The Balafon Ensemble's evening performance on Friday the 5^th of October at Kresge Theater was, in short, spectacular. It is common for an audience to express their appreciation for a beautiful show by giving the performers a standing ovation at the end of the act; however, it's rare to see a large portion of the audience take up the artists' request for everyone to join in the dancing at the end of the night. That is exactly what I found myself doing, something that wasn't surprising given the energy that filled the small auditorium for those few hours. Bobbing heads and shaking legs were a way for the spectators to vent their strong desire to join the brilliant Kadiatou Conte-Forte (affectionately known as Mama Kadiatou) and her troupe on stage as they danced vigorously to the heart-thumping music.

My tryst with Balafon started earlier that day when my photographer and I hovered around the CFA building taking in the sights, trying to get pictures and sound bytes. The thing that stood out most as I talked to some of the people and watched the troupe rehearse was the enthusiasm shared by everyone. It was apparent they wanted to be there and couldn't wait to dance. "I got a real sense of togetherness from the members of the ensemble, as if they were just one closely knit family," said, Niyathi Hegde a senior Biology major, after the show.

The West African dance was about celebration; be it for the harvest or to just celebrate life. The clothes worn by the performers were colorful and flowing. The music was mostly based around drums. The four drummers who were ever present were astonishing, particularly because they kept going for hours! Another noticeable aspect of the dance routine was that unlike ballet or ballroom dance, it was completely unrestrained. There was no stiffness in the movements of the dancers, it seemed like they were moving exactly how their instincts told them to move rather than following a strict set of moves.

Some of the standout acts were Cheick Hamala Diabate who played the Ngoni, which is a predecessor of the banjo, and the 'bird-man' on stilts. I had a chance to talk with Mr. Diabate before the performance and learned that he is originally from the West African nation of Mali. He was a very interesting man, who had traveled all over the world playing his instrument with other troupes and teaching history in universities. He told me that he enjoyed performing at different places around the world because that way he had the opportunity to interact with new people and cultures. He said that not only did he teach his audience about his culture, but in return they taught him about theirs. The other act, the 'bird-man,' was a modern representation of a forest-spirit — an animist concept that exists in some African societies. Covered from head to stilt-end in flowing robes with his face covered by a black mask, the bird-man towered over everything. Although the bird-man was a little unusual with his random screeching and waving of arms, he was an unbelievable performer. Besides being on stilts for a few hours continuously, he also jumped around on them and twice got up unassisted from a seated position.

The Balafon Dance Ensemble has been based in Pittsburgh for approximately a year now. Mama Kadiatou also frequently holds African dance workshops in the UC Activities Room. If you are interested, going for one of these workshops is a definite must.

	story images

Drum rehearsals for a harvest ritual.	Opening Dance: Traditional harvest celebration.
Members of the dance ensemble before rehearsal.	The dance ensemble performs a traditional harvest dance.
Performance: Children's Ensemble	Performance: Drum Solo
The Balafon West African Dance Ensemble performs a traditional family dance.

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