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West African Drum & Dance Ensemble to Perform Free
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More from Conejo ValleyFamilies are invited to enjoy the West African Drum and Dance Ensemble - DAFRA - on October 5, 2008 at 2 p.m. at the Grant R. Brimhall Library, 1401 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. This event is part of the Thousand Oaks Reads - One City One Book activities. This year's book -- What is the What by Dave Eggers - is a compelling and powerful novel based on the real-life story of Valentino Achak Deng, one of the "Lost Boys of Sudan" who were forced to flee their villages during that country's civil war.
DAFRA is a multicultural group that performs dance and drumming from the Mandingue tradition of West Africa. The members of the ensemble are from Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali and the United States. The ensemble plays numerous West African traditional instruments and dancers perform lively steps and repertory from the village's traditional ceremonies. In the West African tradition of call and response, the audience will participate in the performance by learning some of the songs, rhythms, and dance steps. All the cast will wear traditional West African costumes.Created in 1995 by Olivier Tarpaga, DAFRA was at that time a simple comic and theatrical group composed of three members. In 1998, after is first European tour, DAFRA become an ensemble with five musicians and two dancers mostly from the famous group "Le Bourgeon du Burkina". Since 1999 DAFRA has grown with 10 members and toured numerous times in festival and theater in Burkina Faso, France, Germany, UK, Canada and the USA.
A month-long Thousand Oaks Reads One City One Book celebration continues with community book discussions, film screenings, an essay contest and more. The centerpiece of the celebration will be an afternoon with the author Dave Eggers on Saturday, October 11, 2008 at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.
Copies of What Is The What are available at the Grant R. Brimhall and Newbury Park Branch libraries, and at local book stores. More information can be found at www.thousandoaksreads.org or call the Library, 805-449-2660 ext. 204.
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