African troupe brings past alive

A piece of West African culture came alive Saturday night in Penn's very own Irvine Auditorium. With its performance of The Mandinka Epic, Les Ballets d'Afrique Noire entertained and impressed the roughly 950 students and Philadelphia residents who came to see one of Senegal's oldest folk music and dance companies. As its title suggests, the performance related a brief chronological history of the Mandinkas, a tribal group in West Africa whose civilization dates back almost 1,000 years and spans across several countries, including Mali and Senegal. Told through music, dance, and song, the 30-member troupe chronicled a tale of power and conflict, focusing on the rise and fall of different Mandinka kings. One of these kings, according to Adjoint Rehearsal Director Ibrahima Guisse said, is believed by some to have sailed to the Americas in the 14th-century. Les Ballets d'Afrique Noire began working on The Mandinka Epic in 1994. In order to ensure accuracy and authenticity, the company extensively researched the costumes, songs, music and dance of the Mandinkas during the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries. Audience member Evelyn Hankinson, who attended the performance with her husband and six-year-old grandson, said she particularly appreciated the detail put into the costuming. The company "did a good job showing the differences [in dress] across the continent," Hankinson remarked after the show. Guisse also explained that the company consulted and worked with artists from several different West African countries as it selected songs and short stories to perform. Set against live music, the troupe's singing and dancing, which was enhanced by their vibrant costumes, made for what many audience members considered a dazzling performance as they paid tribute to Mandinka culture. The audience frequently broke into applause after dance numbers. The troupe member who performed on stilts, towering approximately 15 feet above the stage, received an especially enthusiastic round of applause. "The dancing is fabulous," said Aubrey Butler, a season-ticket holder. Phyllis Stickney, who attended the performance with him, agreed. "The dancing is incredible," she said. "I am so glad we came." People were equally impressed by the music and songs, which were sung in the West African dialects of Wolof and Mandinka. The Annenberg Center provided a program detailing the plot of the performance, which for many made the language barrier less of an obstacle in understanding the action on stage. "The program really helps put the performance in context," said Amy Rosenberg, a graduate student in the Anthropology department. The music, while primarily drum-based, also incorporated several other instruments like the 21-stringed kora, a type of harp-lute. At the end of the performance, the five drummers came to center stage, and each took a turn displaying his skills. When the performers finished, audience members rose to their feet, giving the drummers and rest of the company a standing ovation. Wilkins Jones, who brought his wife to the show for Valentine's Day, said he thoroughly enjoyed the production. "It was outstanding," he said. "Even beyond my expectations." The company is currently in the process of making its first tour in the United States.