African dance
Live in-person and live online lessons at Shantom House of Culture, with respect for spiritual rights and privacy.
See the program here.
See the program here.
In Africa, as in most indigenous societies, everything is intertwined with rhythm that synchronises with the heartbeat and connects the inner movement of the body with life and healing.
The dance is based on repetitive rhythmic movements with bare feet, which absorb all the beneficial properties of the Earth and connect us to it. The chest opens and closes to the rhythm, releasing negative emotions, making space for joy and happiness. Both changes in speed and levels (low to medium) as well as jumps that activate and invigorate, contribute to this. The dance is accompanied by chants and songs that climax the energy and well-being, and form an essential part of the choreography.
Through dance, we will travel to West Africa with live music accompaniment (djembe, doundoun) as well as recorded music, to discover how the same movements can vary depending on the rhythm.
With African dance, repetition leads to relaxation of movement, the whole body is exercised, energy increases and physical and psychological tensions are released. An intense oxygenation of the brain occurs, creating a sense of mental well-being, enthusiasm and happiness. Brain fluctuations change and there is an expansion of consciousness, of the connection and trust in our body, ourselves, nature, and the Universe.
The lessons will end with stretching, breathing, and visualisation exercises.
Vivi Kappa
Vivi Kappa began her studies in African percussion and African dance in 2003.
She has attended intensive African dance classes and seminars in Greece, Guinea (West Africa), and Mexico, with M'Bemba Bangoura, Lamin Keita, Moise Kourouma, Oumar N'Diaye, Mamadama Camara, Fanta Dembele, Namary Camara, Aisha Toure, Mamadou Dian Camara, Animata Toure, Byshara Shokolate, and others. She has also attended seminars on Afro-Brazilian dance - Orishas with Nando Zambia, Irineu Nogueira, and Carlos Ujhama.
She studied African and Greek traditional percussion with Lefteris Grigoriou and African xylophone (balafon) with Alya Dioubate (Guinea)
Since 2009, she has been teaching African dance to adults and children of all ages.
She holds a degree in Sociology from Panteion University, an MSc specializing in Dance, group facilitation and is a trainee Dance Movement Therapist in the Primitive Expression method by Dr. France Schott Billmann, a biologist, psychologist, psychoanalyst and dance therapist.
Since 2000, she has been a performer-facilitator (street theatre, theatrical performances, stilts, creative-theatrical play, fire dance) and has participated in many music and dance ensembles as well as theatre groups in Greece and Mexico.