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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 24, 1997)
January 24,1997 Volume 98, Issue 81 AFRICAN BEAT Two international performers and instructors from West Africa will teach workshops on dance and drumming ■ DRUM: Jan 28-30, 5:30-7 p.m. at WOW Hall; Jan. 31,5:30-7 p.m. in Gerlinger Annex room 354 ■ DANCE: Jan 28-30, 7:30-9 p.m. at WOW Hall; i Jan. 31,7:30-9 p.m. in Gerlinger Annex room 354; Feb. 1,11 a.m.-1 p.m. at WOW Hall ■ COST: $10 per workshop Youssouf Koumbassa is an internation ally known dancer from West Africa. Courtesy photo. 4 By Jesse Stephenson Entertainment Reporter Have an urge to learn how to beat the drums? Or maybe the desire to try out a dance step other than the Macarana? Next week, both desires can be satisfied by two western African dance instruc tors currently touring the west coast. Master dancer Youssouf Koumbassa and master drummer Karamba Dambakate will each give lessons in his field of expertise Jan. 28 through Feb. 1 at WOW Hall and Ger linger Annex. Koumbassa, a native of Guinea, West Africa, has received international praise for keeping his dance workshops, performances and choreography authentic. During his 25 years of experience, Koumbassa has emphasized Guinean folklore and history in his classes. Koumbassa has formed his own African dance company, Les Ballet Bagata, which consists of 22 dancers and drummers. There is also a children’s compa ny, Children of Bagata, with 17 members. “The dances seen are very spiritual; it is the workshop that people tend to go to. It’s incred ible to watch Youssouf perform,” said co-coordinator Ami Depom peo. Workshop participants will learn a variety of dances, all of which have a meaning behind them. For example, the dances will include the Sofa, or harvest dance, and the Doundounba, the dance of strength. Dambakate has traveled across the world in bands that perform traditional African folk music. He is currently a member of Les Ballet Bagata. Dambakate learned the drums as a family tradition while living in Guinea. Following his fami ly’s customs, Dambakate played in many traditional ceremonies Turn to WORKSHOP, Page 9 'Cast of ‘Beckett’s Shorts’ performs well By Nicole Krueger Entertainment Editor Samuel Beckett was not an ordinary playwright. Those who plan to spend An Evening in Beckett’s Shorts should be aware that Beckett’s shorts can be somewhat con fusing and difficult to grasp. These brave people should for get plot, time, the laws of nature and reality in general. And they should never, ever look for a “deeper meaning.” The best way to enjoy Beck ett is to let go of all expecta tions, relax and gaze at the works of art being presented onstage. Asking too many questions such as “Why?” and “How?” only confuses the observer and obscures the beauty of Beckett’s works. This is mainly because these works are basically what they appear to be: depictions of the human struggle for and with exis tence. An Evening in Beckett's Shorts contains several of the playwright’s shorter and more rare works — one of which, “Breath,” is only seconds long. Some are serious, some are humorous, and some bring a tear to the eye. “Rough For Theatre I” and “II” are somewhat boring and drawn-out, but both have touching endings. “Act With out Words,” in which a strand ed man strives in vain to reach a glass of water, and “The Rocksucker From ‘Molloy’” are both hilarious but also faintly touching. “Play,” a piece in which three charac ters speak from the grave about their entangled lives, is both funny and disturbing. The eight-member cast delivers a commendable per formance. Mark Hayes is fabulous as a total of four different charac ters. In two of the plays, “Cata strophe” and “Rough For Theatre II,” he stands com pletely still, an act that can sometimes be more difficult than delivering lines. In “The Rocksucker From ‘Molloy’” he delivers a humorous mono Turn to THEATER, Page 10 In Evening in Beckett’s Shnrts ★★★ (collection of short plays) ■ WHERE: Robinson Theatre ■ WHEN: Jan. 24 25, 31 and Feb. 1 ■ COST: $4.50-$9 Let’s Go Bowling Jamaican ska band Let’s Go Bowling will per form Jan. 25 at WOW Hall. Local ska bands The Scan dals and the Varicoasters will also perform. The show will begin at 9:30 p.m. Admission is $5. Irene Farrera Irene Farrera will perform Jan. 24 at LCC. The concert will occur at 8 p.m. in room 11 of the Forum Building. Tickets are $6 in advance, $7 at the door. Advance tick ets are available at Balladeer Music. Robert Jenkins Comedian Robert Jenkins will perform stand-up comedy Jan. 25 at Scan dal's Night Club. Jenkins has appeared at clubs such as Last Laugh and The Improv, and he has opened for Jay Leno and Dana Carvey. The featured act will be Len Riggs. The show will begin at 9 p.m. Cover is $6. "Be There" is a weekly column highlighting the week's top local entertainment events.
