Travel the World with YIA Assemblies
Youth in Arts School Assemblies range from $500 to $1000 for one 45 minute performance or two back-to-back performances by the same artist. Adequate space must be provided (multi-purpose room or stage) with access to electrical outlets. Call 415-457-4878 or email us to book one of the listed artists for your Assembly program.
Africa
Bu Falle West African Drum and Dance--Amadou Diawara
Amadou Diawara and Bu Falle West African Drum/Dance Ensemble present
authentic West African drumming and dance with traditional instruments and West African clothing. Thrilling drums, captivating dance and narrative African Folklore teach students history of Djembe Drum, along withsimple words in the Wolof Language.
Amadou Diawara, a native of Senegal, performed with the esteemed drum and dance companies BOUGARABOU and KAKILAMBE before coming to the United States as a West African drum and dance teacher in 2001. In California, he has taught for the African American Cultural center and drummed for Alassane Kane's dance class at the San Francisco Dance Center and for Niancho Enyaley's West African Drum and Dance Company located in the Los Angeles area. He also implemented a West African music and dance curriculum for students in 2007 and directs the Bay Area company “Bu Falle”. Amadou believes drumming and dancing knows no boundaries and connects all ages and ethnicities.
Chinyakare Zimbabwean Music and Dance--Julia Tsitsi Chigamba
Under the direction of Julia Tsitsi Chigamba, the Chinyakare Ensemble boasts a collection of diverse and experienced musicians from Africa, the United States and beyond. True to its name, "deep tradition in the arts of our ancestors", the ensemble performs traditional dance, mbira, drums, marimba, and song from Shona, and other tribal groups from around Zimbabwe in Southern Africa.
Julia Tsitsi Chigamba grew up in the rich cultural traditions of Shona music and dance. Daughter of highly respected "mai Chigamba and Baba Tute Chigamba", she's a long time member of The Mhembero Dance Troupe, the internationally known Chigamba Family of dance and mbira for ceremonies within the communites now performing on stage. Since 1999, Julia has perfomed and taught widely in the USA and Canada and has made Oakland her home away from home.
Duniya Dance and Drum Company--Bongo Sidibe
Duniya Dance and Drum Company offers two programs grounded in the distinct expertise of the company directors, Bongo Sidibe and Joti Singh.
Duniya’s West African Dance and Drum performance features dance and music from Guinea, West Africa. Students learn traditional rhythms and dances from Guinea and how they relate to life events, such as initiations, celebrations, farming, and spiritual rituals. The musicians play traditional Guinean instruments, and the dance is fast-paced and high energy.
Bongo Sidibe grew up in Conakry, Guinea, and learned drumming at a very young age, from Mamady Keita, one of the greatest djembe players in the world. Since arriving in the U.S. he has performed with Black Nature from the Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars, the Grateful Dead, Mickey Hart, Bolokada Conde and Karamo Susso.
Kalahari: Voices of South Africa--Gideon Bendile
Led by Zulu Spears co-founder and South African native Gideon Bendile, Kalahari offers a rich glimpse into South African culture through song and dance. Hear the famous “Click Song” in the Xhosa language and lively Gumboot dance, once used as a code of communication in the mines of South Africa.
Gideon Mlungisi Bendile was born in the southwestern township (Soweto) of Johannesburg, South Africa, where he first began his career performing in local musical shows. In 1974, he was invited to join the hit international traveling performance Ipi Intombi, appearing in Paris, London, on Broadway in New York, Scandanavia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Far East. In 1975, Ipi Intombi won Best Foreign Musical in the Song of Europe Awards and was performed for the Queen of England, ending with a long run in Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas, having formed a group called Amazulu, Gideon was interviewed by Dinah Shore, toured with Redd Fox, appeared with Sammy Davis Jr. and Gregory Hines, performed for the Jerry Lee Lewis Telethon, and was featured as a guest artist with Siegfried and Roy. He remained in the U.S. and founded Zulu Spear in Northern California, performing both nationally and internationally. He has also worked with the George Coates Performance Works in San Francisco, and with The Africans are Coming in Oakland, and has been funded by the CAC as an Artist in Residence with the Arts in Education program.
