Field Trip #7: Dance Africa DC

This past weekend was a great opportunity to see West African Dance as part of the 23rd Annual Festival of Dance and Music of the African Diaspora at Dance Place. Unfortunately it was raining so I was not able to see some of the ensembles perform but the festival was still ongoing between downpours. I'm glad I went to Dance Place because it also highlights the need to explore in order to learn more. Today we often think that everything is on the web and we can find it if we look hard enough but sometimes it is better just to go check a place out and pick up more materials while you are there.

An important thing to remember as a teacher is also that we can point students in the right directions and not always have to be the ones to make it happen. For example, there is a great Creative Arts Camp at Dance Place called Energizers and this would be a great activity to encourage students to partake of during the summer. Energizers works on many different arts but for the purposes of this website they also study West African Dance and African Drumming. So start putting together your summer files for students so they can keep on learning and traveling the world even when they are not in school.

But during the school year you have to check out Dance Place's NEXTgeneration program. You can choose from outreach programs in which the Coyaba Dance Theater can demonstrate "authentic West African culture through traditional dance and drumming" at your school or even sign up for Teaching Residencies where Outreach staff can teach African Dance during a one hour session or a year-round class. There are also InReach Performances in which you can bring a group of students to Dance Place for as little as $2 a student to see a live performance. Contact Dance Place to find out the schedule for next year and to make reservations!

Contact Info:
Dance Place
3225 8th Street NE
Washington, DC 20017
(202) 269-1600
www.danceplace.org