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DANCE and
DRUM CLASSES ARE HELD
WHERE: Unity Community Center
home of Universal African Dance and Drum
Ensemble & Universal Pasha Karate School
1544 Mt. Ephraim Avenue
Camden, New Jersey 08104
(856) 365-1226 or (856) 365-4817
WHEN: Every Wednesday and Special
scheduled classes
TIME(s): 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
(For ALL, especially beginners and intermediate
members)
8:35 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
(Advance members and Rehearsal)
FEE: Non members or those who prefer not to register or join
which is
excellent for those that want to exercise while
learning African Dance
$10.00 per
class and $20.00 for African LAPA
Dance Teachers & Instructors:
 
  
Left to Right / Ronsha Dickerson-
Artistic & Dance Director,
Atiya P. Johnson-
Head Dance Teacher,
Ayanna P. Dickerson, Sierra Pratt, Byheijja Sabree, Kia Mathes, Bintou Diabate,
Diamond Clay & Kenyetta Sabree
Drum Teachers & Instructors:
Left to Right / Jamal P. Dickerson-
Chief Choreographer & Artistic Director,
Nasir P. Dickerson,
Anwar Sabree, Hassan Sabree, Haki Pratt & Jamal P. Dickerson II
GUEST MEMBER: African Dance
and Drum Classes only / $10.00 a class
HOME MEMBER: Martial Arts
(Karate) and African Dance & Drum Classes / $20.00 monthly for 17
and under / $25.00 monthly for Adults
GOLDEN MEMBER: Martial Arts
(Karate), African Dance and Drum Classes and Extra Programs such as
Music, Drill Teams, Praise
Dance and etc. Becoming a member of our
Production Teams that
performs and helps our
organization raise funds for the programs
 African
LAPA'S made by Mama Wanda Dickerson call (856) 365-4817
New African LAPA or
African wrapper/Wrap skirt/iro for
FEMALES
at
$20.00
DRUMS
available for practice for the
MALES
WE MUST
RESPECT, HONOR,
CELEBRATE AND
EDUCATE EVERYONE OF
OUR RICH AFRICAN
HERITAGE, CULTURE AND HISTORY.
Not just in the month of
February, but 365 days a year for
the rest of our lives.
Robert H.
Dickerson
Traditions are
preserved through dance and music, and we want to keep those
traditions ALIVE.
Sayings by Baba Dr. Chuck Davis
Black on Black Crime, violence and hatred is the direct result
of many African Americans or Black families being destroyed or
dysfunctional in some form or another. We must stress to all
religious, community and educational institutions the value and
importance of teaching our original culture, roots, heritage,
history and love for one another, especially to our young
people. Remember what the Honorable Marcus Garvey said, "A
people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and
culture is like a tree without roots." When a person
loves and appreciate who they are, they will respect themselves
and others.
by Robert H. Dickerson
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PLEASE NOTE:
All are
welcome to learn from the best instructors in America.
The
Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble's teachers and officials have
been taught by many great teachers from many countries in Africa. We
are known for our West African presentations, of Guinea,
Senegal, Mali, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, The Gambia, Liberia, Sierra
Leone and more. We have been blessed to have learned songs,
dance and drum from a famous South African troupe called
Thula Sizwe. In 2007,
Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble also had the privilege to learn
and perform with a wonderful group from KENYA, East Africa,
called
The Friends of Sironka African Dance Troupe.
Les Ballet Africains
members
from West Africa (Guinea), has been our mentors,
role-models, teachers and the
group that
we have modeled ourselves after.
The
Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble presents a powerful,
sensational, electrifying and educational performances and workshops for
everyone and especially for African-Americans (black people) in America
to easily appreciate their culture.
The
true value and cost of these traditional lessons
would easily be hundreds of dollars monthly, however because of our love
and concern for our heritage, culture and community, realize in most
situations, inner city families couldn't afford these lessons. Under
our non-profit organization (Unity Community Center) which is the parent
organization to all of our discipline, cultural, music and educational
programs, the Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble and the
Universal Pasha Karate School ask for a minimum suggested monthly
donations or dues.
Since our beginning in 1984,
all of the programs including our Dance, Drum and Karate School have
been responsible for teaching thousands of students. No student
was ever excluded from our programs because of not having the minimum
suggested monthly dues.
WE THE DICKERSON FAMILY of teachers,
our traditional African teachers and officials dedicate our time
and our specialized teachings to low-income urban areas, where single
parents may need the most help in the development of their children.
UNIVERSAL AFRICAN DANCE & DRUM ENSEMBLE
COURSE OUTLINE
The Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble is honored to offer an open
class weekly to people of all ages. It is important for us to bridge
the gap of culture from Africa to America. We hope that anyone who
attends our class or becomes a member of our ensemble will receive more
than the art of dance and drum, but also embrace the beauty of culture
and family. To study or perform African Dance and Drum requires
discipline and dedication.
The African dance class offers children and adults a forty-five minute
combination or full hour of one dance curriculum. In this curriculum we
urge all students to attend every class to excel to next level. We
recommend that all students start at the novice level and encompass the
style, technique and energy from the class before they are advanced.