Asia and Pacific Islands
Central Asian Dance--Tara Pandeya
Tara Catherine Pandeya will present dance, music and songs from one or more Central Asian traditions (Afghan, Tajiki, Uzbek, Azeri, Persian or Chinese-Turkman). Fabric and costuming from Central Asia will be introduced, along with a map to give context to the students about this region of the world. Students will learn about geography and cultural traditions of Central Asia and will learn traditional dance vocabulary and lyrics from a song sung in Farsi, a language used in traditional music throughout Central Asia.
Tara Catherine Pandeya is a second-generation performing artist trained in multiple dance styles ranging from Central Asian, to Middle Eastern, Western classical and classical Indian dance. In 2002, Tara was chosen as a featured artist through the California Arts Council's Next Generation, Young and Upcoming Multicultural Artists Grant program. In 2006, Tara completed a dance residency and dance field research in Tajikistan (formerly a republic of the Soviet Union). Tara has traveled and studied dance and language in India, the Middle East, Central Asia and Europe. Tara holds Bachelors degrees in International Relations and Performing Arts from St. Mary's College. She also holds Arabic language certificates and a teaching credential in ESL. Tara currently performs throughout the United States as well as internationally as a soloist artist and also as a principle dancer with Ballet Afsaneh, Dances of the Silk Road, which she has been a member of for over 10 years.
Halau Na Pua O Ka La'akea--Shawna Alapa'i
Traditional ancient Hawaiian chanting, drumming and dancing is interwoven with modern Hawaiian hula, singing and music. A storytelling format allows students to engage in the rich and inspiring history of Hawai'i's people.
Kumu Hula Shawna Alapa'i has been a professional dancer and teacher of ancient and modern hula for 39 years. As a professional dancer, she traveled the world performing in countries such as Africa, Germany, France, Asia, Bali, Hong Kong, Japan and even danced before a royal audience in the Taj Mahal in India. She has performed for such dignitaries as the King of Singapore, as well as for the general population throughout her world travels. Her group, Halau Na Pua O Ka La'akea has offering Hawaiian dance, language and arts classes in Marin and the North Bay for 14 years.
Duniya Dance and Drum Company--Joti Singh
Duniya Dance and Drum Company offers two programs grounded in the distinct expertise of the company directors, Joti Singh and Bongo Sidibe. Duniya’s Indian Dance and Music performance features traditional and contemporary forms of Indian dance, including bhangra, a high energy harvest dance from Punjab in northern India, and Bollywood dance from the modern Indian film industry. Dancers are accompanied by live percussion on traditional instruments.
Joti Singh learned Bhangra as a child and teaches the form, along with Bollywood and West African dance, throughout the Bay Area, as well as internationally. She has received grants from the Creative Work Fund, the SF Arts Commission, and the Alliance for Traditional California Arts.
Europe
Early European Music--Annette Bauer
Recorder artist Annette Bauer brings members of leading local instrumental ensembles to offer a range of unique performances for students, including Medieval Music from Europe with artists from Cançonier, the Bay Area's professional medieval music ensemble, or Recorder Music, featuring recorders of all sizes and artists from the Farallon Recorder Quartet, one of the only professional recorder quartets in North America.
Annette Bauer, a native of Germany, studied medieval and renaissance music at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland, specializing in recorder techniques. She holds an MA in music from UC Santa Cruz (2004), and has been a student at the Ali Akbar College of Music in California since 1998, where she studies sarode, a stringed instrument. As a recorder player, Annette regularly performs with Cançonièr, Farallon, Baroque group Les grâces, and has appeared as guest artist with leading ensembles at festivals and concert series throughout the country.
Mask Theater and Commedia dell'arte--Eliot Fintushel
Mask Theater, Pantomime, and Theatrical Clowning are used to explore the mysteries of Body Language through mime illusions. Eliot creates characters via masks, and stage clowning, with audience participation. He combines hilarious fun with rapt and silent concentration to discover: How do we read others' feelings in an instant? Students will learn how we express feelings through posture and movement; how small movements and changes in posture seem to change people's expressions in ways that everyone understands at once; what absorbing wonders can appear in silence; and how characters are created onstage through physical adjustments of posture and movement.
