New Yoruba Bata Dance Class

[IfasehunReincarnated]

Exciting New Yoruba Bata Dance Class!!!

Asaforitifa Temple of Orisa and Asaforitifa Yoruba Traditionalist
Group are proud to announce an exciting Yoruba Bata Dance workshop
for folks in the Orisa Community. It will be held at the Heritage
House on Saturday February 25 and Sunday February 26th from 5pm to
7pm. The cost for each class is $20.

The Heritage House is a relatively new Orisa rental space located at
369 Madison Street, Brooklyn, NY 11221 between Tompkins Ave. and
Throop Ave.

The dance workshops will focus on the dance movements of Yoruba land
which are the basis for all Yoruba dances as well as specialized
dances for the Orisa. For those interested in Yoruba bata
instruction, this will also be an opportunity to be exposed to this
intricate, ancient art form.

Our dance instructor, Jemila Ojeyemi, is a professional Yoruba dancer
from a famous Egungun compound in Erin Osun, Osun State, Nigeria,
steeped in ancient Egungun and bata drumming traditions. She is an
Orisa traditionalist and has been taught the deep esoteric knowledge
of the inner workings of Egungun society through her father as passed
down in her family. Jemila has travelled internationally teaching
Yoruba dance and is the daughter of the famous Ojeyemi masquerade
dancer. She travels throughout the US teaching Egungun-style Yoruba
dances.

Our bata drummers are among the most versatile of current Orisa
drummers. Ogunbayo Aloyinlapa is from an Ayan Agalu lineage and
compound in the town of Iseyin in Oyo State and started his
apprenticeship at a tender age and began playing professionally at 9
years old. He is well versed in the various literatures of the Orisa
and is a skilled Ijala (Ogun poetry) chanter.

Chris Fatoye Aikulola Theberge is a drummer and Babalawo initiated in
Sagamu, Ogun State Nigeria. As a professional drummer, he has
performed internationally for the past 20 years with artists as
diverse as Fred Wesley, Bernie Worrell, Giovanni Hidalgo, George
Porter Jr. & Chucho Valdez and is a co-founder of New York's Groove
Collective. Ifatoye has made various trips to Africa, Cuba, and
Dominican Republic to pursue his studies of drumming and Orisa and in
Matanzas, Cuba, was initiated into AÑa, the African-based percussion
tradition. As a Babalawo-in-training, he studies under the guidance
of his Oluwo, the Chief Oduniyi Ifagbade, the Araba of Sagamu.


Folks are required to RSVP to reserve their place in the class. For
more information and to RSVP please call 718-513-0800.

Baba Aiku


Asaforitifa Yoruba Traditionalist Group

Asaforitifa - "We run to persevere in Ifa"

Asaforitifa Yoruba Traditionlist Group was formed as a vehicle for
exposing traditionalist Yoruba culture. It is composed of drummers,
dancers, artists, poets, priests and pristesses of the Yoruba
traditions in Nigeria. The group and its members have have travelled
all over Europe and the Americas carrying out workshops, lectures and
performances on a mission to expose the ancient wisdom and artistry
of the Yorubas to the rest of the world. Comprised of Yoruba
nationals, African Americans and Hispanic Americans, Asaforitifa aims
to not only celebrate the culture and traditions of the Yoruba
people, but to reveal the underlying values, priniciples and
philosophies that are so relevant today. Concepts such as Iwa Pele
(development of character), respect for elders, loyalty, humility and
community, all lacking in today's overly commercialized and
individualized society, are interwoven into the fabric of Yoruba
drumming, dance, language and philosophy. It is these vitally
important underpinnings that Asaforitifa strives to bring out in its
work. For it is Yoruba traditional wisdom with its multidimensional
nature that can truly transform today's modern world.

Asaforitifa Group Members:

Baba Aikulola Iwindara Fawehinmi


Leader of Asaforitifa Temple of Orisa, is a priest of Obatala as
well as a Babalawo. He was trained and initiated to Obatala (Oosa
Olufan) and Ifa, both ceremonies having been performed in Osogbo,
Osun State, Nigeria. He has lived in Yorubaland and makes annual
return pilgrimages. His Babalorisa and Iyalorisa are Iwindele
Farounbi Ojoawo of Ajanbata Compound and Adunola Ayoka Dalemofoosa of
Onto Compound respectively, both from Isale Oyo, Oyo State. His
Oluwo of Ifa is Chief Fakayode Faniyi, the Agbongbon Awo of Osogbo,
of Agbongbon Oderinlo Compound and his Ojugbona is Chief Oyegbade
Latona, the Ojugbona Awo of Osogbo, of Iya Dudu Compound.

