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| Class Structure | Accomodations and Meals | While Staying in Sangbaralla Village |
| Free Days During the Workshop | Travel Requirements for Guinea, West Africa | Cost |
| Guinea Registration Form 2010 |
Drumming & Dancing Workshop in Guinea
with a trip to Sangbaralla Village
January 22, 2010 - February 19, 2010
Cost $1,800 US Dollar (4 weeks)
| Greetings - With all the problems currently happening in Guinea we have moved Famoudou Konate's January Workshop to Bamako-Mali. We are very sad that we have had to make this change, but we feel it is the best thing to do at this time. Our heart goes out to all of our friends/family in Guinea and to all the citizens of Guinea who deserve to have their voices heard. (I will still personally travel to Guinea for the work of the Benkadi Project 501c3 non-profit organization.) We will transport Famoudou's working team to Bamako to meet up with workshop participants. I have rented a nice villa for our workshop and am looking forward to exploring and experiencing Mali with everyone. If you are not able to study with Famoudou in Mali be sure to catch him during his 2010 North American From Hand to Hand - "Wassa Kunba!" Tour. Details will be posted on my website within the next two weeks. |
Come experience the adventure of a lifetime…...
Join Famoudou Konaté on an educational tour of his homeland! This voyage will truly be the experience of a lifetime. It is an amazing opportunity to visit the birthplace of the djembe and dununs with one of the most renowned drum masters in the world. Enjoy the music, dance and song in their traditional settings in both city and village life. Learn about the culture that led to the creation of these instruments. Gain a global perspective by connecting on a personal level with the people of the land.
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Famoudou Konaté is pleased to offer drumming and dancing workshops in Guinea, West Africa again in 2010. Since 1987, Famoudou has been connecting his students and his culture through these intensive workshops which offer a unique and unforgettable opportunity to study Malinké music within the cultural context in which it has developed over the centuries and into the present day.
In addition to intensively studying the drumming and dancing of Guinea, this workshop will allow you to experience the sights and sounds of Guinea’s capital city, Conakry, as well as a trip to the small village where Famoudou Konaté was born, Sangbaralla, on the savannah in Upper Guinea. During our stay in Sangbaralla we will experience the music as it is traditionally played at festivals and celebrations in the village setting. Famoudou will give us a personal tour of his village and show what has been accomplished through the Benkadi Project, a project of Motherland Rhythm Community (501c3), which is working to improve the lives of children and families in Sangbaralla. People in the village will welcome us warmly as their guests and will be thrilled to share their lives and music with us.
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Famoudou Konaté is a world-renowned virtuoso of the djembe drum and its orchestra. One of only a handful of initiated masters of the Malinké drumming tradition, Famoudou is universally respected as one of the world’s premiere djembe Drum Masters. He has dedicated his life to performing and preserving the music of his people, helping to elevate the djembe orchestra from its traditional roots to worldwide popularity. Assistant teachers will be experienced drummers and dancers who have studied and performed with Famoudou in Africa and around the world for many years. They are all from the Hamana Region which is renowned for the melodies of the dununs. They are highly sought after and respected musicians from their villages. They have all been personally selected by Famoudou to accompany him.
Assistant teachers include: Sayon Camara, Djembefola from Sankaran. Sayon has been teaching during Famoudou's workshops in Guinea for over 10 years and can be heard on a few of Famoudou’s CDs. He is known for expressing his joy while playing. Sayon has traveled abroad teaching in the US and Japan; Mamady “Bandy” Kourouma, Djembefola from Babila Village, Bandy is a specialist at playing solo for the Kawa Mask and has a great sense of humor; Sékou Coné, Djembefola from Sanankoro Village. Although Sékou’s village is right next to Sangbaralla, his village has unique rhythms, masks and dances that are not played in any other village; Sidafa Coiyta, Dununbafola from Babila Village. Sidafa is known for his amazing variations and creativity on the dununba and his strength and endurance; and Mamady Kouyaté, Sangbanfola from Sangbaralla Village. As a griot (family oral historian), he has great knowledge of rhythms and songs and is a player of the balon which we will get to hear him play in concert during the workshop.
We will also receive visits from various artists and griots who have performed with Famoudou during his days in the ballet and/or played on his CDs over the years.
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Famoudou Konaté will be our lead instructor. Everyone will have an opportunity to study with Famoudou and learn from his wealth of knowledge and depth of experience as a Grand Master of the djembe drum and its orchestra. There is a place for all skill levels in Famoudou’s workshops in Guinea! Beginners to the professional level are welcome.
