Contemporary, African dancers get kids involved with dance at Joy Park
An interactive dance event at Akron’s Joy Park Community Center was all about building bridges Wednesday as Inlet Dance Theatre and the West African dance company from Djapo Cultural Arts Institute got kids involved with dance.
Twelve children watched performances by the dance companies, some shouting out in wonder as two male contemporary dancers from Inlet performed “Equals,” a superhuman balancing act reminiscent of Cirque du Soleil. The program ranged from the upbeat USO-themed “War Effort Eves” dance by Inlet to a fierce war dance performed by Christian Mintah and El-drick Aboagye, who hail from Ghana. Holding drumsticks as “weapons,” the men performed to the exciting rhythms of African drummers Durotimi Troy and Momar Mbaye.
The program, performed from the city of Akron’s showmobile in the parking lot, was the first of three new outreach events for the Heinz Poll Summer Dance Festival. The free, three-week festival, which started this week with free beginner dance classes and Wednesday’s interactive event, will be capped with performances this weekend by Verb Ballets at Goodyear Metro Park.
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