DUNUYA DRUM AND DANCE

( AEBRA COE/NEWS-REVIEW / March 7, 2013 )

Dunuya Drum and Dance, a global drumming collective based in Kalamazoo, performed Wednesday at the Petoskey Middle School auditorium. The group first performed an afternoon show for seventh-grade students who were finishing up a series of lessons on African history and performed again in the evening for the public. The shows included music and dancing of West Africa and the diaspora, including Cuba, the Caribbean, North Africa and Brazil. The group's performances, according to percussionist and vocalist Carolyn Koebel, emphasize respectful scholarship, immersion and proficiency of the musical literature represented. Group members have traveled to many regions in Central and West Africa, Brazil and Central America to study the cultural traditions they portray. Group members include Koebel, Calvin "Shangojinmi" Ruff on percussion and lead vocals and dancing and vocals by Heather and Kama Mitchell.