What I've learned through my dance experience is that no matter what style of dance you are interested in, it is important to have a good teacher that knows the dance and the music very well. Guiding you through your process of learning and understanding (dance, technique, timing of dance and music) will allow you to fully and deeply understand the traditional culture and the folklore . Having the opportunity to meet Madama in Bamako and still learning from her, has helped me not only to understand the dance, but also the music part. In my opinion dancers also need to study the music. 

Madama is a very clear teacher, her technique is clean and precise, and she knows the language of the music very well. Dancing with her has helped me understand a little better the conversation inside the rhythm between the music and the dance. Timing is also a very important aspect in understanding Malian dance and music. Also, Madama has taught me the importance of dancing with good technique. For example, ternary rhythms can be challenging to comprehend sometimes. But Madama has shown me to stay in the timing by listening to the music. Always listen to the music... it comes from the music. Knowing and understanding the accents and the technicality in the dance, little by little things click. Which helps a lot, and eventually you start having a better understanding of Malian dance. Personally, for me it is very important to have this skill because when the time comes to have the conversation with the music it will flow. I will feel confident in entering the right way into the dance, staying in the rhythm without losing the timing and the technique. As a dancer my goal is that by learning the language I will be able to have a conversation with the music and vice versa. We will meet in a place where we can connect deeply inside the rhythm understanding each other. We will be on the same page.

Lorena

…I hoped to experience the interconnection between drum, song and dance. I have previously spent my time learning to drum without knowing the dance piece. It is very exciting now to dance. Also, dance is a form of healthy aerobic exercise that I am inspired to do unlike gym type workouts.

The outcome I have achieved so far is to become more familiar with the whole picture of what a particular rhythm consists of.

I have observed a good amount of West African dance classes, and as an observer I see that there are certain details in the typical 1-1/2 hour dance class cannot be addressed - such as the hand movements and the head and even the eyes. Learning this art form is like learning a foreign language in that it takes time to become familiar with the context - the music, the body movement, the words, the melody. The reason I love this series is because Erich and Mariam demonstrate the various components of the dance including an explanation of the meaning of the dance and when it is performed, what the drum is playing and the song. What is particularly great is that Mariam does a good amount of repetition. Repetition is key. There are a lot of things going on in each dance, and it takes time and repetition to pick all that up. However, that's just me. If I was an experienced dancer, I might not need as much repetition. But the way she is teaching the class in this series is great.

Jerrell

To start, I want to thank you, Madama and Jesse for your generosity! I so enjoyed the classes I was able to take thanks to you. The classes are clear and I LOVE the repetition. Coming from a lifetime of many dance styles, I still love repetition. 

I enjoy learning as well as creating complicated choreography for stage, but for classes I prefer less. Then I can really dig into the movements, feel the mechanics and vibe, make mistakes, fix mistakes and charge my muscle memory. Scratches the surface of traditional dance, but gets me closer to the feeling and musicality of any dance style I am focusing on in the moment. Madama, your teaching style is one I respect! I leave your class learning something new and knowing what I don't know. Thank you for sharing! 

LOVE🥰🥰🥰LOVE

Kim