Eliot Fintushel is a creator and performer of mask, mime, and clown theater, with incursions into puppetry, improvisation, and performance art. He has twice received the NEA Solo Performer Award and was a CA Arts Council Artist-In-Residence grantee for three successive years. In over twenty years onstage, Eliot has performed four thousand shows at schools, theaters, and community centers nationwide, including solo shows at the National Theater in Washington DC and the Wolftrap International Children's Festival.
Central and South America
Calypso Music and Storytelling--Asheba
Asheba brings calypso, the musical/folkloric oral tradition of his country to audiences accompanying himself on guitar and (occasionally) steel drums, Trinidad's national instrument. Asheba's joy and enthusiasm are contagious, drawing audiences to join in with his call and response arrangements. Asheba includes flavors of the West Indies such as Reggae, the popular music of Jamaica, while sharing stories encouraging hope and happiness for children of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. Students will learn to build awareness and appreciation for Caribbean music and culture and will be encouraged to express themselves creatively and emotionally.
Asheba, a musical storyteller and singer/songwriter was born on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and has worked as a musician in New York, Las Vegas, and now California. Asheba performs regularly at Oakland Children's Fairyland, Museum of Children's Art, La Pena and Ashkenaz. His first two CD's, Go Itsy and No More Monkeys, have been wildly popular with families nationally and internationally. Asheba's songs, have been featured in Putomayo's Caribbean Playground compilation and Asheba headlined the national Putumayo Kids' Reggae Playground tour. In 2006, Asheba released his third CD, Children Are The Sunshine, which quickly became a Parents' Choice Award winner. The song, Who Stole The Cookie, was selected by Continental Airlines for their in-flight kids channel, and is being aired on XM Radio.
Chaskinakuy Andean Music--Francy Vidal & Edmond Badoux
Francy Vidal and Chaskinakuy perform the compelling melodies and infectious rhythms of high mountain festivities in Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, northern Chile and Argentina. The duo sings in Spanish and in Quechua and brings to the stage an extraordinary, museum-quality collection of up to 30 regional instruments. Students will learn about a variety of traditional folk instruments including flutes, panpipes, drums, a 10-foot-long trumpet and a traditional Peruvian harp. Students will clap, dance and play along as they learn about Latin American history, culture and geography.
Francy Vidal is an 8th generation Californiana with roots in Mexico and Europe. A passionate student of Latin American culture and history, she has been immersed in traditional Andean music since the early 1970s. Through her research and extended travel in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, she brings an informed and discerning ear to her interpretation of regional Andean musical styles. A gifted multi-instrumentalist, Ms. Vidal sings, plays and instructs on a wide variety of native flutes, panpipes, drums, and the 10-string Peruvian mandolin. She co-founded the touring ensemble Chaskinakuy with Edmond Badoux in 1985 with the purpose of introducing lesser known but equally important Andean musics and instruments to North American audiences. The group has been recognized by arts councils, cultural centers, educators, and book publishers for its contribution to the broader understanding of Latin America's diverse musical legacy.
Brazilian Choro Music--Grupo Falso Baiano
Grupo Falso Baiano will demonstrate elements of traditional choro as well as bringing to light parallels between American jazz influences and cultural influences on Brazilian music. Students will participate in rhythms and call-and-response elements and learn about the culture of Brazil and history of its popular music. They will alsolearn about the structural form of choro compositions.
Grupo Falso Baiano started out as a trio in 2003 with members Brian Moran (seven-string guitar), Zack Pitt-Smith (flute, clarinet and saxophone) and Ami Molinelli (percussion), and evolved into a quartet when Jesse Appelman (mandolin) joined the lineup in 2006. GFB is at work recording its first full-length studio CD, to be released in early 2008. In addition to performing and touring, the members of Grupo Falso Baiano are committed to extending the reach of choro music, and have collaborated with the Pasadena Pops Orchestra and the Around the World Music Program, bringing choro music to students throughout California.
