Weekly Saturday Ngoma/Drum Class
Ngoma Drum Classes on Saturday's from 11:30am - 1pm
Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, 2nd Floor Studio A
1428 Alice Street, Oakland, CA
Open to all levels, we take a weekly journey to the Kongo Kingdom through rhythms on the Ngoma drum. We cover base, tone, slap, as well as additional techniques specific to the Ngoma. We explore the music from a folkloric perspective, understanding the specific context in which these rhythms are played and we also have a lot of fun doing it! loaner Ngoma's are available upon request. Hope to see you there!
Weekly Saturday Dance Class
Congolese Dance Classes on Saturday's from 1pm - 2:30pm
Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, 2nd Floor Studio A
1428 Alice Street
Oakland, CA
Performed to the sounds of the ngoma, or traditional Congolese drum, Congolese dance is a central part of the rich cultural legacy of descendants of the Kongo Kingdom (i.e. modern-day Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa (Zaire) and Angola).
The movement style is distinguished by its groundedness, syncopated movements, hip/torso/shoulder isolations, and polyrhythmic footwork. Celebrated for its fluidity, grace and soulful and explosive energy, Congolese dance is a healing experience for mind, body and Spirit.
Our weekly Congolese dance classes are open to all levels. The 90 minute classes include 30 minutes of warmup, 60 minutes of instruction and feature live drumming.