Harambee’s Holiday Celebration is a concert dance performance that is being held for children who are currently in foster care and children whose parents are incarcerated. We aspire to serve 100 children who meet these criteria. This concert will include choreography and performances by Duane Holland, Petagay Letren, and The Black Choreographers Collective of North Carolina.
Tickets to attend are $10.
Location:
The Byron Carlyle --- 500 71st Street Miami, Beach FL 33141
Instructors:
Duane Holland - Choreographer and Performer for Harambee's Holiday Celebration
Duane Holland http://www.duaneleeh.com/
Duane began his career as a gymnast as a member of the Jr. National Team. Duane competed in the 1991 Jr. Pan-American Games, 1993 and 1994 Portugal Invitational, USA vs. Mexico Dual and 1991 McDonalds International Mixed Pairs. He also was an official demonstrator for USAIGC clinics and for the United States President’s Council of Physical Fitness.
Duane began his professional dance career at the age of 17, dancing for the first Hip-Hop theater dance company, Rennie Harris Pure Movement (RHPM). While Duane danced with RHPM, not only did he perform, but he also taught at MIT, Stanford University, Jacobs Pillow, University of Utah, UCLA, Monte Carlo Ballet Company, Pennsylvania Ballet Company, Philadanco, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater and Broadway Dance Center. Through the exposure of dancing with RHPM, Duane also danced with other choreographers such as: Ronald K. Brown/”Evidence”; Garth Fagan/”The Lion King” (Broadway cast); Jeff Amsted/”A Few Good Men”. He also was assistant choreographer and Assistant Dance Captain of Maurice Hines’ Broadway Production of “Hot Feet”. Duane was also featured in Jerry Mitchell’s 2006 “Broadway Bares Aids Benefit New York Strip”. In 2007, Duane was installed as an adjunct faculty member of The Boyer College of Music & Dance at Temple University, Philadelphia. In January 2008, Duane was honored to be named the Assistant Artistic Director to Rennie Harris of Rennie Harris Puremovement (RHPM).
Duane has been featured as a vocal artist at the following venues: Smirnoff Showcase: Featured Artist/ Le Bar Bats Nightclub 56th St. NY, NY; Ron Grant Showcase: Featured Artist/ NELLS Nightclub14th St., NY, NY; Verve Release Party London, England: Background Singer for the Artist Ovasoul 7; Duane Lee Showcase,
Director, Producer, Choreographer, Performer (One-man Show) Philafunk, West Philadelphia. Duane is also a soloist and member of the Wayman Walker Gospel Choir of Saints Memorial Baptist Church
Other Positions and Employment
Assistant Artistic Director, Rennie Harris Puremovement (RHPM) Philadelphia, PA
2008
Earl Mosley Institute of the Arts, New Milford, CT
2008
Boyer College of Music & Dance at Temple University
Roots & Wings Movement, Artistic Director: Makeda Thomas
2003
Ronald K. Brown / Evidence, Artistic Director: Ronald K. Brown
2000
Eleone Dance Theater, Artistic Director: Leon Evans
1997
Petagay Letren - Choreographer
Petagay attended Ecole de Sables in Senegal, this past summer, and will be presenting work based experiences in Senegal.
She has worked as an adjunct professor at Florida International University, teaching West African and Modern dance since 2002-2007.
Petagay has also taught Modern dance at Alexander Dreyfoos School of the Arts in West Palm Beach FL, and is currently pursuing an
MFA in choreography at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her recent most recent work is Untold Stories, and she is currently working
on a production series addressing women and relationship, including dance a dance video "Picking Myself Up off the Kitchen Floor"
Previous Events
South Florida African Dance Collective:
Thank you to all who supported and attended, We greatly appreciate it. This event was a tremendous success because of you.
Mohamed DaCosta
Watch this performance that was part of Jacare Brazil and Nation Beat concert at the University of Florida on October 2006.
MOHAMED DACOSTA, from Boké, Guinea, is Lecturer in African Performing Arts in the School of Theatre and Dance and the Center for African Studies, and affiliate faculty in the Center for World Arts at the University of Florida.
One of a select number of practice-based cultural authorities on the traditional performing arts of Africa living in the United States, Mr. DaCosta speaks English, French, Fulani, Wolof, Mandinko, and Susu. Mr. DaCosta served as choreographer for the African Ballet of Gambia and performed with the company from 1980-85. In 1996, he performed across Europe as featured drummer with Culture Movement, commissioned by the U.S. Department of Defense.
The internationally renowned Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble has also featured Mr. DaCosta in performance. As three-time University of Florida Center for World Arts artist-in-residence, Mr. DaCosta has used his exceptional command of West African performance traditions and engaging teaching persona to develop appreciation of West African culture at the University of Florida, New World School of the Arts, Santa Fe Community College, and in the greater communities of Florida and North Carolina.
Mr. DaCosta's abiding warmth, vitality and artistry are an inspiration to students, fellow artists, community members and audiences of all backgrounds.
Mouminatou Camara is praised as the pre-eminent female instructor of Guinea dance in the United States. For a decade, she was the principal dancer for the world-renowned dance company, Les Ballet Africans. She also performed with Les Ballet Djonllba and the Army Ballet. A brilliant instructor and performer of West African Dance and Drum, Mouminatou Camara has performed and taught workshops extensively in the USA, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Martinique and the West African countries of Senegal, Mali and the Ivory Coast. Having spent her life in Guinea, Mouminatou has stated that she has been dancing since she was in her mother's womb. Affectionately called "Moumi", she brings first hand knowledge of the history of each dance and imparts that knowledge with great clarity and passion to her students. Her generosity as a teacher is matched by her attention to detail and historical relevance. Mouminatou Camara has received many awards and recognition for her unique style of dance, outstanding talent and for her work in the field of dance. Her popularity and skill as a performer and instructor makes her the most sought after instructor at dance centers and festivals across the country.
KWAME DENSU OPARE began studying West African dance with Traditional Masters at the age of 13. At 14 he became a principal dancer with Kankouran West African Dance Company. Kwame moved to New York in 1994 to pursue his passion for the performing arts. While in New York he established himself as a well sought after instructor and choreographer. By 21 he had produced works for many of the major traditional African and traditional/contemporary companies in New York City. In 1998 Kwame began touring with the off-Broadway hit show "STOMP" where he stayed until late 2003. While with Stomp, Kwame attained lead role and rehearsal director for two casts. Using his diverse experience in the performing arts Kwame founded DishiBem Traditional Contemporary Dance Group in 2003 to bridge the gap between traditional West African and contemporary dance and music and to create work that speaks to social issues around the World. Kwame is currently a teaching artist and in Baltimore City Public and Charter Schools, and co-Director of DishiBem.
