Half of the percussion section is lined up along a classroom wall, with whiteboards to their backs. Each young boy is shaking a shekere — a West African instrument made from a dried gourd and covered ...

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Skidmore College is well-known for its hands-on approaches to education. Recently, the music department presented an example of this with a show by Dr. Ruth Opara’s class on ...

“Sunshine” is synonymous with African drumming and dancing in East St. Louis. The nickname belongs to Sylvester Lee, who studied under legendary dancer and anthropologist Katherine Dunham before ...

Selah Thompson (front) teaches how the skirt is used in Afro Cuban dance to mimic natural movements seen in nature at the Traditional Music Society dance class. Susan Pfannmuller Special to The Star ...