EUGENE–Dance Africa, a repertory dance company of University of Oregon undergraduate students, will initiate its expanded 2001 season with a special performance with Irving Elementary School fifth and sixth graders on March 8 at Willamette High School, 1801 Echo Hollow Rd.

At 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 8, in the Willamette High theater, about 140 Irving students will present "Fanga," a children’s dance of welcome from Sierra Leone, as part of Irving’s international celebration. Members of Dance Africa also will perform selected pieces from repertory.

The students’ performance will demonstrate the creative outcome of three months of weekly instructional outreach workshops by Dance Africa director Rita J. Honka, Irving teacher Debi Noel and three UO dance students–Julie Polhemus, Emily Ross and Agatha Schmaedich.

The Irving students also are scheduled to perform "Fanga" during Africa Night at 8 p.m. on April 23 in the UO Dougherty Dance Theatre on the third floor of Gerlinger Annex, 1484 University St. Africa Night represents an annual celebration of African culture, history, dance and music that is part of the university-wide International Week.

Tickets for the April 23 performance, expected to be a sell-out, will be available 30 minutes prior to the performance in the lobby of Dougherty Dance Theatre. Cost and other information will be announced later. Dougherty Dance Theatre is wheelchair accessible.

In its eighth year of direction under Honka, an adjunct instructor of dance, Dance Africa’s 10 performers and four percussionists will present an exciting, expanded performance repertory this season, including new works from Guinea, Ghana and The Congo, at Eugene-area elementary, middle and high schools.

Other Dance Africa performances are scheduled through May at Creswell High School in Creswell; in Eugene at Patterson Elementary School, Charlemagne Fox Hollow French Language Immersion School, and Cal Young Middle School; and in Springfield at Brattain and Riverbend elementary schools.

Dance Africa is one of two UO Department of Dance repertory companies that tour and perform throughout the Eugene/Springfield metropolitan area. For performance dates, booking details and other information, call (541) 346-3386.

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