Performance | Feraba-African Rhythm Tap Company

Féraba was founded in New York City in 1995, through the collective creative vision of Austrian tap dancer Irene Koloseus and world-renowned master balafonist Abou Sylla from Guinea, West Africa.

A multicultural and multiethnic performance group, Féraba fuses the traditional sounds and movements of West Africa with the American artistic form of tap dance.

School Assemblies, drumming, balck history motnh

Mission

Féraba is dedicated to the appreciation and the preservation of American Tap dance and traditional West African music, dance and culture.

Féraba's mission is to provide audiences with a profound cultural experience that nurtures mutual understanding and celebrates diversity. By embracing the wealth of diverse traditions, Féraba aims to inspire and uplift individuals, fostering moments of connection and harmony in our collective human experience.

School Assemblies

Since 1996, Feraba has captivated audiences with its unique performances in schools, libraries, community centers, and festivals.

Through the vibrant music and rich cultural traditions of West Africa, students will embark on an engaging journey, gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation for the dynamic rhythms and diverse percussion styles that inspire movement and joy.

Program 1: Sounds of the Mande Empire
Program 2: Roots of Tap
Program 3: Biashi-The Journey

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Program 1

Feraba School Assembly

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Program 2

Feraba presents Roots of Tap

This program traces the unique history of tap dancing, which dates back almost 400 years. Tap dance originated in the United States in the early 19th century at the crossroads of African and Irish American dance forms. When slave owners took away traditional African percussion instruments, enslaved people turned to percussive dancing to express themselves and preserve their cultural identities. In this program we explore Irish and West African dances, the Ring Shout (early slave dances), and dances from the masters of tap: Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Eddie Brown and Leonard Reed’s Shim Sham.

School Assembly programs

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Past events

Seclected School Assemblies 2024

"Biashi-The Journey"

Kisco Elementary School, Powell Lane Elementary School, Westbury, PS290, Marlvene Middle school, MS138, K188, Sayville Elementary School, Millennium HS, Brooklyn, PS47, Brilla Pax Elementary, Bronx

"Sounds of the Mande Empire"

Powell Lane Elementary School, Westbury

"Roots of Tap"

Alpine School, Saw Mill Rd Elementary, North Bellmore, NY

Recent selected public performances:

Little Island, NYC

Nyack Library, NY

Katonah Village Library, NY

International Multicultural Festival, Harlem NY

Harlem Meer Festival, NYC

Pace University, NYC

Westchester Community College, NY

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