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Spirit of Uganda shares cultural traditions of East Africa with central Minnesota
January 24, 2012
Spirit of Uganda
The CSB/SJU Fine Arts Series presents Spirit of Uganda at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, in Escher Auditorium, College of Saint Benedict.
From January to April, Spirit of Uganda returns to the United States for just 23 riveting performances. Through pounding rhythms, dramatic choreography and gorgeous call-and-response vocals, this vibrant cast of 22 children, ages 8-18, share the rich histories, legends and beliefs of East Africa, while introducing some of the new and dynamic music and dance forms being created now.
"Music and dance in Uganda today are fluid and dynamic, a shifting mix of traditional and new forms that celebrate the country's multiple heritages," says Artistic Director Peter Kasule, who also serves as the program's on-stage master of ceremonies. Many of the songs and dances featured in the company's performance are rooted in individual cultures. Some are attached to specific rituals or ceremonies; others capture everyday activities or express the joys, hopes and sorrows of life and love. All have been transformed, repurposed or newly created by these young artists eager to celebrate their origins and add their own voice to this living history.
Spirit of Uganda is produced by Empower African Children (EAC), a Dallas-based non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa through holistic care and a globally-competitive education. As ambassadors for Uganda's 2.4 million orphans, these children personify the resilience and promise of Africa's next generation as they promote awareness of Uganda's dual crises of AIDS and civil war and raise funds to support themselves and other orphaned and vulnerable children in their homeland.
Spirit of Uganda's tours have taken the company from California to Maine. They have performed in some of the leading performing arts venues including New York's Joyce Theater, the Mondavi Arts Center in California, Chapel Hill's Memorial Hall, and Boston's Berklee Center. The company has also made special appearances at the Vancouver Cultural Olympiad and the United Nations.
Tickets to Spirit of Uganda are $30, Senior $27 and Student/Youth $10. For tickets, call the Benedicta Arts Center Box Office at 320-363-5777 or order online at www.csbsju.edu/fine-arts.
This performance is sponsored HealthPartners Medical and Dental Clinics and the Mahowald Insurance Agency. The CSB/SJU Fine Arts Series is made possible in part by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with money from a vote of the people of Minnesota on Nov. 4, 2008. Spirit of Uganda is also funded, in part, by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The CSB/SJU Fine Arts Series is partnering with Talahi Elementary School of St. Cloud on Thursday, Feb. 16, to present the Bridge to Uganda Cultural Exchange program with Spirit of Uganda. Spirit of Uganda is a performing arts troupe, consisting of a cast of 22 children, whose performances share the rich histories, legends and beliefs of East Africa. They will be performing at the College of Saint Benedict at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17.
Conceived as a day of cultural exchange, the Bridge to Uganda program brings the children from Spirit of Uganda into the classrooms of a local host school. Third through sixth grade students at Talahi will participate in these activities.
Spirit of Uganda children will lead workshops that explore the different traditional music instruments they perform with, allowing students an up-close and hands-on experience with these instruments. Talahi students will be able to assemble their own panpipes, similar to those used by the Spirit of Uganda.
Following the music workshop, children from Spirit of Uganda will visit individual classrooms, where the young artists will make global connections that are directly tied to the curriculum. The students from Talahi and Uganda will finish the day by sharing lunch together.
The Fine Arts Series will provide Talahi Elementary with 300-350 complimentary tickets to the Spirit of Uganda matinee performance, which takes place on Feb. 17. Talahi students who participate in the cultural exchange will be able to more fully connect their experience in the classroom through the matinee performance.