Ayodele Drum and Dance

Description

Ayodele is a diverse sister-circle of thirty Queens committed to studying and performing African drum and dance as a wellness modality. We also educate and motivate young women and children through performances, community engagement, and a youth program.

Whether we are teaching children, healing the community with classes, studying with female Samba Masters in Brazil, Master Djembe and Dununfolas of West Africa, or spreading our healing energy through performances; Ayodele Drum & Dance remains an unending circle firmly rooted in joy.

Performances
Let us bring a culturally enriching West African dance and live drum experience to your school, party, conference, wedding, or other type of event. Available for shows of 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes; as well as concerts up to 2 hours.

Workshops
Enjoy an energizing workshop with live drumming designed to intrigue your mind, tone your body, and feed your soul. Available for youth or adults for as little as 20 minutes or as much as 2 hours.

Arts Education Residency
Enhance your lesson plans with our culturally diverse West African drum and dance curriculum. Available for elementary, secondary, and post-secondary schools. Residencies may vary from a full day to 12 weeks.

Work Sample

A performance recorded in November for the 2021 Chicago Drum Festival presented by the Korean Performing Arts Center. Ayodele is performing several rhythms of Guinea, West Africa. Tiriba is from the Landuma people of the Boke region and is danced by mothers and daughters. Sofa is a Malinke rhythm that used to be played for warriors on horseback. Soli is played for during initiation ceremonies.

This us a promo video with excerpts from our 2018 concert entitled The Playground.

A video summarization of our February 2020 residency at the Doris Duke Foundation fir Islamic Art's Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art Culture & Design in Oahu, Hawaii. 

The submitted work samples describe our purpose and philosophy. They also show a stage performance as well as how the dance continued as we pivoted to performing in non-traditional spaces during the pandemic. The samples are representative of our entire body of work showing our work with youth, community classes, concerts, and performances.

History

In 2007, seven African dancers came together to learn the art of the drum to enhance their dancing. The sisters were led by Tosha ‘Ayo’ Alston and the seed of Ayodele Drum & Dance was planted. Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2011, that seed continued to flourish.

Ayodele, a Yoruba word meaning “Joy in the home”, is now a diverse sister-circle of performing artists committed to studying and performing drum and dance as a wellness modality. We’ve grown from that circle of seven to over twenty Queens who use African drum and dance to educate and motivate young women and children through performances, community engagement, and our youth program.

Whether we are teaching children, healing the community with classes, studying with female Samba Masters in Brazil, Master Djembe and Dununfolas of West Africa, or spreading our healing energy through performances; Ayodele Drum & Dance remains an unending circle firmly rooted in joy.

Artistic Vision

Ayodele uses traditional West African rhythms and dances to tell stories rooted in African and African-American experiences. We also use dance to promote healing and wellness among women and children.

Programs for Specific Audience(s) Expertise

We have provided arts residencies as a certified vendor in the Chicago Public School system and worked with youth in After School Matters for the past 5 years. We have also partnered with CPS schools to receive Creative School grants from Ingenuity. 

Traditional Folk/Ethnic Artform Statement

We're a primarily African-American company that performs and teaches West African drum and dance. We have a youth program and community classes.