Kwaku Oppong Manu

Bay Area Contra Costa County African/African-American Music African Ghanaian

Kwaku Oppong Manu of Pinole, received his Master of Education from Lesley University, Boston in 2019. He received his education and training in West African Music and Dance at the University of Ghana. After obtaining his BFA degree in Dance in 2004, he was employed by the University of Ghana as a Senior Production Assistant and worked in the capacity of Dance and Drumming Instructor from 2004-2010. He received the Curtain Call Costumes Rising Star award from the Dance Council of North Texas to attend American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina in 2010. His involvement in dance workshops, performances and festivals on local, regional and national levels has given him the unique opportunity to gain extensive practical experiences. He was selected on numerous occasions to travel abroad to perform and teach African Music and Dance. He is currently working a full time with the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts as a Program Associate in charge of Students Development and Training teaching African Music and Dance to teenagers and also involved in a variety of Out of School Time (OST) programs for children from kindergarten to 6th grade as well as an in-school professional development program at Title One Schools called Learning Without Borders. He is also teaching a part-time drumming at California State University at East Bay.

 

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Apprenticeship Program

2024

Ghanaian Agbekor drumming with apprentice Kwesi Anku

Kwesi Anku will explore the intricacies of the Agbekor drumming. This involves understanding the roles of various instruments and mastering the drum language through instruction and practice. A crucial element of mastery is developing the skills to lead both drumming and singing during performances, with both lead and support drums.