Remember: If you can breathe, you can dance!

Join the AFRICAN HEALING DANCE WORKSHOP FOR WOMEN - A one day event on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH!!! See below

All classes are designed so that anyone can participate. The dance will adapt to the dancer, therefore you can choose the level of difficulty or intensity you want to apply to the steps we are learning, according to your own physical abilities or according to how you feel. In Africa, we all dance to the same music: grand children, children, parents, grand parents. Therefore, each person has to adapt the dance to what they can do. African dance is an activity that is inclusive of all, and a wonderful opportunity to be together, as a community.

Class description: >> African Healing Dance Workshop for Women

Close your eyes and picture yourself in the African jungle. Listen to the healing sound of the forest and take your first step in. Welcome to your tribe… This workshop takes us on a journey into Africa and into ourselves. We use it as a metaphor for life, and we take this opportunity to let go of what does not serve us and embrace life more fully. Using African wisdom, story telling, music and dance, we celebrate being a woman in a safe, supportive and truly loving environment. You will experience true joy, total freedom, acceptance, and a deeper sense of peace. You will feel like you are … back home, in the village. Come and be a part of the tribe — truly celebrate yourself and embrace community spirit with us. Invite all your girlfriends and sign up early to qualify for the discount! Read more...


>> Afro'Robic

Afro'Robic™ is an amazing African dance class specially designed by Jacky Essombe for aerobic fitness, blending the richness of African dance and music with traditional history and culture to create a fun and exciting workout!  Afro'Robic™ is suitable to all fitness levels and the moves are created so that you can either go at your own pace or push yourself for a serious workout!  come and join us!  You will amaze yourself!  And remember, there is only one rule: Take your shoes off, and smile! That is, after you leave your mind aside…

In africa, dance is for everybody within the community. The class that Jacky is offering focuses on bringing confidence in one's ability to dance and therefore to be part of the group. This is the reason why we do not offer classes according to the level of experience in African dance.  All it takes is for you to just love it!  We explore the steps with their many variations, to fit everybody's physical abilities so that everyone is included in the experience.  Come and join us!  If you are wondering about whether you can do it or not, simply join a free class and you'll see how much fun it is!  And of course you'll want to bring all your girlfriends along...


FREE CLASSES - Fall 2008

Day and time Location Date

Tuesday
7:00 pm

8:00 pm

Trout Lake Community Center

3350 Victoria drive
(604) 257-6955
http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/cc/troutlake/

September 2, 2008
Wednesday
5:45 pm

6:45 pm

Kitsilano Community Center

2690 Larch street
(604) 257 6976
http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/cc/kitsilano/

September 3, 2008

 

Friday
6:00 pm

7:00 pm

Brittania Community Center

Commercial Drive
(604) 718-5800
http://britanniacentre.org/

September 5, 2008
Sunday
12:45 pm

2:15 pm
Roundhouse Community Center
181 Roundhouse Mews(corner of Davie & Pacific Blvd)
(604) 713 1800
http://roundhouse.ca
September 7, 2008

Class schedule : September - December 2008

Date and time Location

Session Details

(Various session length)

Tuesday
7:00 pm

8:00 pm

Trout Lake Community Center

3350 Victoria drive
(604) 257-6955
http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/cc/troutlake/

September 9th to October 28th
(8 weeks)
November 4th to December 23rd
(8 weeks)

Wednesday
5:45 pm

6:45 pm

Kitsilano Community Center

2690 Larch street
(604) 257 6976
http://www.vancouver.ca/parks/cc/kitsilano/

September 10th to October 29th
(8 weeks)
November 5th to December 17th
(7 weeks)

 

 

Friday
6:00pm

7:00 pm

Brittania Community Center

Commercial Drive
(604) 718-5800
http://britanniacentre.org/

September 12th to October 3rd
(4 weeks)
October 31st to December 19th
(6 weeks)

Sunday
90 min class!
12:45 pm

2:15 pm

Roundhouse Community Center

181 Roundhouse Mews (corner of Davie & Pacific Blvd)
(604) 713 1800
http://roundhouse.ca

September 14th to December 21st
(12 weeks)

Cost:

Drop-ins: $15 (reg. class) to $17 (90 min class).  Please check with each community center.


4-week session: only $49 (tax incl.)

6-week session: only $69 (tax incl.)

8-week session: only $99 (tax incl.)

12-week session: only $147 (Roundhouse only) – 90 min class

Men are welcome to these classes!

NO CLASS ON THE FOLLOWING DAYS:
Trout Lake: November 11th (Remembrance Day)
Britannia: October 10th, 17th and 24th/ November 14th / December 5th

Roundhouse: October 12th and 26th / November 16th


REGISTRATION and PAYMENT INFORMATION

Please register and pay with each community center directly.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU SIGN-UP IN ADVANCE IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SERIES.  WHEN TOO MANY PEOPLE LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE TO SIGN-UP, THE CLASS MIGHT END UP BEING CANCELLED.  PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND.  THANK YOU.

>> African Dance

SOUKOUSS for Women

Soukouss is a contemporary music and dance style from Congo. It is very popular in African night clubs worldwide, and it is a fun style that allows for each dancer's creativity. Come and you'll be able to show off your new hip moves at the next Anza Club Africa Night gathering!

Next Class

When: September 4th and 11th, 2008

Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre - 677 Davie Street (@ Granville) - JANDALI STUDIO (4th floor)

Time: 7 pm to 8:30 pm (90 minutes!)

Cost:
Only $39 per person for both workshops (advance registration) - drop-ins welcome @ $25.00 each class

To register: please email jessombe@jackyessombe.com or call (604) 879 3099



BIKUTSI


Bikutsi is a musical genre from Cameroon. The name indicates a dance that is accompanied by stomping the feet on the ground. The word Bikutsi can be loosely translated as beating the ground continuously.

Bikutsi is characterized by an intense 6/8 rhythm, and is played in all sorts of gatherings, including parties, funerals and weddings.
In this class personally taught by Jacky Essombe, we will learn the basic movement of Bikutsi and build it up to more complex dance steps, and explore how we use the same step to create several variations.

Next class:
TBC

*** Advance registration is required! ***

Bikutsi - 2-hour African Dance Workshop with live drumming by Master Drummer Kocassalé Dioubaté and VRAD!

"If music is the language of the soul, then African dance is the universal translation!" - Rachelle, Vancouver

Where:

When:

Cost:
$19.00 in advance (only $9.50 per hour!!!) - $29.00 at the door

Registration: