The interdisciplinary performance collaboration by York University faculty, students and members of the community, was conceived by Isaac Akrong, a York PhD student in ethnomusicology, who is also an alumnus of York’s graduate program in dance. Akrong is founder of the African Dance Ensemble, which will perform the traditional Jera dance in tribute to the Dagbon people of northern Ghana, who have recently experienced devastating flooding.

“We are trying to bridge the gap between various disciplines of performance, to create an ongoing collaborative forum that uses music, dance, the visual arts, film, theatre and poetry,” said Akrong. “It delves into questions such as how an Attenteben flute from Ghana, which is what I play, can co-exist with a classical piano performance, and it encourages many other experiments as well.”

Many of the performers are students at York, and the production is being managed by York theatre students Miriam Fernandez, Sanaz Tathi, George Quan and a team of volunteers. Involvement in this festival offers student a unique experience from planning to post-event analysis that feeds into academic discourses.  Petra Grant, a singer and radio presenter of CHRY 105.5 FM, will be performing.

Humanity in Harmony will celebrate other cultures as well, says Akrong: for example, Nina Soypher, who was born in the Ukraine, came to Canada two years ago and is now a Fine Arts student at York. Soypher has studied everything from Indian dance to funk, and has developed an interest in African dance and music. However, on Thursday, she will be playing the traditional Ukrainian duct flute, a Sopilka, and displaying her paintings.

The lineup of performances this year also includes:

• Regina Lam, from York’s Master in Ethnomusicology program – Classical Piano
• Bert Smith, member of African Dance Ensemble – Poetry
• African Dance Ensemble (ADE), a multi-ethnic group based in Toronto
• Isaac Akrong, founder and artistic director of ADE and a York PhD student in Ethnomusicology – Attenteben Flute
• Newton Walker – a fusion of  Caribbean, jazz and reggae styles
• Petra Grant – Solo artist
• Daniel Schnee & Gerry McGoldrick, both Ethnomusicology PhD students at York – Improvisation
• TheatrePeace – a Toronto-based educational theatre company

For more information, see African Dance Ensemble, or www.yorku.ca/perform

WHAT: Humanity in Harmony Festival

WHEN: Thursday, October 11, 2007 at 7 pm

WHERE: Sandra Faire & Ivan Fecan Theatre, 110 Accolade East, York University

EXHIBITION of student works:  lobby 110 Accolade East, 6 pm

York University is the leading interdisciplinary research and teaching university in Canada. York offers a modern, academic experience at the undergraduate and graduate level in Toronto, Canada’s most international city. The third largest university in the country, York is host to a dynamic academic community of 50,000 students and 7,000 faculty and staff, as well as 200,000 alumni worldwide. York’s 11 faculties and 24 research centres conduct ambitious, groundbreaking research that is interdisciplinary, cutting across traditional academic boundaries. This distinctive and collaborative approach is preparing students for the future and bringing fresh insights and solutions to real-world challenges. York University is an autonomous, not-for-profit corporation.

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Media contact:
Janice Walls, Media Relations, York University, 416 736 2100 x22101 / wallsj@yorku.ca