St Augustines pupils Claire Marin and Sarah Fitzgibbon have gone to great lengths to be fully prepared for today’s street carnivale festival that kicks off at 4pm.Picture: KYLIE ESLER
ASANTI has been drumming up a storm and hopes to have people dancing in the street tonight.
Dance theatre returns to Wodonga Carnivale for the second straight year this weekend and workshops on Thursday helped share the rhythm.
Professional dancers Kofi Kunkpe and Appiah Annan said the only thing to fear was fear itself.
The Ghanaian pair will tonight, with four others, perform and lead the festival parade.
“You don’t have to be African to be able to dance or drum — it’s not like some people think. Not all Africans have the moves,” Kunkpe said.
“Some are really good, some are really bad.
“At the beginning it is weird for everyone. They are unsure of whether they can get it, so we have a bit of fun and get them involved.
“Before they know it, they’re involved. The kids are just excited to bang the drums.
“We want everyone to join in and have fun.”
Founded in Australia in 2008, the internationally recognised Asanti drum and dance performance company has worked with numerous professionals, students and travellers.
Kunkpe and Annan have been dancing and drumming for 20 years.
“In Africa, most people are into music. We have turned it into full-time work, adding to it, making it more professional,” Annan said.
“And now we are able to travel the world doing what we love.”
The carnivale market will showcase regional produce and hand-made craft in High Street from 9am to 1pm today.
