West African Mande Dance

West African Mande Dance explores the integrated mediums of dance, drumming and song of the Mande people of Mali. The course is a fusion of experiential explorations informed through scholarly sources, research and discussion that add textual background to the creative sensibilities that are uniquely Mande.

The course is structured as a learning community. Seydou and Issa Coulibaly are the enculturated practitioners who provide the invaluable insider’s perspective; Professor Julie Searles helps facilitate transmission through secondary sources, integrating a variety of perspectives to provide additional dimension to weekly meetings with Seydou and Issa. Students and instructors alike share responsibility for a collaborative, dynamic, and illuminating learning experience.