AFRICA FARE WEST AFRICAN BALLET    On Tour in the United States

Choreographed works by Africa Fare portray the different aspects of historical life and events of theMandinka and Sou-Sous culture through dance, drumming, songs, acrobatics, and instrumenal solos. These stories, passed down through the generations by the great oral historians ( known as jelis and griots), date back almost a thousand years and span the great Mali Empire led by the Mandinka Tribe.

AFRICA FARE is a dynamic performing arts ensemble that is a direct descendant of "Les Ballets Africains" (The African Ballet of the Republic of Guinea in West Africa), a West African cultural heritage group commanding tremendous respect and admiration throughout the world.

AFRICA FARE completed its last nationwide tour in the USA in early 2000, including mainstage performances at the Kennedy Center, other large performing arts centers located in major US cities and at universities. The performers are artists from Mali, Senegal and Guinea. Included are a kora player, a ballafon player, 4 djembe drummers, a stilt dancer, 6 male dancers and 4 female dancers. The troupe is under the direction of world-class choreographer, Aboubacar "Oscar" Camara. Based in Sarasota, Florida, they are performing and facilitating workshops in the community.

AFRICA FARE, through the classical format of ballet, serves a significant public need to discover West African culture and heritage. This will improve the cultural alliances between the developing regions of West Africa and the international community; building bridges that unite people, organizations, and institutions. In performance the ballet features costumes, music, ritual dances, and songs in various Mandinka dialects, preserving the traditional art form.
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