February 23, 2005—Traditional West African dances will be performed Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12, when Oberlin College's Essence dance ensemble presents a concert titled Dance Diaspora Dance at 8 p.m. in Warner Center.

Performing with Essence will be Dance Diaspora, Oberlin's renowned African touring dance company, the student percussion ensemble Illu Aiye, and guest artists Matthew Hill '00 and master West African percussionist Michael Oludare.

"The high-energy, high endurance program will include multiple versions of authentic dances studied by members of Dance Diaspora during annual trips to the Gambia in West Africa," says the company's artistic director Adenike Sharpley, artist in residence in the College's African American Studies Department. In summer 2004, the dancers worked with Alisane Soumak, a master teacher and performer with the Fatala dance troupe based in Guinea Bissau.

Choreographed by Soumak and Sharpley, the March concert will include kuku, a ceremonial dance from Guinea Bissau; tiriba, a story of a woman preparing to conceive a child, mandijani, Africa's fastest ceremonial dance; kotuba, a celebratory dance from Mali, lamban, a story of a woman being taken to marry her chosen husband; and kasa, a Gambian exhibition dance.

Tickets are $5 at the door and $4 in advance from Central Ticket Service (CTS) box office, noon to 5 p.m. Mon. - Fri., or through the CTS 24-hour reservation line (440.775.8169). Seating is limited. Warner Center is located at 30 N. Professor St., behind the King/Rice building.