movements from this vocabulary and combine them with Raqs Sharqi vocabulary movements.

This is an open level, which means that experience is not required.

We recognize not everyone can attend this class at the scheduled time it will be live.

If you would like a recording of the class please register below & email dance@crimsoncoast.org for a link. This will be available for one week after the performance.

February 28, 2021

Recorded Event: KARINGANA WA KARINGANA

Reading African Tales by Lethy Makwenge, (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Karingana Wa Karingana

This live event has now ended. If you would like a recording of this event please register below (available until Feb 28, 2021)

For Children | By Donation

Lethy Makwenge was born in Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). She grew up in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is a Christian, believer, daughter, sister, partner, and friend. Lethy has always been passionate about children and has unconditional love in working with them. She is also passionate about languages. So far, she is fluent in French, Swahili, Lingala, and French. She hopes to meet new people and learn more languages.

The event recording is now available here: View Video

You will require a password to access the performance. Please register below for the password.

This event is by donation & all contributions above $25 annually will receive a charitable tax receipt. If you would like to donate by Pay What You Can (PWYC) or have questions about registration please contact dance@crimsoncoast.org

February 28, 2021

Recorded Event: SHARING IS CARING

African People Sharing Their Culture & Experiences

Nicole Utulinde

Open to Everyone | By Donation

Nicole Utulinde, a professional Musician from Rwanda, will share their culture and their experience as an immigrant to Canada.

Hailing from Kigali- Rwanda, Nicole Utulinde is a queer Jazz vocalist currently living in Nanaimo, BC.  She started her music training in the classical realm with Soprano Christine McMahon and then later got accepted to Vancouver Island University in the Bachelor of Music in Jazz studies. Since then, Nicole has held a strong love affair with Jazz, Blues and Bossa Nova standards. Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carrey are her biggest influences. Nicole has been performing in local venues such as The Coast Bastion Hotel – Minnoz Restaurant + Lounge, The Vault Cafe, The Millstone Winery, The Corner Lounge, Piper’s Pub, The Surf Lodge on Gabriola Island, The Cumberland Hotel, performed at the 2019 Woodstove Festival and the 2020 Black History Month Final Gala and will be singing with the Marty Steele Trio for this year’s Nanaimo International Jazz festival. Outside of music, Nicole is very involved in the pride community and currently works for Fierté Canada Pride and a communications consultant and services as Vice-president for the Nanaimo Pride Society.  For more information: Nicoleutulinde

The event recording is now available here: View Video

You will require a password to access the performance. Please register below for the password.

This event is by donation & all contributions above $25 annually will receive a charitable tax receipt. If you would like to donate by Pay What You Can (PWYC) or have questions about registration please contact dance@crimsoncoast.org

February 28, 2021

Recorded Event: SHARING IS CARING

with Fernando Anuang’a

Fernando Anuang'a

This live event has now ended. If you would like a recording of this event please register below (available until Feb 28, 2021)

Open to Everyone | By Donation

A Conversation with the artist, Fernando Anuang’a, and performance of his work, Traditional Future

Fernando Anuang’a, a professional dancer, choreographer and teacher from Kenya. An autodidactic and atypical artist, he will share his journey fusing many dance forms from various African cultures including his amalgamation of Aduma (a Maasai Traditional dance) and contemporary dance. He further developed his dance language and an approach to contemporary dance by attending Masteclasses of Carolyn Carlson, France, and through it highlights the meeting of different cultures, to share and bring together the traditional art in a modern stage.

Fernando Anuang’a, was born in Kanyaboli and specializes in traditional Maasai dance and development of traditional dance and Afro contemporary dance. He was raised in Kitengela and Magadi in the early 1980s where he developed his interest in Maasai dance and tradition. He debuted his work in 1990 with the famous dance group in Kenya, known as Rarewatts during the win-a-car dance championship. They emerged second. The Rarewatts dance troupe were famous in Kenya because of the unique style of blending traditional Maasai dance with modern club moves.