Additionally, in order for everyone to get the most out of this educational experience, on the first day of class Famoudou may decide to break the class into smaller groups to more personally meet individual students’ needs. In this case, there could be as many as three groups, each assigned an assistant instructor.
We will have dance classes with various teachers so that we can study different styles of dance and further deepen our understanding and enjoyment of the drumming music that accompanies the dance. You'll learn traditional Malinké rhythms on the three dununs, accompaniment parts, djembe solo techniques, introductions, echauffements (the patterns that "heat up" the song) and the “break” or signal from the djembe for each rhythm. In addition, you'll learn songs sung by the griots, or oral historians, that are performed with the drumming and dance music and the historical origins of each rhythm. These workshops are a wonderful opportunity to receive expert instruction on all instruments in the traditional Malinké djembe orchestra while deepening your understanding of the place of music, dance and song in Guinean life.
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Each week we will have 5 days of classes. The remaining 2 days of the week will be "free days". On the lesson days we will have drum class for 3 hours in the morning. In the afternoons we will alternate between drum and dance classes. On the days with afternoon drumming sessions we will have 2 hours of class. On the days with dance we will have class for 1 ˝ hours. You are welcome to take dance instruction or to participate by drumming for the dancers. Occasionally in the evenings we will enjoy concerts and performances by various artists.
If you are interested in studying other instruments such as the balaphone, kora, bolon, flute or gongoma, Famoudou can arrange for you to study with a teacher of that particular instrument. You may also arrange private drum or dance classes with local instructors. (These classes are outside of the workshop fee but the cost is typically minimal and well worth the expense.)
At times during the workshop, we may take the class on a road trip with Famoudou and his family to traditional celebrations to experience the music and dance in nearby communities.
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While in town we will be staying at Famoudou's home in Simbaya, a suburb outside of Conakry. Famoudou has two main buildings with sleeping accommodations for his students. The rooms vary in setup from single to double occupancy. The room choices are based on availability. The newer building is slightly more expensive than the older building. Basic bed linens are provided. Famoudou’s family will prepare all of our meals in Conakry, offering traditional West African fare including rice, traditional sauces, fresh vegetables and fruit, fish and meats. If you are vegetarian, they can accommodate your needs. Please be sure to let us know ahead of time. Students purchase bottled water at minimal prices.
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The trip to Sangbaralla is a 2 day voyage as the roads are in poor condition. We will stay one evening at a local hotel along the way. The trip to the village is very scenic and you will get a sense of the diversity of the land in Guinea. We will go from the tropical humid climate of Conakry and travel through the mountains to the savanna of Upper Guinea.
Once we arrive at the village, we will stay at Famoudou’s home in Sangbaralla. Accommodations in the village are "rustic" and simple —we will sleep in a covered bunkhouse which is part of Famoudou's home in Sangbaralla. Our meals are prepared by Famoudou's family.
Village drummers, dancers and griots visit Famoudou's compound frequently during our stay to offer special performances and share their talents with us. We are free to explore the village, learning more about the local culture and arts and will be making new friends each day. Famoudou will give us a tour of his village and arrange for us to have concerts with the local artists. We will get a taste of daily life in the village.
Free Days During the Workshop
There are many options available to you on our "free days". We may plan a trip to the market, make excursions to various local sites or plan a trip to the beach on the Island Rume (a fantastic opportunity to rest, swim and hike). You will also get the opportunity to be part of local festivals and celebrations or plan your own activity for the day. All day trips are voluntary. Please note - these trips are outside of the workshop fee; however, they are quite reasonable and can cost $10 - $20 (for the entire day) depending on the number of students who wish to participate in the activity.
Travel Requirements for Guinea, West Africa
To enter Guinea
For further information regarding other recommended vaccinations for traveling to Guinea please contact your doctor or travel immunization professional.
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The cost of the workshop is $1,800.00 US dollars. A deposit of $400 US dollars is required to secure your spot in the workshop.
You are responsible for securing your own flight to and from Guinea. During the winter, the flights are in demand. We recommend that you book your airline ticket as soon as possible after you have received your registration confirmation.
Space is limited. Sign up early so you don’t miss out!
For additional information or registration contact Helen Bond, Famoudou Konaté’s North American Representative at (001)847.543.0708 or helen@medusadrums.com
Helen Bond
Medusa's Musical Mysteries
www.medusadrums.com
www.famoudoukonate.com