Year: 2023-2024
DanceForce Member: Jacquie Davis
Partnering Member: Margaret Kaiser
Artist: Marie Basse-Wiles
Audience: 240
County: Monroe

This is Part 3 of a sequence of DanceForce projects that focus on development of specific traditional African dance and music skills for experienced regional community members. The Part 1 focus was Guinea, West Africa. This looks to Senegal, West Africa. Part 2 looked at traditional dance and music as reflected in contemporary American dance themes by Urban Bush Women.

The distinguished Senegalese artist, Marie Basse-Wiles, will spend 6 days in Brockport, NY October 6-11 during which she will audition advanced African dancers from the region for whom she will create a work that can be performed by them later at locations to be determined. At least one open community class will also be offered.

She will be accompanied by three musicians/drummers with specialized skill appropriate for her Senegalese work. The musicians will return to perform in November. If the necessary drums can be located, the drummers will also teach local musicians the required rhythms in preparation for possible future performances.

The dance will be performed in SUNY Brockport’s DANSCORE concert in November and in other locations TBA by the dancers. It is anticipated that up to 10 regional dancers with advanced level African dance skills will audition for the opportunity to work with Ms Basse-Wiles and to add a new piece to their performance repertory. In addition to artist fees for Ms Basse-Wiles and three drummers, plus their travel and housing, the advanced local dancers will receive compensation for their expenses.