WOMAD: Limavady, Coleraine & Moyle dance towards a Culture of Peace

In September children, young people and adults across Limavady, Moyle and Coleraine will be taking part in world class music and dance workshops culminating in a World Of Music Arts and Dance (WOMAD) showcase event at Coleraine Town Hall at 7pm on Friday, 19 September as part of Culture Night celebrations.
Young people at a previous cultural showcase meet Thomas Annang and Adie Elias Baako from Ghanaian rhythm and dance group Akrowa.Young people at a previous cultural showcase meet Thomas Annang and Adie Elias Baako from Ghanaian rhythm and dance group Akrowa.
Young people at a previous cultural showcase meet Thomas Annang and Adie Elias Baako from Ghanaian rhythm and dance group Akrowa.

WOMAD is the world’s most prestigious international arts festival, now in its 31st year spanning 25 countries. In 2013, Beyond Skin (the local partner for WOMAD in Northern Ireland) commenced an ambitious four year outreach programme across the Isle to engage and unite communities and embrace diversity and global education through the arts.

The WOMAD initiative has been developed in partnership with Good Relations Officers from Coleraine Borough Council, Limavady Borough Council and Moyle District Council, funded through OFMDFM. The theme ‘a culture of peace’ has been adopted for the WOMAD programme due to activities preceding the International Day of Peace on 21 September.

The September sessions will give participants in the three areas the opportunity to participate in world music, arts and dance workshops facilitated by artists representing WOMAD, with guests from Senegal, Ghana and Jamaica arriving to our shores especially for the programme.

Participants from the entire workshop programmes will come together on 19 September at Coleraine Town Hall to present their artistic showcase to the public.

Prior to the Town Hall showcase event there will be an interactive African and Caribbean performance in The Diamond from 3.30pm – 5pm.

Ballycastle will also host an open public African music and dance workshop on 20 September from 2pm – 4pm at Moyle Council Buildings.

Guest artists include Landing Máne, a performing artist for over 20 years embodying the spirit of Senegalese music and dance, Adie Elias Baako from Ghana’s top dance ensemble Akrowa, and Jamaican choreographer, dancer and dance tutor Ripton Lindsay.

In addition workshop programmes in Polish Dance, Ugandan Dance, Indian and Thai Arts will also take place with a special guest performance at the WOMAD Showcase at the Coleraine Town Hall event by Balkan alien Sound, a high octane, dance driven, folk fusion outfit that offer a mix of Irish, Klezmer, Gypsy and Balkan styles to create a distinctive and infectious music.

At the Coleraine event there will also be an Indian and Polish exhibition of artwork produced by young people from Globetrotters summer scheme funded by Ballymoney Borough Council

Complementing the WOMAD Showcase Event in Coleraine Town Hall, a small performance area will be provided outside the venue at The Diamond between 6pm and 9.30pm for local musicians, groups, poets, storytellers and dancers. Artists must contact the Beyond Skin office first to book a place.

Both events in Coleraine and Ballycastle are free and open to all. For more information email [email protected] or contact the Beyond Skin office on 07877756987.