It’s a sound the Maritime Centre for African Dance (MCAD) hopes will soon find a permanent home in the province.
More than 30 Islanders attended the Nova Scotia based art company’s first African rhythm and dance event in P.E.I. at St. Paul’s Anglican Church on Saturday.
Founder Mufaro Chakabuda said the group’s goal is to share and promote cultural awareness through dance.
“We use arts as a way to facilitate discussions around culture,” said Chakabuda. “As much as we love to have fun, it’s also an opportunity for us to open up so you can see what the African culture looks like.”
The event saw dance workshops throughout the day, while a larger performance, lesson and “Taste of Africa” buffet was held in the evening.
The group hopes the event will be the first of many held in the province.
Chakabuda said they’re working to secure a permanent location on P.E.I. for next month.
“Diversity is very much existent in P.E.I. so we’re excited to be launching in March,” said Chakabuda. “We’re excited we’ll be able to give dance classes and that people will be able to experience more of the African culture right at their doorstep.”
Chakabuda launched the company with only $20 in 2005. Just four years later, members performed at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration ball in Washington in Jan. 2009.
Chakabuda said the group has helped teach more than 600,000 individuals across Canada through camps, classes, workshops performances and education material. Members have also taught and performed throughout the U.S.A. and U.K.
Saturday’s performance was also a celebration of Black History Month with the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada (P.E.I. ANC) also attending the event.
Community outreach facilitator Nancy Clement said the two groups had previously partnered up for a dance workshop.
“We really enjoyed it and thought they made a really good connection with people,” said Clement. “They had a really positive attitude and good way of teaching things.”
Clement said one the positive aspects of Saturday’s event was the social integration, with attendees ranging from life-long Islanders to newcomers who recently arrived in the province.
Clement said the event also represented how diverse the Island culture has become.
“We’re becoming more and more diverse every year,” she said. “So learning about each other and being able to see things through the slightly different lens of another culture is important. It helps bring us outside of our own little box to see different perspectives.”
Artisan Ashley Perry and her mother Shirley were also at the event showcasing jewelry inspired by their Jamaican heritage.
While the two usually sell under the brand Kuko Creations at craft fairs and the downtown Charlottetown Farmers’ Market, Ashley said they felt it was important to attend the event.
“We thought it was a great opportunity to mingle with different black cultures,” said Ashley. “It’s pretty important to us because being here on the Island we don’t really get to interact with many other Jamaicans. So we like to very proudly show off our culture and say ‘this is us, this is where we come from’.”
Chakabuda said MCAD includes about 60 facilitators of all different cultures teaching African dance across Canada.
“It warms my heart and makes me so happy to see individuals coming out to see what African culture is about and just to experience something different.”
It’s a sound the Maritime Centre for African Dance (MCAD) hopes will soon find a permanent home in the province.
More than 30 Islanders attended the Nova Scotia based art company’s first African rhythm and dance event in P.E.I. at St. Paul’s Anglican Church on Saturday.
Founder Mufaro Chakabuda said the group’s goal is to share and promote cultural awareness through dance.
“We use arts as a way to facilitate discussions around culture,” said Chakabuda. “As much as we love to have fun, it’s also an opportunity for us to open up so you can see what the African culture looks like.”
The event saw dance workshops throughout the day, while a larger performance, lesson and “Taste of Africa” buffet was held in the evening.
The group hopes the event will be the first of many held in the province.
Chakabuda said they’re working to secure a permanent location on P.E.I. for next month.
“Diversity is very much existent in P.E.I. so we’re excited to be launching in March,” said Chakabuda. “We’re excited we’ll be able to give dance classes and that people will be able to experience more of the African culture right at their doorstep.”
Chakabuda launched the company with only $20 in 2005. Just four years later, members performed at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration ball in Washington in Jan. 2009.
Chakabuda said the group has helped teach more than 600,000 individuals across Canada through camps, classes, workshops performances and education material. Members have also taught and performed throughout the U.S.A. and U.K.
Saturday’s performance was also a celebration of Black History Month with the P.E.I. Association for Newcomers to Canada (P.E.I. ANC) also attending the event.
Community outreach facilitator Nancy Clement said the two groups had previously partnered up for a dance workshop.
“We really enjoyed it and thought they made a really good connection with people,” said Clement. “They had a really positive attitude and good way of teaching things.”
Clement said one the positive aspects of Saturday’s event was the social integration, with attendees ranging from life-long Islanders to newcomers who recently arrived in the province.
Clement said the event also represented how diverse the Island culture has become.
“We’re becoming more and more diverse every year,” she said. “So learning about each other and being able to see things through the slightly different lens of another culture is important. It helps bring us outside of our own little box to see different perspectives.”
Artisan Ashley Perry and her mother Shirley were also at the event showcasing jewelry inspired by their Jamaican heritage.
While the two usually sell under the brand Kuko Creations at craft fairs and the downtown Charlottetown Farmers’ Market, Ashley said they felt it was important to attend the event.
“We thought it was a great opportunity to mingle with different black cultures,” said Ashley. “It’s pretty important to us because being here on the Island we don’t really get to interact with many other Jamaicans. So we like to very proudly show off our culture and say ‘this is us, this is where we come from’.”
Chakabuda said MCAD includes about 60 facilitators of all different cultures teaching African dance across Canada.
“It warms my heart and makes me so happy to see individuals coming out to see what African culture is about and just to experience something different.”
