Camp Afro Foli Drum and Dance Retreat 2023
We are super happy to announce that Camp Afro Foli is BACK!!
Camp Afro Foli Drum & Dance Retreat 2023 brings you world-class artists in a 3 day retreat on the beautiful beach of Noosa North Shore Retreat.
There will be workshops in African dance, dundun dance, African drumming, dundun drumming and loads more.
Join Rhythm Culture for Camp Afro Foli Drum and Dance Retreat located at Noosa North Shore Retreat. The camp will run over three days in a brand new location where there is shared apartment style accommodation. This will be a self – catered event. Every apartment has its own kitchen and two bathrooms. Please bring your own food and a shared BBQ is optional on the Friday night. There is a bistro and bar onsite for meals, snacks and drinks. You can also BYO alcohol. Apartments are two bedroom and sleeping will be appx 6 people per apartment.
There will be lots of workshops and an artist performance on the Saturday night.
Three days of movement, fun, cultural workshops and performances, with international and interstate artists bringing Africa to the Sunshine Coast.
Enjoy beautiful beach surroundings, world class talent and be immersed in West African culture with workshops in djembe, dancing, dundun drumming, and dundun dancing. Loads of action to choose from and the promised gift of rhythm for your hands and feet.
THE ARTISTS
Lady Chika is a choreographer and dancer based in Sydney. After years of learning dance overseas, Lady Chika has found a deep love for Afro dance. She has performed on many shows, including Omah Lay and Sampa The Great.
Internationally acclaimed Bassidi Koné!! World Class Djembe Maestro of Mali, West Africa. Bassidi Koné is of Bwa ethnicity and was born into a Griot family in the San region of central Mali. Read more about Bassidi here.
Kwame Tosuma is an internationally recognised dancer and performer, and has worked between Australia and Ghana for over 20 years. A talented dancer in his own right, Kwame combines his knowledge of traditional West African dance with Afrobeat styles.
With over 2 decades of performance experience and study, Tsoof Baras is a composer, percussionist, drummer, session musician, hand drummer and graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium. He is a versatile across all styles and instruments, from orchestral percussion to drum set, from hand drums, to corporate shows.
Along with over a decade of experience playing West African hand drums, Tsoof has spent time in Guinea studying with master drummer and griot Mohamed Bangoura.
He has also studied traditional drumming styles with Epizo Bangoura, Elliott Orr, Simon Lewis, Yshai Afterman, Gus Cereijo, Nasrine Rahmani and Marcio Bahia, and imbues these styles of playing into his sessional work.”
Bec Combs has been drumming and dancing for 20 years and has been taught by renowned teachers in Australia and overseas. Bec began learning drum and dance in Melbourne in 2004 and with a love of West African music and culture and a flair for business management then relocated to the Sunshine Coast in 2012 and established Rhythm Culture.
Bec has been to California in 2017 and West Africa in 2018 studying West African Dance with some of the worlds best teachers.
She shares this knowledge and years of practice with her students in regular classes and workshops. Bec teaches the West African dance class on a Tuesday evening and runs both drum and dance workshops all over South East QLD.
Nathaniel Combs has been studying West African drumming for 20 years and teaching for over 10.
His extensive knowledge and passion in West African drum and dance is contagious and mesmerising.
Nathaniel has spent many hours traveling, studying and training Balafon, Djembe and Dundun in Guinea and Mali. Nathaniel has been taught by many renowned teachers of Djembe including Mamady Keita and Bassidi Kone.
Nathaniel creates all Rhythm Culture drumming programs, facilitates drumming workshops and classes, performs and curates Rhythm Culture performances as well as CAMP AFRO FOLI!
Camp Afro Foli Drum & Dance Retreat begins with registration on Friday July 28th 12pm followed by drum and dance workshops.
Saturday night is party night.
This is a self catered event. There are a range of activities, workshops and beautiful surroundings to have you rested, rejuvinated and totally pumped full of West African dance, drum and culture! Camp Afro Foli Drum and Dance Retreat activities include djembe, dundun, African dancing, dundun dancing and more.
CAMP AFRO FOLI ACTIVITIES
- Djembe Drumming – One of the most popular West African instruments. The djembe is a hand drum with three fundamental sounds but a million (that’s a guess) ways to play them. There will be several workshops each day for different skill levels.
- Dundun Dance – Like to drum and dance at the same time? Then this is the class for you! Move around your drum with funky dance moves and invigorating drum rhythms! Drums are provided and workshop will be to live drumming.
- Ghanaian Dance – These workshops will be open and will be to live drumming. Experience traditional Ghanaian dance with Kwame Tosuma.
- Guinean Dance– These workshops will be open and will be to live drumming. Experience traditional West African dance and work up a sweat!
