Artistic Director: OSCAR ROUSSEAUX (Compañía JJ, ENIA ~ Havana Cuba)
Company Members: Admaris Allones (dancer & singer) Andrea Thompson (dancer, on leave) Arisa Ingram (dancer) Bianca James (lead dancer) Christine Johnson (dancer) Ephraim Addison (dancer) Henry Castellanos (percussion) Janet Mescus (dancer) Kwabena Ingram (percussion) Michel "Miki Flow" Hermida (percussion & dancer) Rafael Monteagudo (percussion) Randel Villalonga (percussion) Randy Rosso (percussion) Segun Anderson (percussion) Susanne Hackett (singer) Theresa Logan (dancer) Ximena Guerrero (dancer)
Influences
Lazaro Ros, Yoruba Andabo, Los Munequitos de Matanza, Los Papines, Papo Angarica, Clave & Guaguanco, Abbilona, Rumberos de Cuba, Conjunto Folklorico Nacional de Cuba, Cutumba, y todos esos rumberos, tamboleros y maestros del folklor cubano de Cuba y el mundo!
Join Oscar Rousseaux for Latin Dance class and Rueda de Casino on Thursday nights from 7:00-8:30 pm. The class is at an intermediate level, but students of all levels are welcome, especially over the summer until our beginner class opens back up on Monday nights in the fall. Contact us for more information or just drop in on Thursday night!
Join the members of ALAFIA Dance & Drum every Saturday at ALAFIA Studios for Afro-Cuban drumming and dance classes. The three-part conversation of the Bata drum, a traditional Yoruba (Nigerian) drum, is taught by Oscar Rousseaux at 1:00 pm, followed by one of the most energetic and charismatic dance classes around. Focusing on the dances of the Orisha as well as the Arara and Congo traditions transported from Africa to Cuba hundreds of years ago, the 2:30 pm Afro-Cuban dance class, also given by Master Instructor Rousseaux, features live drumming and is one of the best vibes in town!
ALAFIA Dance & Drum has been performing at various venues around the area for the past several years. Here's a 2-part video of the company performing at DanceAfrica DC 2008:
And check out some pics from our latest shows.
Here's a clip of Artistic Director Oscar Rousseaux dancing an impromptu guaguanco at Havana's Karabali club to the music of Rumberos de Cuba.
Here's what the Washington Post had to say about ALAFIA's performance of La Tajona this Saturday at DANCE AFRICA:
"The annual Dance Africa DC festival brought together local dancers and musicians over the weekend for a positive, upbeat celebration of the African diaspora.
Saturday's matinee performance at Dance Place opened with the Alafia Dance & Drum group performing a dance from eastern Cuba. The women wore crisp, ruffled white tops with colorful floor-length skirts and head wraps. The steps in this work were not complicated: It mostly consisted of coy shoulder shrugs and breezy flips of the long skirts. About midway through the piece, a large pole bedecked with long ribbons was brought to center stage. The women grasped the ribbons and merrily romped around the pole and one another, creating a complex tangle. They then easily unraveled the mess, while never losing track of the rhythm, erring on a step or letting a smile fade."
Ache ALAFIA Dancers & Drummers!
Stay tuned for the video and pictures coming soon....
Hola gente! Thought you would all get a kick out of this video from Cuba that someone posted on YouTube. That's OSCAR back in the day in Cuba, dancing in the Callejon de Hamel. ALAFIA!
OSCAR espero que el viaje de regreso fue bueno . un placer verte por aquí en Francia gracias por tu polvo mágico en palabra santa y tu profesionalismo sobre las tablas respeto y admiración un saludo reha.
OYE!!!!!!!!!!!! its nice to see us in pictures. my physical may be gone, but i am more connected to you all than ever. drum, dance, and sing for me each and every wed. and sat. as i do the same here!!!
