Greetings, Drummers and Dancers --

Camp Fareta, a West African drum and dance camp in central California, will be happening July 6-13, and the early registration rates end May 1, so now's the time to register!

There will be an amazing crew of artists from Guinea, Senegal, and Mali, two drum classes and three dance classes a day, fire circles at night, an amazing chef from Esalen, a kids' program for the young ones, work-exchange opportunities, and a friendly village atmosphere, all in a beautiful location with a lake for swimming, canoeing, or just a quick dip after class.

Camp Fareta is hosted by Youssouf Koumbassa, a master dancer, choreographer, and teacher from Guinea, West Africa. The other artists who will be in residence include:

Drummers: M'Bemba Bangoura, Fode Bangoura, Mangue Sylla, Bolokada Conde, Wadaba Kourouma, Karamba Dioubate, Amadou Camara, Moussa Traore, Cheikh M'Baye, and Lansana Kouyate (balafon)

Dancers: Abdoulaye Sylla, Moustapha Bangoura, Alseny Soumah, Mariama Camara, M'Mah Toure, Marietou Sano, Djeneba Sako, Babacar M'Baye, and Mariama Basse (Unfortunately Marie Basse-Wiles is unable to attend because she will be in Senegal.)

So check it out at dancingvillage.com, where you'll find lots of photos from previous camps, plenty of information, and a registration form to download and fill out. If you're not ready to commit yet, that's okay too -- it's still early and there's plenty of space. You can write back on Tribe or email campfareta@yahoo.com if you have questions.

We hope to see you there!

peace,

christina

p.s. Also check Youssouf's website, westafricandance.com, for information about his next trip to Guinee!