Creative Economy – Projects
Sankofa Dance Project and Sankofa Festival
The Sankofa Dance Project celebrates African Roots in American Dance through intensive summer study and choreographic residencies at UMass Amherst accompanied by performances and events celebrating through dance the diversity of the world in which we live. The word Sankofa invokes a belief that we must go back and reclaim our past so we can move forward to understand why and how we came to be who we are today. For more information please visit www.sankofadanceproject.com.
- Sankofa is a joint collaboration between UMass Amherst Outreach Creative Economy and The UMass Amherst Department of Music and Dance.
- Distinguished choreographer and Tony Award winner George Faison has been in residence in 2008.
- Acclaimed African dance master and educator Chuck Davis will be in residence in 2009.
- The 2008 Sankofa Dance Project Summer Dance Intensive welcomed participants from 27 different communities in 10 different states who ranged in age from 15 to 54. Participants took classes during the day and performed the work they learned in 4 different events throughout the week, culminating in a final dance concert.
- On October 23rd, 2008, Robert Blakely and Charles Markham, two Springfield youth who participated in the Sankofa summer dance intensive, will perform George Faison’s new work, Movin’ On, with Alvin Ailey II and the UMass touring dance company on the Fine Arts Center Concert Stage at UMass Amherst.