Beginner /Novice Class:
This class is a great step into the beauty of African Dance. The class
concentrates on the fundamentals of the style of African Dancing. In
this class the instructors will teach the importance of stretching and
warming up, the relationship of dancing and drumming, the importance of
the drum break and dance drills. In our curriculum we stress the
importance of the students learning about the origin of different dances
and how each region of Africa has different styles of dance. This class
is ideal for anyone with little or no experience. Students generally
start in this class and remain until they are able complete the given
curriculum. It usually takes about 3-6 months of consistent
participation before an instructor recommends to the teacher to move to
the next level
Intermediate Class:
This class is a little more intense. The student should be able to
execute the beginning classes� curriculum, identify and demonstrate
three or more dances and rhythms, show the ability to work collectively
with the novice students and dance alone/solo with drummers to show the
importance of dancer and drummer relations. In this class proper
technique, speed, agility and complexity are fundamental to prepare for
advancement.
Advanced Class:
This class is very intense, requiring both technical ability and
strength. The student is preparing for performance level and should be
able to instruct a novice class as well as know the curriculum from
novice to intermediate level and creatively solo to curriculum based
African Rhythms. From this class the instructors are more critical on
energy level, knowledge of rhythms dances and basic fundamentals of
lower level classes. The students will be expected to creatively
choreograph a 5minuite dance presentation. This class is generally
designed for students with many years of training and involved in the
total UCC Performing Arts Programs.
Dress
Code:
African dancing is more about spirit than physicality. We like for all
students to show personality in dancing as well as developing your own
personal energy. Dress code is important to obtain the best in your
development. Baggy clothes, street clothes, socks, and shoes are not
permitted. Dance shoes are optional please keep in mind the African
dance is a natural art of dance so we generally rehearse and perform
barefoot, unless special circumstances.
ALL CLASSES ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE:
Lapa (wraps around waist with two strings to tie together)
Normal size T-shirt (not too big/too small. Comfy enough to observe body
placement)
Dance Leotards / any color long or knee length
(Black is preferred)
Dance shoes (optional)
Sports bra (if needed)
Note - On cool days, sweat shirts or long sleeve shirt may be worn in
class during warm up only. On hot days we recommend you carry more than
one t-shirt.
ALL CLASSES - HAIR MUST BE OFF THE FACE. RECOMMENDED ALL STUDENT WEAR
HEAD BAND OR HEAD WRAP.
"THE ORIGINAL AFRICAN DANCE and
DRUM is where ALL DANCE and MUSIC COMES FROM"
Dance
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dance (from
French danser, perhaps from
Frankish) is an
art form that generally refers to
movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music,[1]
used as a form of
expression,
social
interaction or presented in a
spiritual or
performance setting. Dance is also used to
describe methods of
non-verbal communication (see
body language) between humans or
animals (bee
dance,
patterns of behaviour such as a mating dance),
motion in inanimate objects (the
leaves danced in the
wind), and certain
musical forms or
genres. In
sports,
gymnastics,
figure skating and
synchronized swimming are dance disciplines
while
martial arts
kata are often compared to dances.
Definitions of what constitutes dance are dependent
on
social,
cultural,
aesthetic,
artistic and
moral constraints and range from functional movement
(such as
folk dance) to
virtuoso techniques such as
ballet. Dance can be
participatory,
social or
performed for an
audience. It can also be
ceremonial,
competitive or
erotic. Dance movements may be without significance
in themselves, such as in
ballet or European
folk dance, or have a
gestural
vocabulary/symbolic
system as in many Asian dances. Dance can embody or
express ideas,
emotions or tell a
story.
Dancing has evolved many styles.
Breakdancing and
Krumping are related to the
hip hop culture. African dance is interpretive.
Ballet, Ballroom, Waltz, and Tango are classical styles
of dance while
Square and the
Electric Slide are forms of
step dances.
Every dance, no matter what
style, has something in common. It not
only involves flexibility and body
movement, but also physics. If the
proper physics is not taken into
consideration, injuries can and
are likely to occur.
Choreography is the art of creating
dances. The person who creates (i.e.,
choreographs) a dance is known as the
choreographer.
Ethnochoreology, encompassing the dance-related
aspects of
anthropology,
cultural studies,
gender studies,
area studies,
postcolonial theory,
ethnography, etc
African Dance is the original dance
(The first dance)
African Dance and
Drum are a marriage.
In African Culture, FAMILY is Paramount.
A people without the knowledge of their
past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
(Honorable Marcus Garvey)
"We must display and
be the beauty,
righteousness and love of our culture."
(Robert Dickerson)
What is CHARACTER?
A DISTINCTIVE MARK
The peculiar qualities impressed by nature or habit on a person,
which distinguish him from others; hence, a character is not
formed when the person has not acquired stable and distinctive
qualities.
The pattern of behavior or personality found in an individual
or group; moral constitution. Moral strength; self-discipline,
fortitude, good reputation.
Accompany- to go or be together with: attend
2. To sent (with); add to ; supplement (to accompany words with
acts) 3. To play or sing a musical accompaniment for or to
Accompaniment- anything that accompanies something else: thing
added, usually for order or symmetry 2. Music a
part, usually instrumental, performed together with the main part for
richer effect ( the piano accompaniment to a song)
Accompanist- a person who plays or sings an accompaniment:
Attract- (1) to draw to itself or oneself; make
approach or adhere (2) to get the admiration, attention, etc. of;
attraction- (1) the act of attracting (2) power of attracting;
esp., charm or fascination (3) anything that attract or is meant to
attract / movies are sometimes called attractions |
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