The Drums Continue On...

So I just had my first dance class of the summer. I'm learning Ewe/Southern Ghana traditional drum rhythms in this group outside class, and it was overwhelming. I think in a good way. The class was very fast-paced today (compared to what I was used to at UG), but I don't know if everyday is like that. That's not why it was overwhelming. It was overwhelming because the first rhythm they practiced was Togo Achea, and I kept messing up the rattle because all my body wanted to do was move, to grab some horsetails and get to work, with Cecily and Bridget. I could hear Ewurama's voice in my head over and over with the rhythm of the bell. Ever since I've come back from Ghana, drums touch my dancing spirit in a way they're never done before, but they've never transported me somewhere until today.
We played some more songs, and to help focus, I zoned out onto the street. I was in front of a building in Temple University in the middle of a city, but all I could imagine in front of me was Drum Village, the concrete in front of my feet as I looked out into the beautiful dusty distance, red clay and blue sky, or smiled mischievously at Nii as he laughed with me on my efforts. Oh and Sir Johnson! And laughing with him at various students, or at myself with Bridget and Annie.Or getting frustrated.
Then we played Gahu, and I couldn't focus anymore. My hands were playing the bell and the drum,  but my body wanted to dance and with 10 minutes to spare I couldn't wait anymore. And immediately I missed Babz, Aline, Jared, Ruth, and countless other friends I shared laughs with as I danced, grabbed their hips, made funny faces to. I missed my TA's, who I hesitate to just refer to as TAs because they were my close friends in dance, willing to teach me and inspiring me to wake up everyday to get to practices for Michael Jackson waaaay before I'd ever danced in the morning ever in my life. And then I was sad, because I don't remember nearly as much of the dances that I learned as I should...but I was surprised because muscle memory is powerful, and those drums live on... and then I remember that technically, one of my Ghana friends is a bus ride away, with his beautiful wife.
Then class is over and all I'm left with is these memories, beautiful memories that make my fellow classmates wonder why I'm smiling wide and laughing in the middle of a song that is new to them, a song that has so much meaning for me.And I rode those memories home with me in the dark on the train back to Swarthmore, and now I'm sitting here, in the former room of another friend, a friend now alumnus who has great plans for his home in Ghana, and these memories finally overwhelm me to the point where all I can do is cry, tears of happiness and sadness, because of how much these friends continue to mean to me, and how I wish I could express this in more ways then I know these words can convey...I wish that my emotions could travel through country and across continents like these drums has found their way into my heart.
And even though I may not be the best drummer, the drums continue on...

Asaadua drum rhythm

“asa”-fruit  “dua”-tree: “sweet fruit tree”

Bell pattern #1 (single bell)”

                Ta-tata-tata-ta-ta

Bell pattern #2 (double bell):

                Low-high-high   low-high-high

Rattle:

                Sa-sa-sa—sa-sa-sa

Tamalin drum (small):

                Open-mute

                Pem-pa

Dono(English pronunciation)/ Dondo (Akan) [using curved stick]:

                A: low-high—low-high—low-high-high-high-high (2x)

                B: low-high-high-high-high (2x)

Master drum (big Tamalin drum):

                Open-open-open—mute-mute

                Pa-pa-pa—pi-pi

These are literally the notes I have written in my book for Asaadua, the rhythm we learned together in our lesson with Johnson. All we did was write it out, and after writing it out, we could play it amazingly well. I was so surprised that we were able to learn it in a matter of an hour (or less, since I think we also spent time going over Kpatsa). I was so proud of us after class. He also showed us a little of the dance, and I’m glad we’re learning how to play a number of drums instead of just Kpanlogo, even though that’s the drum that’s coming home with me. Bridget and I both love going to class, and drumming is always so fun to me, although nowadays my hands are starting to hurt. Drum Village is also home to a lot of ants, which spend their time thinking I’m a tree and trying to climb me. And then they get angry around my neck and bite me, which is not fun at all.

