St. Peter's was filled with music and drums when Kofi Dennis conducted a West African drumming workshop for children and youth on October 27. The workshop was well attended by children, youth, and parents from the St. Peter's parish and from the larger community.
The workshop, entitled "A Journey Into West African Culture," gave the workshop participants the opportunity to explore West African culture through drumming, storytelling, songs and movement, and clothing and Kente cloth.
Kofi Dennis is a graduate of the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, and studied early childhood and adolescent education at Komenda College, University of Cape Coast. He performs as half of the duo Anansegromma, presenting music, dance, drums, games, and stories.
Since moving to the United States in 1995, Mr. Dennis has delighted children, parents, teachers, and colleagues with his wonderful work in area schools and as a Wolf Trap Performing Arts Master Teacher/Trainer and presenter of West African Culture. Mr. Dennis is a wonderful drummer, storyteller, singer and dancer. He is drumming instructor for the World Children's Choir.
Mr. Dennis has presented workshops and residencies in schools and centers nationwide: notably Kennedy Center, Discovery Theater and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Wolf Trap’s Theater in the Woods, and the Filene Center, and St. Thomas Folklife Festival, Virgin Islands. He is the lead teacher for ARTSPLAY, a fun filled literature based exploration of drama, dance and music for 3-5 year old children at the Wolf Trap Center for Education every fall and spring.
Check the 2007 - 2008 Concert Gallery for drumming workshop photos and a drumming workshop slideshow.