Jacob's Pillow Hosts Free West African Dance Workshop
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Jacob's Pillow will be hosting a free West African dance workshop with artist Iddrisu Saaka at Zion Lutheran Church in Pittsfield on Sun., Feb. 20, as part of Love Pittsfield's 10×10 Upstreet Arts Festival.
This workshop is being held in partnership with the NAACP Berkshire County Branch and The Town of Great Barrington W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Festival. The event will take place in the Common Room of the church at 74 First St. in Pittsfield, from 2-3:30 p.m.
Jacob's Pillow has partnered with Love Pittsfield's 10×10 Festival for over 5 years, supporting their mission to provide accessible, family-friendly cultural programming to Pittsfield in February.
Pre-registration strongly encouraged; limited walk-ups available. COVID-19 Protocols strictly enforced. Register at jacobspillow.org.
Join dancer, storyteller, and drummer Iddrisu Saaka for a workshop exploring Ghanaian culture through movement and storytelling. Families and participants of all ages are invited to learn the Kpatsa, a traditional recreational dance from the southern part of Ghana, and hear about its cultural background and role in modern Ghana. All participants must observe COVID-19 policies.
Open to all levels, no prior experience needed, wear comfortable clothing to move in.
Iddrisu (Iddi) Saaka is an award-winning West African dance and music performance artist and teacher who specializes in Ghanaian dance and music as well as contemporary dance. Saaka holds a Diploma (with distinction) from the University of Ghana and an MFA in Dance from the University of California, Los Angeles. He has performed and taught nationally and internationally in several venues including Los Angeles, New York, Connecticut, North Carolina, Florida, Israel, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. In 2003, he performed for the president of Israel. He has created original multifaceted works that address the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ghana and Malawi and has worked with youths in detention centers across Connecticut as well as with physically challenged youth in Israel, using dance and music to equip them with lifelong skills such as anger management, respect for cultural diversity, and self-dignity. Saaka has served as Visiting Instructor of Dance at the University of California, Los Angeles and San Diego, and the University of Ghana. He has taught dance at Wesleyan University since 2008 and is currently an Assistant Professor of Dance at Wesleyan and a recipient of Wesleyan's prestigious Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching award in 2018.
What To Expect:
- Upon arrival, check-in to confirm registration and present vaccination status.
- Expect to move together, with music, socially distanced, and wearing masks. The workshop concludes with a Q&A with the artist.
- Extra masks, hand sanitizer, and first aid kits will be available.
- Public parking: Directly across the street at First Street Parking Lot
- Accessibility: The space is wheelchair accessible. Questions about accessibility? Contact Thasia Giles at tgiles@jacobspillow.org or at 413.243.9919 x161.
- This workshop is in-person. However, due to the continually shifting landscape of COVID-19 in the community, this workshop may shift to a Zoom virtual event in an effort to ensure the collective health and safety. Participants will be notified promptly via email regarding any changes to this workshop.
To Register: Visit jacobspillow.org, or go directly to:
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