My next Entry for my blog is drum roll please.....real drums that is.......lol African Dance :) I'm really excited to share with you my experience of this style. I trust that you can do anything once you conquer Ballet & African. LearningAfrican made it much easier to handle other styles like hip hop, house, reggae etc. I started taking african 1996 when i was 11 at Kips Bay Boys and Girls club in the bronx by my teacher Mrs. Elenor. She taught us styles like KouKou Manjani and more (can't remember every name). I left KipsBay 99' to go to my high school (Professional Performing Arts School) where we trained at the Alvin Ailey School of dance. My african Teacher there was Ms. Escobar....she was a bald headed older woman who would have more energy than all us students put together. She taught styles like DunDunba, Manjani, Koukou, Soli, Sunu, Funga and more i can't remember. Thank God i started in the highest level because i got the push i needed. Around my sophmore or junior yr a friend of mine Jessica (lil Jessica) brought my best friends Ebony, Georgia and i along to "Larocque Bey" in harlem where she studied under my teacher 'Jerome'. He teaches many styles as well as plays and makes African Drums. He's a little over me because i haven't been to his class in forever lol but I know i need him in my life. He always starts with a cardio that make you want to die then has the nerve to say "ok time to start class"...n ur like "that what?" haha!
Today i took class from another teacher "Ester" that is freaking amazing. Its in a school gym in harlem and only ask for donations to the drummers that play. Its an open level, she does beginners intermediate and advanced across the floor so everyone can be in their level and have challenge. Of course i'm trying to keep up with the black girls in the advanced line (cough cough) lol....and i wasn't complimenting myself. As an adult i haven't been taking African like i need to, which explains why today i started looking like a puerto rican doing african......I can't stand it! I'm usually the Latina thats eating all the black squirrels lol.
So I encourage all you dancers, the ones who have experience or never took an African class in their lives to at least try it. Believe me when you go in with an open mind and heart and feel the rhythm of the drums you would say to yourself "Why the hell wasn't i doing this as a fetus?" hahahaha true story!
www.LarocqueBey.org - Jerome teaches an Adult class in harlem thats 10 dollars i believe. Saturday 3-5 i believe. Check the site to make sure i'm not buggin.
www.AfricanDanceSchdule.com - Go here to see every african class in NYC.
Thanks for supporting my blog...hope i helped :)
Today i took class from another teacher "Ester" that is freaking amazing. Its in a school gym in harlem and only ask for donations to the drummers that play. Its an open level, she does beginners intermediate and advanced across the floor so everyone can be in their level and have challenge. Of course i'm trying to keep up with the black girls in the advanced line (cough cough) lol....and i wasn't complimenting myself. As an adult i haven't been taking African like i need to, which explains why today i started looking like a puerto rican doing african......I can't stand it! I'm usually the Latina thats eating all the black squirrels lol.
So I encourage all you dancers, the ones who have experience or never took an African class in their lives to at least try it. Believe me when you go in with an open mind and heart and feel the rhythm of the drums you would say to yourself "Why the hell wasn't i doing this as a fetus?" hahahaha true story!
www.LarocqueBey.org - Jerome teaches an Adult class in harlem thats 10 dollars i believe. Saturday 3-5 i believe. Check the site to make sure i'm not buggin.
www.AfricanDanceSchdule.com - Go here to see every african class in NYC.
Thanks for supporting my blog...hope i helped :)
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