This video is about my first apprenticeship class by the master artist Florencia Pierre.
In this class she is teaching me “Ti gason piga’w pile sobo” a popular dance game from Pointe a Raquette LaGonave Island in Haiti.
“Ti Gason piga’w pile sobo” is a well liked kind of dance that children of all ages enjoy to do. In the afternoon or evening family and friends gather together around a bonfire were they enjoy singing, dancing, playing music, “tire Kont” storytelling and also dancing to ” Ti Gason piga’w pile sobo”. This dance specially captivates my attention because of its fun and educational aspect. The kids when they are dancing to it are having a lot of fun and they exercising but they also are aware about the message that it conveys. I personally have had a lot of fun learning it and I wish you will too.
Description of the dance game:
You need a long piece of stick, or tape or fabric, something that symbolizes the danger. The children get in front of the object. They start singing and jumping by switching their legs without touching the object. Their jumping gradually goes faster as the song goes faster. The winner is the one who can jump on top of the object as fast as possible without touching it.
Song and translantion:
Ti Gason piga’w pile sobo, male va rive’w
Ti Gason piga’w pile sobo, male va rive’w
Ti Gason, male va rive’w
Ti Gason, male va rive’w
“Young boy d on’t put yourself in peril lest you get in trouble”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc9t7fGL0Qc&feature=youtu.be
Photo by: Babylon Train