In March 2007, Fernando formed a dance company in Kenya known as Maasai Vocals consisting of seven Maasai Men and participated in Pan-African Festival held in Algeria, directed by Kamel Ouali. Anuang’a and the group Maasai Vocals produced their show Voices & Feeling at Ravenna Festival and Festival Oriente Occidente in Italy.

In July 2008, he choreographed a dance Fusion spectacle titled Fusion Indo-Maasai, with Jaya Pachauri. It was a fusion of Indian Kathak dance and Maasai dance. www.nuanga.com

A Film 

Traditional Future

 
A dance film by Anuang’a Fernando which experiments with an artistic approach to evolving tradition towards modernity without obliterating tradition’s tracks or without betraying its roots.

Danseur chorégraphe: ANUANG’A Fernando
Musique: Maasaï Vocals & composition modern

Création of this 45 minute dance and filming took place at: Akili studio/ Wayne McGregor.
Producer: Pierre Cardin
Anuang’A, is supported and inspired by the Maasai songs, ancestral memory, and vocal rhythmic power as the “essential motor” for his gesture. To initiate a path to take tradition to the future, the dancer created a fusion where the Maasaï dance lives this era fully.  Anuang’a feels the limit of the vertical energy in the Maasaï jump “cliche touristic” while evocatively evolving the Maasaï undulation gesture from the ancestral age.  “Traditional Future”, loyal to the symbolic roots of the Moran, young warrior, village land, Anuang’a finds a deeper energy, and a more liberating expression.

Audience to Artist Conversation

Fernando Anuang’a dials in from France to spend a precious moment with you, the audience, to respond to your questions about the artist’s work and life.

The event recording is now available here: View Video

You will require a password to access the performance. Please register below for the password.       

This event is by donation & all contributions above $25 annually will receive a charitable tax receipt. If you would like to donate by Pay What You Can (PWYC) or have questions about registration please contact dance@crimsoncoast.org

February 28, 2021

Recorded Event: LET'S TALK ABOUT IT

The Power of a Correct History - Dance in Africa

Tania Amaral Dance Instructor Mozambique

This live event has now ended. If you would like a recording of this event please register below (available until Feb 28, 2021)

Open Lecture & Conversation | By Donation

Inspired by Chimamanda Ngozi’s, Zeinab Badawi and Imad Mesdoua Tedx Talks, Tania Amaral, a professional dancer and cultural activist from Mozambique delivers a 40 minute presentation that reflects on aspects of dance culture in Africa; How dances from Africa are being represented in the social stream, from videos, movies, media in general? What is meant by ‘African dance class’? What does it mean when one says it’s an African Warrior dance? What authentic resources are available to get knowledge directly from the people of the culture? What is fusion dance? Is it fusion or con-fusion? Together, we will reflect on these questions to help anyone navigate knowledge about this broad and varied world of the African continent. After, the floor will be open for dialogue.

Born and raised in Mozambique, Tânia Amaral also known as PynKsy Shell, is an African dancer, teacher, researcher, cultural activist, curious, traveler and enthusiastic person. She was also – for decade a Pharmacist – until she pursued her passion to become a full time dance artist and researcher of dances in Africa. She has lived in Portugal, Cape Verde and now Canada. She is member of the Dance Centre, Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists (CADA), Crimson Coast Dance Society, Nanaimo Arts Council and the International Dance Council CID (Unesco). She has taught and performed in Mozambique, Portugal, Cape Verd, USA and Canada. In April of 2019 the dance concept, Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance, was officially patented pending and in 2020 become Trademarked. She is completing the AFSD Manual in English and Portuguese so students around the world can embrace this new dance style. The mission, vision, aspirations, values and principles of Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance can be found on her website www.pynksyshell.com or on the Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance official FB Page. Follow Tania, as Pynksy Shell, on Instagram or YouTube Channel – Pynksy Shell Afro Fusion Sharqi Dance.

The event recording is now available here: View Video

You will require a password to access the performance. Please register below for the password.                                                                                        

This event is by donation & all contributions above $25 annually will receive a charitable tax receipt. If you would like to donate by Pay What You Can (PWYC) or have questions about registration please contact dance@crimsoncoast.org

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