Hopetoun was fortunate during January to attract visits from popular Perth performers Danielle Pender and Jayne Lee to teach locals the fine arts of African Contemporary dance and Hip Hop, as part of the summer festival thanks to the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council (RRAC). The classes were held in the Hopetoun hall on Saturday January 10. Around 40 locals aged from 7 years to 70 years tested their limbs to the beat and rhythm of African drums and energetic Hip Hop, combining the two into a complete dance by the end of the sessions.
Danielle has a 10 year history as a dancer-percussionist. Her passion for west-African dance began in 1996 with training from master Caribbean dancer Kofi Walker, and she has developed her own dancing style combining African and contemporary elements.
Jayne has worked on regional and metropolitan community projects, with her latest being with the Broome Worn Art festival. She performed in The Lion King, Moulin Rouge and Mama Mia.The RRAC were fortunate to receive annual funding once again for 2009 from Country Arts WA and the Department of Culture and the Arts which makes their annual program so diverse and exciting, enabling these dance workshops to be possible.
The visitors praised the enthusiasm of all those who took the classes, especially the children. They intend to bring their dance troupes back to Hopetoun in the future to conduct more workshops culminating in a cabaret-style floor show and dance, at the request of the Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council.