Some of his contributions to the community include the Yoruba
Language and Culture classes, Orisa foods workshop and Yoruba Prayer
workshops. Some his most notable work has been as the Yoruba
language interpreter for the Sixteen Cowrie Divination workshops
taught by Chief Adebisi Akanji, an Osogbo native and chief of Ogboni,
at the Caribbean Cultural Center of NYC along side Paulo Bispo,
Candomble priest of Orisa Logun Ede. In the past he has also been
involved in the youth rites of passage program spearheaded by members
of Ijo Orisa of New York City. He also works actively with the sister
temple Ile Ori Ifa Temple of Atlanta, GA and was the master of
ceremonies for the 2005 Ifa festival of Ile Ori and its members. In
addition he attended the Orisa Congress of 2001 in Ile Ife and has
participated in various conferences on the Orisa tradition. Baba
Aiku continues to work closely with friends and colleagues of
indigenous and diasporal Orisa traditions in both religious and
secular environments and has attended numerous Lukumi Orisa/Ifa
initiations in both the US and Puerto Rico.

An active Babalawo and Olobatala, Baba Aiku furthers his religious
training under the guidance of his Oluwo of Ifa as well as with his
Babaloosa, Iyaloosa, and other elder and junior priests of Orisa in
Yorubaland, West Africa.

Ogun Bayo Aloyinlapa

Born in Koso Iseyin, Oyo State, Nigeria of the Aloyinlapa drummers
family, Bayo's father was known as "Baba bata" which means "Father of
Bata Drum". Bayo was given drums as a baby and began drumming
professionally with his father and uncle at age 9. He began
traveling with his father and uncle performing in Moscow and Europe.
He was a lead drummer for the play Askari stage show produced by the
I. C. O for The Red Cross. Bayo is also well known as the lead
bata drummer of "Aratasin-Nigerian cultural review" which toured the
United States in the late 90's


Tunde Ayanyemi


Born in Erin Osun, Osun State, Nigeria, Tunde was raised in an
extended family of Bata drummers and grew up performing in the
renowned Ayandokun drum ensemble. A regular drummer for Egungun
masquerade dancer Ojeyemi, he has performed in Europe, and the United
States and as well as for the Kings of Erin Osun and Ibadan. Tunde
has also performed in non-traditional settings around the world ,
working with DJ's Krush and Sakeu.


Jemila Ojeyemi Ifaleye


Jemila was born in Nigeria and grew up in an Egungun family in Erin
Osun. She is an experienced masquerade dancer and is the daughter of
the famed Ojeyemi masquerade dancer. She has performed
internationally and teaches Yoruba Egungun dance around the United
States


Omo Awo Ifatoye Aikulola

Is a drummer and Babalawo initiated in Sagamu, Ogun State Nigeria.
As a professional drummer, he has performed internationally for the
past 20 years with artists as diverse as Fred Wesley, Bernie Worrell,
Giovanni Hidalgo, George Porter Jr. & Chucho Valdez and is a co-
founder of New York's Groove Collective. Ifatoye has made various
trips to Africa, Cuba, and Dominican Republic to pursue his studies
of drumming and Orisa and in Matanzas, Cuba, was initiated into AÑa,
the African-based percussion tradition. As a Babalawo-in-training,
he studies under the guidance of his Oluwo, the Chief Oduniyi
Ifagbade, the Araba of Sagamu.

aborisa@excite.com

Heritage House
369 Madison Street Brooklyn, NY 11221
Bet. Tompkins Ave. & Throop Ave.

[Jahness]

Greetings Ifasehun!

Thanks for posting this information. When I get a chance
I will definitely check it out more close and personal.
I am already tied up with some other stuff this weekend,
else I would go and see what it is all about.

People are always looking for places that offer dance classes
for the Orisha's and traditional dancing in general and learning
Bata drumming especially, in the Brooklyn area.

Sharing this information is a priority for me, so consider it done.

Much appreciation to you for your valued input.

Peace & Blesisngs!

[Erzulie Danto]

give thanks Warrior Ifasehun! i'll be in Brooklyn tomorrow so this is now on the agenda. wonderful! hopefully the class isn't full yet. . .

[IfasehunReincarnated]

class is still enrolling participants.