AZIZ FAYE - Traditional Sabar Drumming and Dancing - SENEGAL
AZIZ FAYE
TRADITIONAL SABAR Drumming & Dancing - SENEGAL
Aziz Faye, the Artistic Director and featured performer of Khaleye Nguewel Thi Keur Gui, comes from a long line of master Sabar drummers and dancers. He is nguewel, which means he was born into drumming. They say nguewel children are nursed from the drum. He grew up in a village called Medina, the nguewel suburb of Dakar, learning from his father, grandfather, and his uncles, the secret of the drum. After mastering Sabar, Aziz went on to master Djembe drumming as well. From a young age he stood out as one of the most talented of his generation. As a young boy he was a premiere performer in Le Ballet Sing Sing Rhythm, both dancing and drumming, and has performed with the National Ballet of Senegal. Aziz has also played (drumming, singing, and/or dancing) for many world renowned mbalax bands such as Yousou N’Dour, Fallou Diene, Baba Mal, Ismiel Lo and Mbaye Dieye Faye, as well as European artist Peter Gabriel. In 1999 Aziz was commissioned to play for Ike Quartay in his fight against Oscar de la Hoya. He is truly an artists artist.
Besides being exquisitely beautiful and exciting to watch, Sabar, it’s music, dance, and song, is used as a vehicle to communicate the oral tradition of the Wolof. Legends, myths, fables, riddles, and proverbs have been transmitted from generation to generation by nguewels through Sabar.
Sabar and the nguewel people are an integral part of the Wolof ritual and social life. The ballets depict scenes from daily life such as childbirth celebrations, harvest festivals, marriage celebrations, healing ceremonies, ritual combat, possession dances, traditional dance and drum parties and rites for the king. Khaleye Nguewel Thi Keur Gui attempts to share the wealth and beauty of the nguewel culture and bring appreciation and understanding of this tradition to its audiences. They feature an exciting collage of traditional Senegalese dance and drum forms including Djembe and Sabar. The ballet also features the music and song form of Kora, a 21 stringed harp-like instrument. The ballets reflect Senegal’s rich and varied cultures. Its members come direct from the homeland and have all performed with Le Ballet Nacional du Senegal, the country’s leading traditional dance and drum group, as well as other renowned traditional troops such as Le Ballet Sing Song Rhythm, Ballet Raka Djou, and Ballet Doudou N’diaye Rose. Khaleye Nguewel Thi Keur Gui is an explosion of colorful costumes, high energy dancing, song, and spine-tingling rhythms that come strait from the heart of Africa.
WEST AFRICAN DANCE & DRUMMING CLASSES
Instructor
AZIZ FAYE - Dakar, Senegal
Day:Sunday’s
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Level: GEN
DANCE ARTS ACADEMY
731 South La Brea Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: (323) 932-6230