Dance class: Togo Achea (?)

1^st class:

The first dance class was somewhat incredibly frustrating. I feel like an awkward 5-year-old  who’s learning to dance for the first time, which has the tendency to make me feel stupid because everyone around me knows that I’m a dancer, and (at least in my head) assumes that I should be able to know what I’m doing. Yet, my body doesn’t bounce the way it’s supposed to, my legs hurt because I have to get lower to the ground (because I’m taller), my arms are awkward and hurt because I have to stretch them out farther (because my arms are longer), and I can’t figure out the rhythm with the horsetails pronounced somewhat like “hostels” by Ewurama—Cynthia—our teacher and friend). Noyam, on the other hand, is amazing. They were with us at Prof. Nii Yartey’s house, practicing for “The Power of Dance” piece, a series of short pieces strung together. His contemporary African dance seems like something I could actually do. But I should learn how to crawl before I go leaping into the air. I had some great coconut water during a break from dancing, and a Coke after class for doing a good job. Don’t I sound like a happy kid? =)

2^nd class: (those horsetails!)

Today was such a good day! Although my body feels horrible. It’s day three of me feeling horribly sick, but I still had fun dancing. Samsung Mobile was hosting some “next Cultural Icon” event at the National Theatre that Noyam was performing for and Prof. Nii was a judge for, so that’s where we had practice. With actual horsetails for once! They hurt, and there’s no way I’ve tried yet that’ll avoid hitting yourself or someone else. I was itchy for the first 15 minutes, and I hit Cecily countless times in practice. But at least now I understand how the horsetails move in the dance. It’s a lot easier to understand how everything goes with the rhythm when the weight of the horsetails is actually in your hand. My arms are so sore.

At the National Theatre, there were so many people watching the three of us dance. Some of them offered good comments, and some of the dancers actually danced portions of it for us, which allowed us to see how it should really be done. One woman told me that I was getting it, but that I’m really stiff. I’m trying to work on that still. Also, we’re supposed to be smiling, but how do you smile for so long on stage when you’re tired without making the smile look really fake? I start to hold my lips together when I’m concentrating, which is pretty far away from a smile. I guess once I get completely comfortable, I’ll start smiling and enjoying it more.

1st drum rhythm: "Kpatsa" ("pah-cha")

1st class:
I really love drumming. Even though I don't consider myself a musician at all, the drum feels somewhat like home. I love the way it feels to beat out a rhythm. It's comfortable. Kpatsa is the rhythm we've started learning, and Johnson makes it seem so easy to learn. This is the first time I've actually been able to follow someone so easily in learning how to play a drum, and I've tried at least two to three times in the past to learn drumming. I'm definitely bringing a drum back with me for my program. I just need to figure out where to get it, what an appropriate carving design would be, and how to bring it back with me home. We're learning this rhythm on the kpanlogo drums. Soon I'll try to learn more about the actual music/dance so I know some context. That seems to be the only thing missing from my dance and drumming classes. They're either too big or too short in time for me to learn the "who,what, when, where, and why" of the pieces.

2nd class:
In the words of Johnson, we made it "haut!" I know know--confidently--one drum rhythm. And I still love drumming. It makes me feel comfortable and in the moment. And I can feel the beat better with my eyes closed. Or zoning out as I watch cars going by in the distance. We have class in the Drum Village in the performing arts school. It's in between the music department and Bush K (a market in campus). It's literally a concrete slab, with benches in a rectangle under the shade of a few trees. It's quite relaxing and a great place to learn, though there are distractions (like the two little girls always trying to play and dance with us).

-be.intunewiththemusic

so i've been missing lately...

Internet has been crazy. But not to worry, I've been writing stuff down, and as long as I have internet for the next couple of hours, I will be flooding my blog with all of my entries to catch up!

PS: there's about to be a lot of stuff about dance and drumming. I have to write journals for Swat, so here's where they're going first.

-be."make it haut!"