Year: 2023-2024
DanceForce Member: D. Chase Angier
Artists: Jenise Anthony, Mohamed Diaby
Community Partner: Alfred University
Audience: 400
County: Allegany

The Echoes of Africa Project will be built on a five-year relationship between artists Jenise Anthony and Mohamed Diaby along with the Allegany community through Alfred University. Anthony and Diaby have brought drumming and dancing of the African Diaspora to Western New York through classes, performances, and setting original choreographic work on Alfred University students. These performances have been free and open to the public. Echoes of Africa is a collective of artists – dancers, choreographers and musicians – who bring arts within the African Diaspora to audiences in New York State and beyond. The Echoes of Africa Dance Collective will present “Wonlande,” a production of traditional and contemporary African drumming and dance. This high energy, dynamic and musically enriching communal event takes the audience on a cultural tour through the countries of the Caribbean and West Africa. The audience will enjoy the songs, rhythms, and live percussion as they celebrate the life and culture of the African Diaspora in this one-night-only event. This performance will take place in the Miller Performing Arts Center and will be free to the public. It will include a technical rehearsal and a live performance on September 16th. The New York State DanceForce will be partnering with the Alfred University Performing Arts Division to support this performance.