Afrovibes festival gets hands on

Workshops and dance classes at Afrovibes Fringe Festival offer a hands on experience for locals to celebrate 20 years of democracy in South Africa.

Experience African culture and celebrate 20 years of democracy for South Africa at Afrovibes Fringe Festival workshops and dance classes. [Photo provided by Mair Jones, Chapter]

Afrovibes Festival gets into full swing this week at Chapter Arts Centre, Canton, celebrating African culture and Black History Month. The fringe festival made up of dance classes and workshops creates an afro-fusion of culture for locals to get involved with.

Afrovibes Festival 2014: celebrating African culture [Photograph provided by Mair Jones, Chapter Arts Centre]

Visitors can get their dancing shoes on at traditional African dancing classes or bring an instrument and make their own music at a composition workshop with Juwon Ogungbe.

Jan Ryan, Afrovibes UK Producer, said, “Providing a social meeting place is central to the festival ethos.” The fringe festival offers a selection of work from local artists for local people to get involved with.

Get into the Afro-vibe: celebrate 20 years of democracy for South Africa

Afrovibes UK is part of the official SA-UK Season 2014-15, celebrating collaborations between the UK and South Africa on the 20th anniversary of democracy.

James Ngcobo, the Artistic Director of Afrovibes, said, “In 1994 a new nation was born… our artists have been showing the world that South Africa has stories to tell: stories that speak to the collective memory of who we are.”

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/103317788[/vimeo]

The workshops enable local people to engage with emerging talent and established African artists and their work. The following workshops are available as part of Afrovibes Fringe Festival 2014:

Digital film-making in performance workshop with Mocke J van Veuren, Tickets £6, Wednesday 22 October 2014 at 1.30 pm.

Composition for film workshop with Juwon Ogungbe, Tickets £6/ £5, Friday 24 October 2014 at 2 pm.

Bikos Quest improvisation / devising workshop with Mandla Mbothwa and Mziyanda Mancam, Tickets £15 with admission to Biko’s Quest show, Workshop Friday 24 October 2014 at 3 pm.

African dance class with Mzo Gasa, Tickets £5, Friday 24 October 2014 at 6.30 pm.

For more information about Afrovibes Festival 2014 in Cardiff please read Jess Fletcher’s article.