Mande/New Works

One way people, including myself, get to learn about true Malian traditions, or maybe hear about Mali for the first time (seriously-post to follow), is through Michelle Bach-Coulibaly's work at Brown University.  Through her New Works/World Traditions troupe and the Mande dance class, Brown students can learn about African traditions and world issues they otherwise may not be exposed to.  Mande dance class is the reason many people chose to go to Mali to experience this vibrant culture first hand, so I thought I'd take a post to explain these two entities.  


MANDE DANCE: Offered in the Spring every year, over 100 students learn dances taught by Bach-Coulibaly from the Mande tradition.  These dances range from spiritual ceremonies to dances inspired by everyday work habits, such as fishing, and require little inhibitions and a low center of gravity (free your pelvis, free your mind!).  This year we learned 3 dances - Somonodon/Bozodon, Sounou, and Tonsole/Kote - with any where from 10 to 16 steps.  Accompanied by Seydou Coulibaly on the joun joun and Isa Coulibaly on the Jembe, we dance in groups towards the drummers, which command a high amount of respect in Malian culture.  We're also split up into families named after renowned artistic families in Mali like the Coulibaly's and Kouyates! Together with our families we raise money and awareness for different causes around the globe.  Mande is certainly many people's inspiration for traveling to Mali, and certainly mine.  Take a look at the Kouyate family doing Somonodon rocking some crazy colors!



NEW WORKS/WORLD TRADITIONS: New Works/World Traditions is a dance troupe led by Professor Coulibaly that specializes in "honoring Mande Traditions in light of their influence upon other Old World Traditions, and New Performance Arts in and out of Africa."  Each year they participate in many world cultural events and competitions, provide TAs for the Mande dance class, and create original pieces each year for the Spring Dance Festival.  This year they performed a moving piece written by Professor Bach-Coulibaly and Grisselle Escotto that portrayed the story of Debra Green, a Katrina Victim in Road Home.  Their work is a mixture of dancing, singing, acting, often includes live instrumentation, and specializes in telling powerful stories through performance.