nigeria
Afro Fusion 2019- All Female Line Up
Afro Fusion 2019
Third annual cultural dance event
Saturday, February 23rd (12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Join us for Afro-Fusion 2019, our . Afro/Brazilian dance classes for all levels hosted by Capoeira CDO North Bay, we aim to spread cultural awareness, to unify, empower, and enrich our community through the love of dance.
Confirmed guets:
Uzo Nwankpa– Nigerian Igbo Dance
Marta Santos — Afro Brazilian Dance
Sena Kugbega — West African Dance
CM Andrea — Capoeira Angola
Schedule:
Studio A
12:00 – 1:30 Nigerian Dance with Uzo
1:45 – 3:00 West African Dance with Senna
Studio B
12:00 – 1:30 Afro Brazilian Dance with Marta
1:45 – 3:00 Capoeira Angola with Andrea
3:15 – 4:15 Afro Fusion (Compilation Class with all teachers)
4:15 – 5:00 Drink/Snack/Talk
Pan African Dance Workshops AZ
Arcata World Music Dance Showcase
Nigerian Dance-Egwu Igbo in Santa Rosa, CA
Tope Ojeme chats with Uzo on Radio Nigeria- Nigerian Pride
Tune in to Radio Nigeria to listen to Uzo Nwankpa on the Nigeria pride program with Tope Ojeme.
Air time: May 2nd Tuesday 2:30pm Nigeria Time
(3:30 AM EST|6:30 AM PST| 7:30 AM MT)
Nigerian Pride-Radio Nigeria
“A spotlight on Nigerians in the Diaspora who are living exemplary lives, thereby serving as worthy ambassadors of the Country” Radio Nigeria
Pic: Uzo Nwankpa posing with The Uzo Method Project team in Enugu Nigeria
The Uzo Method Project in Nigeria

I (Uzo) have been in Africa for the past few months traveling through cities and countries surveying the region for possible social and economic development opportunities. While in Enugu visiting my parents, every morning, I jog around the infamous Okpara Square in Independence Layout.
To my pleasant surprise, there is a large number of people who come out to exercise. The park is closed to the public however, the people have been resilient through police raids, arrests, tear gas pollution and other attempts to remove them from public property. The motivated locals set up as early as 6am daily on side walks to conduct their fitness business.
Rad Jogging club that uses live instruments as a “pod piper” to draw people in to jog with them
They even use gravel filled recycled water bottles for weights and prayer mats for floor work. I approached Emeka, one of the fitness coaches and asked if he would be willing to share his group with me. I explained that I have numerous years of group fitness experience and would love to volunteer my time supporting motivated people in my hometown. He agreed to test it out. It has been 6 weeks now and the participants are enjoying themselves.
Fitness Coach Emeka
One participant stated “I was attracted to this group because I have not yet seen a female coach around here”. This was exciting for me to see and observe her feedback. She was right. There were many independent groups (mostly women participants) led by men who they call sports coach but no female instructor in sight.
The amazing team ” Rockstars” that allowed me to crash their training session
We meet daily at 6:30am for an hour using AFAA standards. The format that I use is as follows
- Warm up and stretch
- Low impact, low intensity exercises
- Low impact, high intensity exercises
- High impact, high intensity exercises
- High Impact, low intensity exercises
- Low impact, low intensity exercises
- Weight training and Floor Work
- Cool down and stretch
The participants are also connected via the app “Whatsaap” to remind their friends to attend or to update the team on their progress.
This positive experience with Enugutians has inspired me to move forward with my dream of expanding the Uzo Method Project into Africa.
I have been thinking about this for a while and I have decided to move forward with this burning desire.
The Uzo Method Project Nigeria
Vision
To promote wellness and prevent illness from a human ecology perspective.
Mission
To create the opportunity for education using the appropriate knowledge and skills necessary to stay healthy in the mind, body and spirit.
This project in the Nigerian region will focus on wellbeing using fitness, nutrition, the arts, indigenous practices and economic sustainability practices. We need to work at wellbeing at the individual, family, community and societal level. It takes the individual to spark the change needed but the environment has to be conducive and supportive to thrive.
If you are interested in becoming a part of this process, please contact Uzo at nwankpa@gmail.com for more details.
Dance & Drum of Nigeria, West Africa & Beyond! 2015
Come by and celebrate with community the power of preserving indigenous cultures of Africa in America.
https://www.facebook.com/events/626290614165704/
Schedule:
DRUM
Saturday Febrary 7 2:00-3:30 pm
DANCE
Monday February 9 7:00 – 8:30 pm
DANCE
Thursday February 12 7:00 – 8:30 pm
DRUM
Friday 2/13
5:00 – 6:15pm
DANCE
Friday 2/13 6:30 – 8:00 pm
DRUM
Friday 2/13
5:00pm- 6:15pm
Price per class: $15 / Students: $10
Drum rental $5
Group rates available
Trade for work available too
Join Akeem Ayanniyi and Uzo Nwankpa for four unique classes in the art of Nigerian and West African inspired dance, rhythm, culture and tradition. Experience the energy and vitality of African culture through dance and music, shared by two extraodinary artists.
Live drumming, no dance or drum experience necessary, all levels welcome! Ideal for all ages. Wear comfortable clothes, shoes optional.
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/african-dance-drum-workshops-tickets-15388443248
Akeem Ayanniyi leads Agalu. The “Ayan” prefix of Akeem’s name Ayanniyi, indicates that he descends from a family lineage that can be traced back 700 years to the Yoruba deity ofdrumming, Ayan Agalu. As the ninth generation of his family to play the traditional Yoruba talking drum, Akeem, is from the Western Nigerian town of Erin Oshun near the historic art center of Oshogbo.He has been performing since the age of five and has, as a performer and teacher, toured much of Africa as well as Germany, Brazil, Sweden and the United States. Akeem settled in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1993 and founded Agalu in 1998. http://www.agalu.com
Uzoamaka (Uzo) Nwankpa is from the eastern part ofNigeria, formerly known as Biafra. She migrated to the United States and has continued to promote health and wellness through movement. She developed a program called the Uzo method project which facilitates healing through the indigenous sounds and movements of her country. She is a descendant of an all time award winner of the Atilogwu dance (specific to Iwollo town) competition of the Eastern Region of Nigeria Mazi Emmanuel Nwankpa. http://www.theuzo.com
African Dance in San Francisco

Nigerian Drum and Dance El Paso

Finally Here!!!!!! The Dance and Drum Workshop with infused arts of the Yoruba and Igbo tribe. Join us for weekend of fun and education!
Drum Class:
Akeem Ayanniyi is the ninth generation of his family to play the traditional Yoruba talking drum. He is from Erin Oshun near the historic art center of Oshogbo in Nigeria. He has been performing since the age of five and has toured much of Africa as well as Germany, Brazil, Sweden and the United States as a performer and teacher.
http://www.agalu.com
Dance Class:
Uzo Nwankpa is from Enugu in Southeast Nigeria, She is educating communities on the history of the country, how Igbo style dance “Egwu Igbo” continues to evolve across the continents and the various techniques of Igbo style dance.
April 7th 2013
Drum class 12pm
Dance class 2pm
$18 per class
Both for $30
No drum and dance experience necessary.