The Francophonie in Africa
Let’s drum & dance!
FRENCH LANGUAGE INTERACTIVE WORKSHOPS FOR PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Are you looking for an engaging, active incursion to motivate your students to learn French?
Mitzi and Simon have travelled across West Africa speaking French in Guinea, Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso and they would like to tell their story! Originally motivated by the study of percussion and dance – their travels ended up immersing them in a new language. Featuring special guest Congolese dancer Lam Lakiz, we would like to take your students on an adventure to the other side of the world…
Students will discover
- The extent of francophonie across the African continent
- How languages spread and transform
- The joy of playing African drums & learning the dances
- History and cultural context of musical traditions
- Some French words related to dance / drumming
Melbourne Djembe can supply instruments for up to 100 students.
Upon booking, you will be provided with resource material (information & comprehension questions) to get your students ready for the event.
Mitzi is a registered secondary teacher. All facilitators have WWC and PLI.
Cost
We can provide you with a quote based on number of students, duration of workshop and location. Please complete the webform and we will respond promptly. If you’d like to discuss your plans please call Simon on 0425 753 553.
Public schools may be eligible for a subsidy from the Association of French Teachers Victoria. You can find more information and an application form here.
On the day
Workshop(s) will require a large space where students can move around, and chairs to sit on while playing drums. We are noisy so please factor this in when choosing your spot. We will arrive 30min – 1 hr early to load in the djembes.
We can’t wait to drum and dance with you!
I organised Melbourne Djembe to come to our school for our year 8s. They were fantastic. The session included conversation about the influence of France on Africa, the cultural exchanges between modern France and Africa and the value of language learning. The kids got a chance to dance, to hear a story in French and play the djembes. Highly recommend.
– Kellie Dickson, McKinnon SC
25th June 2024
