Children Learn African Drumming and Dancing at Ossining Camp

The 17 students arrived at Claremont School on a Monday in July and five days later were drumming and dancing to the traditional rhythms of Guinea, West Africa, as if they had been doing it for six months, said Matt Young, a fourth-grade teacher in Ossining.

“Before Monday, most of them had never picked up a stick before, except to roast a marshmallow. Most of them had never danced before, except the Macarena,” Young told their relatives and friends before the children performed on the last day of the weeklong camp.

Young worked with the father-daughter team of M’Bemba and M’Ballou Bangoura to teach the children. Mr. Bangoura, a native of Guinea, West Africa, has traveled around the world as a performer, teacher and choreographer. He and his daughter have taught hundreds of students.

“This is something very, very special that you keep in your heart,” Young told the students, who will be entering second through fifth grades this fall.

The free camp was funded by the Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation.

For their show on the last day of camp, children started by crouching down behind their drums and crossing their sticks above their heads. In the space of a few minutes, they hit the drums while moving their feet, clapped the sticks together while jumping up and down, danced around their drums and performed other moves in sync while keeping a steady beat. Their performance also included a dance and a song.

Dakota Fisher-Laplante, 10, said he joined the class because it looked like fun and a good opportunity to make some noise.

“It’s tiring. It’s kind of hard, but it’s still fun,” he said. “I wish the camp was longer.”

Marcus Nahim, 10, said he did African drumming during the school year with Mr. Young and wanted to do it again. “I really love to do the drumming and dancing,” he said.

Lesly Illescas, 10, said she had never played drums but always wanted to try it. The camp was a little hard, and it was hot in the school, but “It was worth it,” she said.

Young founded West African Drum and Dance of Westchester. For more information, visit www.westafricandrumdance.com.