Capoeira Barauna--Maestre Samuka
Maestre Samuka introduces the traditional Afro-Brazilian art form of Capoeira using traditional Brazilian instruments such as the Berimbau (made of a gourd and one string) and Pandeiros (tambourines). Performers will demonstrate a traditional capoeira circle called a roda and dance and sing along to the beats of the Berimbau. Students will learn about the Afro-Brazilian culture and the history of how Afro-Brazilian slaves achieved freedom through the art of Capoeira, as well as basic Capoeira rhythms and steps.
Maestre Samuka was born and trained in Bahia, Brazil and is the director of Capoeira Barauna, a high energy group of Capoeiristas who study, celebrate and disseminate the traditional art-form of Capoeira. Samuka has dedicated his life to teaching the therapeutic combination of Capoeira and massage therapy to the poor people of his hometown and is the author of a book on the same topic. Samuka andCapoeira Barauna perform in Marin County and throughout the Bay Area.
De Rompe y Raja Peruvian Music and Dance
Rompe y Raja performs the traditional dance and music of the Afro-Peruvian culture of the Peruvian coastal region. Spanish colonizers transported thousands of enslaved Africans to Peru, and their labor turned Peruvian ports into bustling centers of immigration and trade. As Afro-Peruvian communities grew, they developed unique styles of dance and music, mixing African rhythms with Creole, Spanish Roma, European, and indigenous Peruvian rhythms. Students learn basic rhythms in this interactive performance, joining the artists in dancing and playing.
De Rompe y Raja Cultural Association was founded in 1995 as a cultural organization dedicated to preserving and promoting traditions and culture from the coastal region of Peru, where the music, dance, and motifs of European, African, and Indigenous peoples intersect.
North America
Balamcoatl--Miguel Martinez & Ernesto Olmos
Balamcoatl presents traditional indigenous music and dance using original pre-Hispanic instruments as well as modern hand-made replicas. In their presentations they use tapestries, traditional dress, jewelry and instrumentation creating a magical, authentic ambience. Balam, meaning jaguar in Maya, and coatl, meaning serpent in Nahuatl, unite to weave Mesoamerican themes into a tapestry of colorful legends, drawing each audience member into the story through participatory song and dance. Students will learn about History and Geography of Mexico and a message of respect to each other and to mother nature.
Balamcoatl is a collaborative project, begun by the Director of Corazón Sur (Miguel Martinez) and the Director of Xaguia Gura (Ernesto Olmos), in the city of Oakland in 2004. Balamcoatl was founded with the goal of diffusing the rich cultures of the indigenous people of México throughout the United States.
Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl
Founded in 1996, local San Rafael company Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl is dedicated to researching and sharing some of Mexico’s most prized gifts--its folklore, dances, customs and traditions. Under the direction of Maestro Netzahualcoyotl Cruz, these talented and dedicated dancers range from children to young adults. Learn about the regional dances of Mexico and let Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl inspire students to consider what young people can achieve through the arts.
Netzahualcoyotl Cruz, known as "Maestro Netza," was born in Nayarit, México. Netza trained as a professional dancer all of his life, dancing in some of the most prestigious folklorico groups in México. Netza has been instructing students of all ages in Ballet Folklorico Netzahualcoyotl since 1996, and the group performs in theaters and community events throughout the Bay Area.
Ensambles de San Francisco Ballet Folklórico--Zenón Barrón
Ballet Folklórico is the folk music and dance of the people of México, serving as a rich form of popular art, which brings together dance, music, theater and poetry. These regional dances of México represent a fusion of the variety of cultural influences, which have been present in each region including European, African and Indigenous art forms. Zenon Barrón and dancers from Los Ensambles will demonstrate regional folk dances from one or more regions including Michoacan, Jalisco, Guerrero, Veracruz and Puebla. Students will learn about the geography and history of Mexico's people while joining in percussion rhythms and singing lyrics to traditional songs.
