Keeping Culture Alive

Workshops - Residencies: 

African Dance Residency: in the residency, the artist helps students explore Traditional & Contemporary African culture by dancing to live traditional or recorded music. Artists connect the rhythms & dance movement, to a choreography back to the country in which the rhythm and movement style originated, by incorporating the history, people and the meaning of each dance. Student experience dancing in a group, develop memory skills and total brainpower using both the right & left side of the brain, while discovering the joy of cardiovascular exercise through an artistic form. In addition they work together to create choreography and to respect each person's artistic ablities as well as their own ablity to be creative and understand how to express themselves freely through movement. Everything that the students learn can be used for performance based activities, in school, church or at home during family activities.

African Drum Residency: The African Drum has a healing force that all should experience. There are hundred of rhythms and many different traditional and contemporary drums. Student will experience traditional and contemporary rhythms first hand by playing a variety of rhythms from, north, south, east and West Africa. Also students will have hands on experience playing a variety of other instruments and polyrhythms. In the residency, students develop their musical, mental, social, physical, and cultural selves by utilizing motor coordination and right/ left brainpower to create and perform traditional music in and ensemble. Also the students will be taught the rhythms for dance and how to play for the dancer. Everything that the students learn can be used for performance base activities, in school, church or at home during family activities.

Culture A Way Of Life! 

All Cultural residencies will consist of one or more mini presentation, one or more open workshop of participates choice. Whether it is a dance or drumming workshop, musical, theatrical or lecture with question and answer session. These innovative programs can be design to suit your organization, school, and needs. The Cultural residencies includes but is not limited to: creative activities, videos from Africa, arts and crafts, visual hands on projects, to production development, arrangements of songs, dance, drumming, costume designs, stage sets, program development. Weaving the performance in daily class studies. Guided development in designing Black History Productions, Kwanzaa presentations, Children's Festival Programs, Development of "Rites of Passage Project" in your community & creative after-school open community workshops. We can help you develop a Performance as a Fundraiser and many more great ideas

Adopt a Class 

Each year we adopt classes from several different school districts in three different states. Adopting your school would mean we provide you with the same quality arts programing that is available in communities across the country.  We usually adopt schools with space available during or after school. Our programs are designed so that it can and will become apart of the school's daily activity. Adopt a class will be able to produce high quality performance pieces to be used at all school functions are whatever the case may be.

If you would like for us to adopt a class or two at your school. Call or email us today!

After-School Programs:

Through experience, Laini Kuumba Ngoma Troupe has produced positive effects with our after school dance and drum programs. Focused on underachieving, high risk and behaviorally challenged youth we have experience the healing along with our youth participates. "LKNT" realizes throughout the years the powerful effect of the healing rhythms of the African drum and how it has been the main source within our programs that has attracted hundreds of youth, we have seen increased academic improvement, higher self-esteem, restored self-respect, respect for others and community as a whole. Such program improves self-confidence, develops critical thinking, motivates youth academically, generate teamwork, encourage risk taking, and provide expression in a cultural environment. These programs can involve youth of all ages and levels of cultural experience. We also encourage parent/family participation. The After-School Program can be designed and developed to your needs. This is also available to churches, libraries and community centers, etc. 

Feel free to email us with your questions or to set up a program for your school, church or library.

West Africa Dance Focus:

A: Have Fun and Learn Some!

This Class will teach the basic movement, movement technique, and the art of flowing. The focus of this class is to teach controlled movement, the discipline in African movement, it also offers a cardiovascular workout for those needing an energizing workout to relieve stress, helps people suffering from insomnia, aids in weight loss, balance and toning of the body.

West Africa has an enormously rich cultural heritage in the arts that have long been traditional sources of self-knowledge, community cohesion, and spiritual connection. Come and learn traditional dances, rhythms, and songs from Senegal, Mali, Gambia, The Congo and Guinea, West Africa. All progresses to energetic dancing. At the same time explore the functions of these dances in relationship to your own life. Class warm-up includes working on building strength, flexibility, stamina, movement control and rhythmic sensibility.  Recorded & live drumming used for this class.

B: So You Want To Teach!

You will learn the fundamentals of different African dance styles, starting with basic movements. The class will then progress to a repertory of choreographed dance steps. With emphasis on teachers learning technique, dance steps and understanding how dance and drum rhythms are closely intertwined.  Understanding the rhythms, movements and songs that go together, along with the history and background. Learning the difference in contemporary and traditional, modern and old school.

This is a multi-level class; everyone is welcome.

Class Attire for Sisters: 

Clothing should be loose. Women may wear a lapa & bare feet.                                                          

Class Attire for Brothers:

Clothing should be loose fitting pants and Tee shirts, bare feet.