On Sunday I got to check out African performance group Mounafanyi at MuCCCC as part of the ongoing Fringe Festival. The day was
overcast and depressing, a kind of grim precursor to the upcoming work week,
but I was happy to find a burst of energy in the Mounafanyi
performance. In fact, if I were to sum up the show in one word, it would be “electric.”
The performance featured West African dance and drumming performed
by the talented Mounafanyi percussion and dance
ensemble, a Pan-African group based in Rochester. The group is spearheaded by
master djembe player FanaBangoura,
who has performed all over the world and gained international acclaim for his
drumming and dance. Bangoura’s thunderous djembe
certainly stands out from the rest of the ensemble, and at times he belts out
polyrhythmic cadences with such ferocity that you would swear that you’re
listening to the blasts from a 50 caliber machine gun.
The performance on the whole was bursting with energy, the driving
tempo of the songs coupled with the interlocking polyrhythms being carried
across the ensemble creating an atmosphere of excitement and movement. At times
the group would lock into rhythmic passages that were so groovy you almost
wanted to get out of your seat and join the dance. In fact, some audience
members did just that.
However, to speak only of the musical aspect of the show would do
injustice to its visual splendor. The whole ensemble was clad in colorful,
traditional African outfits which, when combined with the movement of the show,
created quite a visual display on stage. The dancers were impressive as well.
They kept pace with the driving music of the drums with a series of steps,
jumps, kicks, and flails that made zumba look like a
Sunday stroll in the park. At times, it was exhausting just to watch the
dancers on stage, who looked as if they were directly
channeling the energy of the drums into their acrobatic movements.
All of these factors combined to produce quite the performance. A
quick glance around the audience confirmed that most everybody was equally
impressed, and many people couldn’t help shuffling and grooving a little to the
pulsating beats. On a Sunday that was a bit lacking in excitement up to that
point, Mounafanyi certainly provided a much needed
injection of entertainment. They put on a great performance; I’m certainly
looking forward to seeing this group around Rochester.
This article appears in Sep 18-24, 2013.
