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Posted: Monday 18 August, 2014 at 8:22 PM

African-based dance workshop - Umoja - gets underway

(L-R) Dekemebe Morton, Tama Martin and Alphonso Henry during the 2012 Umoja Award Ceremony
By: Terresa McCall, SKNVibes.com

    BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE third staging of Umoja – an African-based dance and drumming workshop – got underway way today (Aug. 18) at the Old Girl School and is expected to see participants learn a variety of dance techniques from several genres.

     

    Umoja – an initiative of Alphonso Henry, reigning Mr. Kool and Dekembe Morton, a drummer attached to the Department of Culture – is a one-week course which focuses predominantly on African dance but according to Henry, other genres include Afro-Caribbean and Caribbean Folk would be introduced to the participants.

     

    He told SKNVibes that the first workshop attracted 60 plus individual, the second attracted some 80 individuals and it is expected that for this staging, equal or increased interest would be realised.

     

    Asked about his motivation for hosting such an event, Henry explained that a trip he made to Jamaica four years ago inspired him to share the information with which he was armed.

     

    “From my stint in Jamaica in 2010 I was afforded the opportunity to enhance my technique in a number of genres such as ballet, Afro-Caribbean, Caribbean Folk and others. I decided that it would be great if I can impart that knowledge right here in St. Kitts by having my very own workshop…where I can impart that knowledge to the youth in St. Kitts and in Nevis hopefully sometime soon.

     

    He said the workshop is also driven by his belief in the preservation of “our African Culture and heritage and seeing how best I can develop and mould the youths and nurture their expressions”.

     

    Usually held in July, the workshop had to be pushed back to August to accommodate Henry’s preparations for the Mr. Kool 2014 competition in which he was victorious. 

     

    Each day throughout the week, the participants would be introduced to the different dance genres beginning with African. Additionally, at least two minutes of choreography would be taught to the participants, a compilation of which would be displayed at the culmination of the workshop on Sunday.

     

    At that point, each individual would receive a certificate of participation. 

     

    Though the main choreographer and tutor, Henry said he has assistance from other tutors and receives guidance from Heidi Slack, Julie Martin and Ava Henry.

     

    Before the dancers embark on displaying their moves for their loved ones, they would be engaged in an intense final rehearsal on Saturday.

     

    Umoja is a Swahili word that means "unity".

     

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