Afro-Columbian Mixes with Danny Mosquera Lemos

Last year while researching a story, I discovered Moon Dance Dynamic Art's Afro-Colombian class taught by Danny Mosquera Lemos. This is definitely one of the classes that I've been meaning to drop-in to for a while. As far as local fusion dance classes go, this one is truelly unique, and is more of an idea than a standardized dance form.

Immediately Danny's arm and neck movements started and the class began. He was obiviously eager to get warm and and into the choreography. A group of at least 15 women of all skill levels enthusiastically followed the expansive movements, and I was glad that I had taken the beginner West African class the week before. The class graciously drilled some basic combinations for the benefit of another drop-in student and I. Quite a few of the women were obviously skilled in African dance and enamored with Danny's style, frequently asking him about subtleties in his movements.

This class is really all about Danny's style. According to one of the regular live drummers, Tim, there isn't any defined "Afro-Columbian" style; it's just Danny's background in Contemporary African, applied to more Spanish influenced traditional Columbian rhythmes.

The rhythms played in class by the three drummers were complex, and the layers of beats tripped up us dancers more than once. I'm not sure that I ever got the quick pattern of beats just right, but I managed to keep up by following the other students. Danny never stopped moving, bouncing on his heels as he consulted with the drummers on his choreography.

Danny was always a dancer. He made an attempt at studying computers at a unversity in Bogota, but he admits that's not where his talents were. "Everyone kept telling me 'When you dance, you look good," said Danny.

He started to train professionally in Contemporary Dance, but it wasn't his passion. When he saw a performance by a local Contemporary African school run by Rafael Palacio, Danny knew he'd found his dance form and immediately approached Raf for an apprenticeship.

"Contemporary African is less rigid than Traditional African," said Danny. I noticed that he used more level changes, bringing some of the collapse and expand movements of Contemporary, blending them with the hopping foot taps of African dance.


As a dancer with Sankofa, Danny spent seven years ttouring Central America, Europe and Australia. But he met his wife Melissa in Bogota, and that is what drew him to Canada. They now live in Shanigan Lake.

This is a video describing what Sankofa as an organization does on an international level.



Now, once again, Danny is a student, this time acquiring his prerequisites for a career in nursing. With a baby daughter at home, his dance performances have been put on the back burner for now. In fact, he seemed so busy I felt grateful that he still had time to teach a class in Victoria.

This class left me sore and I really tested my body. At one point near the end while we were doing floorwork (something I don't have much practice at), my leg started to cramp. But judging from the skill level of the other dancers, I did a pretty good job just keeping up. If you're looking for a challenge and you want to try something that you probably won't find anywhere else, then contact Moon Dance Dynamic Arts and try a drop-in. I dare you!

West African Dance Rhythms with Ilana Moon

Still photography by Kelly Marshall

Dum, da da, dum, da da, the four drummers pound their rhythm. Ilana Moon, owner of Dancing Moon Multicultural Arts, bobs her red ponytail up and down with each skipping jump in time to the beat. Her heels kick up behind her, as she thrusts herself and nine months worth of baby belly as high off the ground as possible. Her dignified, but humorous dancing attitude is complimented by her pregnancy: a powerful dance for a strong woman.

Watching Ilana, I could imagine her in Guinea, sharing a celebratory dance with a group of mothers. Though not a large woman, Ilana has a big presence and the self-possession of a dancer who has performed most of her life.

Since early childhood Ilana Moon was involved in what she calls the "ballet" dance culture, also training in jazz and modern. But it wasn't until she was sixteen that she found her passion for African dance. "She was a big woman, but she could really move." This teacher inspired Ilana by showing her that you could be a good dancer at any size. Sometimes with African dance, bigger is better. "It's all about more," says Ilana. “And it's all about sticking that butt out."

Ten women and a man hop around me in the Thursday night beginners West African dance class. All sizes, shapes and ages enjoy the movements of Guinea and Sub-Saharan Africa. The more experienced dancers lead the advance, charging from one end of the hardwood to the other. I try to keep up somewhere in the back, allowing the size and strength of these women's movements to challenge me. Jump higher, swing your arms wider. "It's like you're a bird. Fly!" Ilana calls to us.

She grabs a djembe for a moment and begins to pound out a beat with her palms. Ilana is also a professional drummer and marimba player, so she conducts the four drummers throughout the class.

We've only just started the hour and a half long class and I'm already sweating. West African dance is very aerobic because you are always trying to make the movements fuller. After many years of training with the small controlled arm movements of belly dance, I feel liberated to swing my arms in the air above my head. Though most of the footsteps are light touches on the ground, the posture and footwork are very grounding. Many movements require a bent-legged, straight-backed posture, that contrasts with the elevated arm movements.

And always the bobbing of the head. To bob my head properly is going to be something that I have to practice. In class, Ilana warns to start off slow with the head tosses. “It's a cultural thing really, our necks just aren't as strong.”

It is common in Africa to carry quite heavy loads on your head. Since we rarely carry things this way in the Western Canada, our necks are too weak for the full head movement. Ilana showed the class a neck strengthening exercise to do at home.

Judging from the experienced dancers in the class, the neck isn't the only thing strengthened in African dance. Toned arms, legs and stamina are all rewards for really pushing yourself with this dance form. If I ever need to lose some weight I'll definitely try African dance again.

Ilana and Dancing Moon's troupe, A Etoile D'Afrique, have a busy performance schedule. Besides private bookings and summer festivals, they also do school tours. They will be performing on February 28, at the Garth Homer Centre as part of a show put on by the African Heritage Society to celebrate Black History Month.