Malian Dance Workshop w/ Mariam Diakite

Learn traditional Malian West African Dance! 

Mariam Diakite spearheads Orchestra Gold and is an accomplished singer, dancer, percussionist, and teacher from Mali, West Africa. Her classes are informative, upbeat, instructional, and interactive, filled with valuable stories that add context and culture to the dances and songs that she teaches.

The class will begin with a warmup stretching and vocal instruction in traditional Malian songs to ground participants in the space. Mariam provides individualized attention to the dancers as they learn the steps and movements. She prefers quality over quantity, therefore usually one to two dance styles will be taught to ensure the dancers have a solid grasp of the material before moving forward.

This dance workshop is for all levels, from total beginners to advanced-Intermediate dancers. All ages are welcome, but the class will be geared toward adults. Please wear comfortable clothing that enables you to move easily.

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Sunday, July 30 from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Tickets are available for $15 in advance, $18 at the door (pay-what-you-can-available)

ABOUT THE ARTIST

From the country of Mali in West Africa, Mariam Diakite is a recognized artist of the highest caliber. Mariam’s focus is on the oldest of Mali’s traditions. Uniquely interested in mining the depths of Mali’s cultural heritage, she is the front-woman for Orchestra Gold, spearheading the ensemble’s dynamic blend of psychedelic rock and old Malian folklore. As the band's chief cultural representative, she sings songs in Bamanankan, her native language and the predominant indigenous language of Mali. Diakite has traveled extensively within West Africa, and the United States sharing Mali’s musical treasures. Mariam is a passionate artist and motivated teacher and has a special talent for conveying the complex and challenging subtleties of her dance style to her students in a way that makes the challenge fun and rewarding. 

Orchestra Gold’s vibrant sound is spearheaded by Mariam Diakite, whose raw, hypnotic vocals deliver heartfelt and thought-provoking lyrics in the highly symbolic Bambara language. The music of Orchestra GOLD represents the powerful intersection between Mariam of Mali and Erich Huffaker of Oakland, CA. Their original, retro sound results from their decade-long collaboration, transcending borders and boundaries to be a force of healing within the community.

Don't miss Orchestra Gold's performance at Portland House of Music on Sunday, July 30 at 7:00 PM. Get a FREE "Medicine" Album CD at the merch booth at the PHOME show with proof of the dance workshop purchase!

PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN POLICY

No one will be turned away for lack of funds; contact MSA at 207-879-4629 or info@mayostreetarts.org for information on our pay-what-you-can admission policy.

COVID-19 POLICY

Masking is optional for this workshop.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Mayo Street Arts has a no-refund policy for all reservations. In the event that MSA is forced to cancel an event due to weather, illness, etc., refunds will be offered via the Ticket Tailor platform.