Zenón Barrón is a professional dancer trained in modern dance, classical ballet and Mexican folk dance. He is a researcher of Latin American folklore, costume and scenography who uses his broad training and experience to bridge gaps between various art forms, styles and cultures. Maestro Zenon founded San Francisco's premiere Mexican Dance group Los Ensambles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco to promote Mexican dance with quality and authenticity.
Circus of Sound--Bronkar Lee, Juggling and Beatbox
Bronkar Lee presents a unique fusion of circus arts, body percussion, drumming and vocal percussion/beat boxing with highly skilled juggling to create an interactive experience highlighting patters of sound and objects in motion.
Bronkar Lee worked for many years as a professional drummer and “front man” or emcee, before training with the San Francisco Circus Center to add physical theatre and movement to his repertoire. He toured Europe for over a year with Circus Monti, creating a signature character, “The Rhythmic Conductor.” In the Bay Area, he has performed with Velocity Circus, Earth Circus and Circus Bella, as well performing independently as an actor, drummer and in his own one-man show.
Diane Ferlatte: Have I Got A Story To Tell
Diane Ferlatte’s performances embrace storytelling as a traditional art form that promotes literacy, imagination, and values in the young. While emphasizing African American stories, she loves to tell stories that hold truths touching upon our common humanity, including personal stories as well as many tales from across the globe. Having a background in music as well as American Sign Language, Diane frequently incorporates both into her performances. Erik Pearson, her musical sidekick, usually accompanies Diane on banjo & guitar.
As a child in New Orleans, Diane Ferlatte was captivated by the oral stories of family generations past, their spirit, their journeys, and their heartfelt fantasy coming more alive in each moment. Now an internationally renowned storyteller, she has received numerous honors and all eight of her recordings have won awards including a 2008 Grammy nomination. Diane believes that telling and listening to each other’s stories not only enables us to learn about each other, but also to understand each other better.
Let's Go Green! EcoMusic Live
Murray Orrick, Randy Phillippe and Scott Urquhart perform songs from their environmental-themed children's album Let's Go Green!, accompanied by engaging puppetry and ASL interpretation. A fun and educational presentation for younger students that blends arts learning and important lessons about renewable energy, recycling and reuse and conservation.
Marin singer-songwriters and music producers Randy Phillippe and Murray Orrick (also a multi-instrumentalist) have teamed up since 2002 on a wide range of records. Now Phillippe and Orrick have joined forces with Grammy-nominated songwriter and professional puppeteer and storyteller Scott Urquhart to form Let's Go Green!, dedicated to educating young children about the value of environmental awareness and the impact we can all have on the future of our planet. Their new children's album inspires young minds to "go green" through music, fun and laughter.
Native American Dance--Eddie Madril
Through singing, dancing, drumming and colorful regalia, Eddie Madril offers a view into the heritage of Native Americans from the Plains region and the living links between the distant past and the present day. Spiritual and symbolic aspects of Native American Plains culture will be presented, as even social dances are steeped in rich significance.
Eddie Madril is a member of the Pascua Yaqui tribe of Southern Arizona and Northern Sonora. He has been offering programs and performances of American Indian dance since 1983. He has performed to critical acclaim throughout the western United States, including educational venues, and most notably at the 1984 Olympic Games, the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival and the educational program People Like Me.
`Til Dawn A Cappella
A cappella Music is singing without instrumental accompaniment. It means "in the style of the Sistine Chapel," where services used choirs with no instruments. As time has passed,A Cappellamusic has broadened its subject matter and style to include all genres of music. In this day and ageA Cappellais more a choice of instrumentation, or lack thereof, rather than a style of music. `Til Dawn will perform a 30 - 40 minute set including a mix of contemporary and classic songs from the Pop, R&B, Rock, Folk, Gospel and Jazz traditions. Depending upon questions asked, students may learn about music (chords and keys) or about arranging, but the real impact of the performance is inspiring students to pursue their own goals.
Founded in 1994, `Til Dawn is Youth in Arts' teenA Cappellasinging troupe and our most intensive program for advanced students. New members are admitted through auditions once a year. `Til Dawn aims to open the minds and hearts of young people through the study and performance of vocal music.
