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Special Workshop | Gede: Haitian Dance
December 10, 2022 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
$25
Let’s get moving! Join dance instructor, Dr. K Duga for a workshop exploring Haitian Folkloric dance, music, and movement as the Back Room Gallery turns into a space for movement!
This workshop is for all levels, and no experience necessary! Great for those interested in exploring different cultural, dance, music, live performance, movement, and expressive arts, and of course those wanting to try something new. This is a family event, with suggested age participation 12+.
What to expect :
Through this 90-minute experience, participants will be challenged to explore the deeper dimension of their creativity in an exciting and exhilarating dance experience.
Participants will be introduced to the Banda folkloric rhythm, songs, and movements, and will be oriented in regenerative dance protocols. Participants will understand the history of Gede and the connection it has to other indigenous spiritual practices, and the cultural significance of Gede to the Haitian people in Ayiti (Haiti) and the United States
A historical and fun lesson in one!
Cultural History:
Gede are a consort of spiritual energies who embody the essence of death and fertility and are known for the drum rhythm and dance called the “banda”. Fèt Gede is celebrated on 2 November, All Souls’ Day, and throughout the month of November into early December. During this period, reverence is made unto the ancestral spirits and public figures that have transitioned. Offerings are made to these spirits to express gratitude and reverence. In return these spirits revitalize our creative capacities.
About the instructor:
Dr. Duga specializes in sacral dances that promote fertility (creative and regenerative energy) and wellness. Her approach to movement is holistic,effecting the person in body, mind, and soul dimensions. Through dance and movement techniques, she takes participants through an educational overview of the cultural significance of movement, introduces various forms through warm-up and stretching, deepens connection of symbols through expressive dance, and fosters collectivity through group choreography.