The Karshner Museum features Gansango, an African drumming, percussion, dance and cultural group from Seattle on January 20th. This is a free family culture and arts festival. Traditional dance from Benin is featured, including Vodoun ritualistic dances, regional social ceremony dances, such as the Chenkoumé dance from Savalou, and royal historical dances such as the Zehli dance from the late 1800’s.In Gansango performances, drums and percussion accompany modern dance arrangements based on traditional movement and rhythms and costumes from West Africa provide color and cultural context for the dance.During the day at the Karshner Museum Gansango will conduct a drumming workshop, and a dance workshop both for all ages and will perform. Audience participation is encouraged.In addition, arts of West Africa will be explored and families can make projects to take home all day. Projects based on adrinka, adira, and mud cloth fabric design and other fun projects will celebrate the artistic splendor of the West African region.
