Can you believe it? 2012 is almost over, a dash of life never to be repeated again. Now as we courageously seize the future -- I am utterly delighted to invite you to this groundbreaking night of learning and camaraderie with international Djembefola Bolokada Conde from Guinea and dance powerhouse Djibril Camara from Guinea -- for one legendary night in St. Louis! Saturday...
Thursday, we wrapped our session of AddLife! African Dance classes at the Jamestown Bluffs Library, and various Libraries across St. Louis County. In just a few months, we successfully taught more than 100 students – adults and children – and made some good friends along the way. The one thing I surely love about teaching for the Libraries is that ALL kinds of...
*This class will run from now to Thanksgiving! :) Each class I teach, I spark a light in a heart of a dancer who will then go and teach another heart -- open up another friendship, story, and song. I'm on a mission to share this powerful African dance art with the world, uniting artists, leaders, and visionaries everywhere! Join me, join us!...
Mark. Your. Calendars! This fall, I’m offering FOUR ABSOLUTELY FREE AddLife! African dance workshops at the Jamestown Bluff County Library-- every other Thursday-- starting September 13. No RSVP is necessary. Just come! My classes brim with fantastic people and we have so much fun it should be a crime! WHEN: Thursday, September 13 @ 7pm Thursday, September 27 @ 7pm Thursday, October 11...
Wow -- it is August 1 -- and AddLife! is organizing yet another unbelievably life-lurching learning fest, bringing together top dance instructors in St. Louis and uniting the power of people to bring out the best we have through movement, phenomenal live drum music, and lively interaction! Featuring -- special guest instructors >> Bokulaka Ilonga -- the brilliantly hip-swirling master dancer, drummer, and...
June 30 -- AddLife! Studio teamed up with Kreative Pandemonium to host AddLife!'s 2nd ever 100 Dancers Unite African dance class inspiration fest, harnessing the creative power and collective genius of dancers, movers, and shakers in St. Louis. The class was a big, big success -- gathering dozens of artist and entpreneuers who swapped incredible learning and skills for a whopping three hours....
Saturday,
AddLife! Studio presented three titans of music in a lecture and learning party
at Schlafly’s Library in St. Louis.
In honor of
June’s Black Music Month, AddLife! designed the program to give attendees a
hands-on experience of music, dating back to Ancient Africa, and up through the
rise of West Africa’s Djembe orchestra and America’s Hip-Hop renaissance.
I kicked off
the presentation with an explanation of Nubia’s rock gong – an ancient stone
drum our ancestors played to communicate some of the most intricate messages.
Later, co-founder of Kreative
Pandemonium,Weedie Braimah, lit up the room with a jolting lesson about the
dynamic Djembe orchestra which owes its heart and soul -- and advanced
communication system -- to its three barrel drums – the Kenkeni, Sangban, and
the Dundunba.
“If you can
say it, you can play it,” Braimah said, highlighting African drum music’s
implicit tie to the poly-rhythmic language of the people.
Tapping
their hands to flipped-over chairs, the audience sang and drummed in unison “I
can play the drum, I can play the drum!” Two audience members who had never
laid hands on a West African drum were instant converts as they chanted and
commanded their hands to animate the beats spoken on their tongues.
After
Braimah's presentation, St. Louis jazz and gospel star Al Anderson gave a
riveting lecture about how African Americans formed gospel music by bending
classical European church hymns into voluptuous ballads.
“Gospel
music is sacred music,” Anderson said. “And it is a marriage of European and
African music. Now anyone in the world can hear gospel music and it will
resonate. The same goes for jazz.”
After
Anderson, super producer Dan Liddell, aka StLou. Hitz, traced the evolution of
African music from village to urban Hip Hop culture. “Hip-Hop music comes from
those African beats,” Liddell said. “Now we have a multi-billion dollar culture
defined by dance, fashion, and mindset.”
As AddLife!
grows, we look forward to bringing more high-caliber master classes to you –
especially concerning the intersection of art, life, and business.
The support
from institutions and attendees in St. Louis has been remarkable and I look
forward to partnering with more powerhouse people to bring bold life to our
world.
Music, particularly international dance music, is a full-blown passion of mine and my family's. At any given moment, you can find my mother shouting James Brown, my dad crooning Peter Tosh, or my sister blasting Beyonce down the highway. Not long ago, my brother Dan, who happens to be the Einstein of urban music production, decided to jump on board and help me...
My motto for the summer is IMAGINATE! Yes, it's time to put our ideas into full-throttle action and imagine a world where there is an ever-flow of progress, passion, and opportunity! IMAGINATE! It means to visualize and create your universe of personal enchantment and to indulge in your powers, your art, and your ambitions! *** Now this Summer -- AddLife! Studio will be...
For all you brave people who dare to embark on a new world no matter what -- you are especially invited to my Ultra African Dance Workshop -- this Saturday, April 21 -- at 3pm! Summer is a hot breath away and I am excited to be hosting my company's April mega dance class this Saturday! Since we began the Saturday classes, great...
In honor of women's month and women across the world, we are hosting a class totally dedicated to the beauty, prowess, and creative brilliance of women everywhere. So grab your energy, a friend, and your voluptuous spirits and join us for this exciting celebration.
“Power of Women!" A Celebratory African Dance Class w/ dance dazzler Audra Morrow
The second you walk into the room, we'll begin an adventure through two incredible dance perspectives.
After a body-strengthening warm-up, the spellbinding choreographer, Audra Morrow will lead a lesson in an Afro-dazzling, fusion dance of desire.
Later, dance inspiration and founder of AddLife! Studio, Malena Amusa will unleash into the Guinea flirtation of dance Yankady, all set to live drumming and of course, your roaring pulse.
Join us for this thrilling celebration of learning, Valentine's Day, and Black History Month.
January's last class -- "A Revolution of Dance!" featured the very powerful instructors of Kreative Pandemonium, a home-grown performance force dedicated to sharing the knowledge of African and Diaspora culture, music, and dance.
"The class was fuuuuuun," said Andrea Peoples, co-founder of KP. Andrea and her partner, international drummer Weedie Braimah, taught a women's dance from Guinea, popularly performed at special events called Guinea Fares. Two hours later, and with sweat shining from everyone's face, we gathered in a big circle and took turns shouting to the heavens, and expressing our own razzle dazzle.
And that's the call of African dance: to not only master the brilliant forces of nature embedded in the art, but to interface with empowering community and our strongest, most impressive selves.
Later, after everyone introduced themselves, we learned that we had a room of stars! Creative leaders, business-starters, and globe-changers all coming to African dance to sweat it out and share a confidence and a pulse in the body so amazing, you just gotta scream "Yeeeeees!"
"Indulge Your Power!" is AddLife! Studio's first MEGA African dance class of 2012!
Revving up the New Year and Inspiring You to make powerful moves in life.
***Featuring teaching force Audra Morrow***
*** Saturday, January 14, 3:30pm - 5pm***
@ Legacy Books & Cafe / 5249 Delmar Blvd, off Union Blvd.
$10 at the door.
RSVP: text : (314) 458 - 4282
Join us for Audra's exhilarating carnival of powerful and joy-awakening dance moves. Set to brilliant live African drumming, this class is a vivacious course, strengthening your world.
Founder of AddLife! Studio, Malena Amusa is excited to present the MEGA classes, which are monthly opportunities to rev up your energy, and discover amazing new potential.
"My mission to inspire the success of every person on earth through art and business. I'd love for you to be a part of this. So join us... indulge your stress-free, and totally alive self. I'll see you on the dance floor!" --Malena Amusa