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OTESHA CREATIVE ARTS ENSEMBLE
BIOGRAPHY Hashim Saleh is the name of a Winston-Salem institution. He is the Executive Director and founding Musician of the Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble. Over the past 35 years, Hashim has led the community in the advancement of African culture and music. He has studied and trained in various styles of African and Caribbean percussion. Mr. Saleh has toured in Jamaica, West Indies; Guyana, South America and Gambia, West Africa. Hashim has also studied in Dakar, Senegal and in Banjul, West Africa to gain more knowledge of the customs and music of the Jola and Wolof ethnic groups. His service to the North Carolina community started as a founding musician with the Chuck Davis African American Dance Ensemble. Hashim has worked as a music accompanist for the North Carolina School of the Arts, Winston-Salem State University, U.N.C.G., N.C. A&T State University, and Salem College Dance programs. Mr. Saleh is currently on the staff of the Wake Forest University Dance Department. The Winston-Salem community surely knows him for the wonderful work done with the North Carolina Black Repertory Company. The Company honored him for his service to the North Carolina Black Theater Festival and the Black Nativity Theater Production. He has loved cultural music since his days in his native New York City. He says that my purpose and mission is to educate, inspire and uplift our community through cultural dance, music and theater. About the ensemble The Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble is a nationally recognized company of African-trained drummers and dancers based in Winston-Salem, NC. The oldest African-American Dance Company in North Carolina, founded more than 30 years ago, it explores and propagates the heritage and culture of African, modern and jazz dance. Their mission is to educate, inspire and uplift our community through cultural dance, music and theatre. Originally named Otesha Dancers, the group was established as a community outreach program thirty-two years ago by Ron Dutch, Gilbert Young and Amatullah Saleem for the city of Winston-Salem’s department of Recreation. Under the direction of sister Saleem, who trained and performed with legendary artist Katherine Dunham, many young and talented youth from low-income communities experienced African and African-American culture through dance and music, because of the company’s efforts. In 1982, Otesha Dancers incorporated more theatrical pieces, poetry and other styles of dance into the ensemble’s repertoire in order to broaden the audience base and to represent the entire Diaspora. Soon there after, Otesha Creative arts Ensemble was born. Schedule/Details: Otesha Creative Arts Ensemble will perform in various locations: Friday, August 8th in Burgaw, NC 12PM-1PM Friday, August 8th: Wilmington, NC Downtown River front park 7:30P-7:45PMM Friday, August 8th: Wilmington, NC Red Barn Theatre 8pm Saturday, August 9th: Beach Access #4 at Wrightsville Beach morning and afternoon set Otesha will be teaching a mast class on Saturday August 9th 12:30PM-2PM at the Dance Cooperative e-mail for more information |
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alban elved dance company/KAROLA LUTTRINGHAUS Berlin - New York City - North Carolina info@sarusfestival.com copyright: alban elved dance company/Karola Luttringhaus - all rights reserved [mad duck productions] Photo: Bill Ray III, Dancer: Andrea Lieske/alban elved dance company |