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The Malonga Arts Collective (MAC) is a coalition of 10 nonprofit arts organizations and individual teaching artists who have contractual agreements with the City of Oakland to reside and provide arts programming on the 2nd and 3rd Floors of the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts in Oakland, California.
Consequently, MAC envisions the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts as a thriving cultural hub at the intersection of the arts, culture, community belonging, and activism.
Founder, Artistic Director, and Choreographer Leslie Carter
The African Queens Dance Company empowers young girls, ages 7-18, to pursue physical, spiritual, and emotional wellness through dance. On and off the stage, we celebrate our culture and promote social action to make a difference in our San Francisco Bay Area community and the world. Today the Queens still dance strong, with a new generation of dancers entering the world.
Art Director, Baba Mosheh Milon, Sr.
Under the founder and artistic direction of Baba Mosheh Milon, Sr., a master drummer, percussionist, folklorist, and drum maker with over 50yrs of experience starting in Chicago, IL, the organization was established in Oakland in July 1989. Baba Mosheh is a "Tan-Tan Jali Ba" (keeper of the oral traditions of African drums and culture) and shares these traditions, drumming, and culture with at-risk youth, adults, and everyone willing to learn. Bantaba takes its name from a Mandingo term that describes the "community circle and gathering place for all important events," Baba Moshe institutes this in every class, program, and to the communities served.
Founder, Carla Service
Under the Direction of Carla Service for over 30 years, Dance-A-Vision is widely known to provide beginners, through experts, the opportunity to study with professional dance teachers and benefit from a pool of extensive knowledge in the dance world. Carla Service is dedicated to maintaining an uplifting, supportive, and motivating environment to experience dance's joyous and transformational magic.
Director Dr. Zak Diouf and Artistic Director Naomi Washington
We provide access to and education of indigenous African and African Diaspora arts and culture through community classes, professional development workshops, arts-in-schools, apprenticeships, performances, and international cultural exchanges. Established In 1975, by the late Dr. Zakarya Diouf, Diamano Coura West African Dance Company was founded with the vision that cultural arts can save lives, revitalize communities and strengthen the economy. Over the last 47 years, we remain one of the longest-surviving African dance companies in the United States, and through our programming have directly touched the lives of over 100,000 youth, adults, and seniors.
Co-founder Deborah Vaughan
Founded in 1972, Dimensions Dance Theater's (DDT's) mission is to preserve and perpetuate African-derived dance forms through creating, teaching, and performing. Also, promote the knowledge and appreciation of African-derived dance that reflects the historical and cultural experiences of African Americans throughout the African Diaspora and contemporary lives. The company is widely recognized for presenting traditional African dances and contemporary choreography and theater drawn from the Caribbean, Jazz, and Modern dance idioms such as Folk, House, and Hip-hop. We also have a low-cost youth dance program, Rites of Passage (ROP).
Is a 45-year-old arts organization centered on cultural preservation and service through art. Our name, "Fua Dia Congo," means Congolese heritage, and since 1977, we have been sharing traditional music, dance, and culture from Central Africa, specifically the Kongo Kingdom. It is our honor to forward the work of our founder, Ta Malonga Casquelourd, to share a rich and powerful cultural legacy and to create space for communal healing through Kongo traditions.
Founder, Artistic Director,
Rudi Soriano
In May 1992, San Francisco students and teachers formed a group celebrating Philippine culture and tradition. LIKHA-Pilipino Folk Ensemble was founded by Artistic Director Rudi Soriano from this group. Since the first presentation at San Francisco State University's McKenna Theatre, the mission of LIKHA, which means "creation" in Tagalog, is to collect and preserve indigenous Philippine art forms as expressed in music, literature, dance, arts, crafts, and attire. This mission is realized through research, education, performance, collecting and curating, community outreach, and youth development.
Founder, Mestre Preguiça
Artistic Director/Lead Instructor, Anthony Fidel (Busca Hé)
Established in 1984 in San Francisco by Mestre Preguiça and then in 1993 in Oakland at the Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts by his student, Mestre Carlos Aceituno (1961 - 2006). In 2006 Mestre Carlos’ understudy, Anthony Fidel (aka Busca He), became the Artistic Director/Lead Instructor to continue the well-structured Capoeira (Afro-Brazilian martial arts) arts and music programming to youth and adults. Students learn movement, methodology, music, songs, history, and cultural awareness. They are provided with support for a safe place to improve oneself through training while having equitable access regardless of demographics.
Founder, Artistic Director
Portsha Jefferson
Established in 2004 by Artistic Director Portsha Jefferson, Rara Tou Limen has continually offered Bay Area residents, as well as people from all over the United States, the opportunity to experience Haitian music, dance and culture through classes, workshops, performances and educational events in both the United States and in Haiti.
We are a collective of dancers, musicians, artists, and community members, bringing to life the essence of Carnaval in our work. Through African Diaspora-infused artistic techniques, we provide opportunities for dancers to grow, become in touch with themselves, and learn the core elements of Brazilian dance. Check out our Classes for more information on how to get and stay involved. If you’re new to our universe, start with the Our Roots, where you can find information on who we are.
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