- Afro Fusion – Shake it to modern Afro music!!
- Performance – Saturday night is party night with performances from our guests Artists and Rhythm Culture Artists.
- Yoga – Wake up and start your day with a refreshing, warming Yoga session. Prepare your body for movement and stay centred amidst all the camp excitement
CAMP AFRO FOLI GUEST ARTISTS
Bassidi Koné (Mali) – Lady Chika (Sydney/Brazil) – Kwame Tosuma (Ghana) – Tsoof Baras (Oz) – Shivani Schoereder – Bec Combs (Oz) – Nathaniel Combs (Kiwi)
WHERE?
Noosa North Shore Retreat. There is a vehicle ferry which costs $10 each way and this must be paid in cash to the ferry operators.
SLEEP
Accommodation is shared two bedroom apartment style with 6 beds per apartment. There is two bathrooms and a full kitchen in each apartment.
Every bed has its own bedding but please bring extra blankets for warmth if needed.
Every effort will be made so that friends or groups will be in dormitories together.
EATS AND DRINKS
This is a self catered event. This means you will need to bring you own Friday lunch and dinner. Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner and Sunday breakfast and lunch. On the Friday night we will be doing a shared BBQ around the pool. If you would like to be a part of this please bring BBQ style food. You will have basic cooking supplies in each apartment. You can BYO alcohol, but please drink responsibly. For extra meals, snacks or alcoholic drinks there is a bistro and bar.
| Camp Afro Foli Program 2023 – July 28th-30th | ||
| Friday July 28 | ||
| Time | What’s On – Rosella Room | What’s On – Outside |
| 12:00PM | Registration | |
| 1:00 PM | Drum – Bassidi Koné – 1hr | |
| 2:15 PM | Dance – Bec Combs –1hr | |
| 3:30 PM | Dance – Lady Chica – 1 hr | Drum – Nathaniel Combs – Dundun – 1hr |
| 4:45 PM | Dance – Kwame Tosuma – 1hr | |
| 6:00 PM | Drum – Bassidi Koné – 1 hr | |
| 7:30 PM | Opening Circle, Acknowledgement of Country, Dinner – Shared Barbeque / Self Cater | |
| Saturday July 29 | ||
| Time | What’s On – Rosella Room | What’s On – Outside |
| 7:00 AM | Yoga – Shivani Schoereder | |
| 8:00 AM | Day Registrations | |
| 8:30 AM | Dance – Bec Combs – 1hr | |
| 9:45 AM | Dance – Lady Chica – 1hr | Drum – Nathaniel Combs – Dundun – 1 hr |
| 11:00AM | Dance – Kwame Tosuma – 1 hr | |
| 12:15PM | Drum – Bassidi Koné – 1 hr | |
| 1:30 PM | Lunch – Self Cater | |
| 3:00 PM | Dance – Lady Chica – 1hr | Drum – Bassidi Koné – 1 hr |
| 4:15 PM | Dance – Kwame Tosuma – 1 hr | |
| 5:30 PM | Break | |
| 6:00 PM | Dinner – Self Cater / Bistro Gathering (Eats and Drinks Available for purchase) | |
| 8:00 PM | Party night! Performance with Bassidi Koné, Kwame Tosuma, Lady Chica, Nathaniel Combs, Tsoof Baras, and friends. | |
| Sunday July 30 | ||
| Time | What’s On – Rosella Room | What’s On – Outside |
| 7:00 AM | Yoga – Shivani Schoereder | |
| 8:00 AM | Day Registrations | |
| 8:30 AM | Dundun Dance – Pascale Richy – 1hr | Drum – Tsoof Baras – 1hr |
| 9:45 AM | Dance – Kwame Tosuma – 1 hr | |
| 11:00AM | Dance – Lady Chica – 1hr | Drum – Bassidi Koné – 1 hr |
| 12:15PM | Lunch and Pack Up/Clean Up – Self Cater | |
| 1:30 PM | Dance – Lady Chica – 1hr Drum – Bassidi Koné – 1 hr | |
| 2:45 PM | Dance – Kwame Tosuma – 1 hr | |
| 4:00 PM | Goodbyes, safe travels and see you next year!! | |
| NB: Program is subject to change without notice. | ||
PRICING
Camp Afro Foli Drum & Dance Retreat
(Please note Artists may be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.)
Saturday
$245.00 including GST
Sunday
$225.00 including GST
If you don’t use Paypal you can make a bank transfer. Please ensure you put your full name in as the reference. Our bank details are: BSB 633 000 Account: 199 937 822
Includes Friday, Saturday, Sunday tuition, Accommodation, Africa Night Performance,
If you have any queries about the camp including accommodation, food etc please contact Rhythm Culture not the venue.
