AFRICA Fête is a three Day Festival of African, Afro-Brasilian, Afro-Haitian & Afro-Peruvian Music & Dance.
Co-presented with NEW WORKS, with the support of TD Then & Now, and Granville Island Cultural Society.
There will be evening performances on both Friday and Saturday February 13 & 14, with 3 groups performing each night, taking place at Performance Works on Granville Island. Audiences will have the choice to watch from their seats or get up and dance.
There will also be daytime workshops at Performance Works on Saturday February 14, and daytime showcases of Afro-Peruvian and Afro-Brazilian Dance at CBC Studio 700 (Hamilton St.) co-presented with New Works on Sunday, February 15.
Performing groups include Montreal’s acclaimed Afro-Haitian Wesli Band, Zimbamoto contemporary Zimbabwean band, Kara-kata Afrobeat Ensemble, Ache Brasil, Matices del Sur Afro-Peruvian band, and from Seattle, Sohoyini, an 8-piece West African all-star ensemble of musicians, percussionists and dancers.
There will be delicious Ghanaian African food served by the well-known TASTE OF AFRICA restaurant from Surrey, and a licensed bar will be on site.
SCHEDULE
Friday, February 13, 8pm – Late – EVENING PERFORMANCE
Doors, Food & Bar OPEN at 7:15pm
Performance Works, Granville Island
FEATURING
– MATICES DEL SUR Afro-Peruvian Band –
– WESLI Afro-Haitian Band –
– ZIMBAMOTO Zimbabwean Band
Saturday, February 14, DAYTIME WORKSHOPS
Performance Works, Granville Island
With members of SOHOYINI West African Drum & Dance
Sponsored by DRUM CAFE – www.drumcafe.com
1:30 – 3:15: West African Drumming Workshop (Ghana & Guinea)
3:30 – 4:45: West African Dance Workshop (Ghana & Guinea) with live percussion accompaniment
COST: $15 per workshop. Limited capacity. For Drum class, Bring your own drum, or rent one for $5 from Drum Café.
To register and pay, visit https://africafete.brownpapertickets.com/
Saturday, February 14, 8pm – LATE: EVENING PERFORMANCE
Performance Works, Granville Island
Door, Food & Bar OPEN at 7:15pm
FEATURING
– ACHE BRASIL Afro-Brazilian, Capoeira & Samba Performance
– SOHOYINI West African Drum & Dance Ensemble –
– KARA-KATA Afrobeat Orchestra
Sunday, February 15, DAYTIME SHOW & WORKSHOP
CBC Studio, 700 Hamilton St.
DANCE ALLSORTS, Presented by New Works
Featuring Afro-Vibras Peru & Samba Fusion
2pm: Performance (ticketed)
3:15pm: Free Workshop
INFO: 604 – 893-8807 info@newworks.ca, or register at www.newworks.ca, or buy tickets HERE
ARTIST BIOS
* Matices Del Sur Afro-Peruvian Band * www.maticesdelsur.weebly.com
Matices Del Sur is a Vancouver based band committed to promote authentic music from the coast of Peru which is strongly rooted in the rich, diverse and festive creole and Afro-Peruvian music.
* WESLI BAND * www.wesliband.com
Montreal’s highly acclaimed Wesli Band was founded and led by singer/guitarist Wesley Louissaint, alias Wesli. Born in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, he comes from a family where music is second nature. He began very young in the local church choir and then went on to the guitar, the instrument that has been his musical base since then. In 2001, he settled in Montreal and continued along his musical path. He has shared the stage with great names in African and Canadian music, including King Mensah, Sekouba Bambino, and the Cirque du Soleil. A guitarist, percussionist and singer, he also works actively as a producer and composer. In 2009, Wesli received the Radio-Canada award as Revelation of the Year, and in 2010, he received Babel Med Music France award.
* ZIMBAMOTO Zimbabwean Band * www.zimbamoto.com
Led by master Zimbabwean musician, percussionist and singer KURAI MUBAIWA, Zimbamoto offers an exhilarating flavour of African music based on traditional and contemporary melodies and rhythms from Zimbabwe, and surrounding areas. They sing in the Shona language and play with modern Afrobeat sensibility. You will hear sounds of marimba, mbira, hoshos, and modern bass, guitar and drumset guaranteed to keep you up dancing!!
* ACHÉ BRASIL Afro-Brazilian Ensemble * www.achebrasil.ca
Aché Brasil is a touring performance group based in Vancouver, BC. Equal parts music, dance and acrobatics, they infuse the culture, traditions and music of Brazil in a spectacle of movement and color. They have preformed to enthusiastic audiences and critical acclaim all over North America and have received a nomination for “Live Performers of the Year” at the West Coast Music Awards. Through music and dance, this high energy group educates and entertains audiences of all ages about Brazil’s cultural diversity.
* SOHOYINI DRUM & DANCE ENSEMBLE * www.sohoyini.net
Based in Seattle, Sohoyini is a pan-African collaboration of traditional arts embracing the music and dance of countries from Ghana & Guinea to Zimbabwe. They celebrate not only our roots, but the branches of our new global culture. Although a mix of cultures, all efforts are extended to ensure the dances performed are true to tradition. Key leaders of the group include dancer AWAL ALHASSAN from Ghana, and drummer/dancer MANIMOU CAMARA from Guinea.
* KÁRÀ-KÁTÀ AFROBEAT GROUP * www.karatagroup.com
Heavily inspired by the Nigerian legend of Afrobeat, Fela Kuti, the 12-piece Vancouver-based Kárà-Kátà group effortlessly blends original Afrobeat with Reggae, Soca, Calypso, & Modern funk. They are led by Nigerian-born singer Toyin. They celebrate and share the beauty of African/Canadian multiculturalism with dance, music, and fashion through their live performances. Truly a World Beat band that makes your heart warm and your feet move!
* AFROVIBRAS PERU *
AfroVibras Perú presents Afro-Peruvian folklore and contemporary fusion, expressing the struggles and rich cultural heritage of Afro-descendants. Their repertoire includes diverse dance genres: Festejos, Landós, and Zamacuecas. Moving to the pulse of cajón percussion rhythms, the group unites dance and theatre in an exhilarating, revealing dance experience. Based in Vancouver, AfroVibras Perú was formed in 2012.
* SAMBA FUSION *
With roots in Brazilian samba and fused with numerous dance traditions, Samba Fusion present a program that highlights Brazil’s African heritage, featuring dance styles that were created as expressions of freedom, and which have become popular around the world in recent decades. Samba Fusion was founded in Vancouver by Andrea Monteiro and Naija K. in 2009.