A cultural influence has stormed the Colorado Mesa University Dance department for the past few days. Every semester, the dance department brings in a guest artist to choreograph a piece for the dance concert. This semester Marilyn and Sekou Sylla traveled from Massachusetts to create a Western African dance piece.
CMU dance department does not have many chances to learn about different cultures and dances. The Syllas brought in quite the change with very traditional African dance. Not only did they teach dance, but also drumming, songs and information about the culture of Africa.
Marilyn Sylla was born and raised in America where Sekou was born in Guinea. Sekou was part of the national dance company of the Republic of Guinea, “Les Ballets Africains.”
Marilyn Sylla began dancing in college and attended the University of Colorado Denver.
“I took one African dance class and it resonated with me,” Marilyn Sylla said.
From there she traveled to different states and landed in New York City in the early 80’s. She began studying Haitian dance. Although she was working full time at a law firm, it started to get in the way of dancing.
“I felt it [African dance style] in my soul,” Marilyn Sylla said. “I found a community in dancing and drumming.”
Marilyn Sylla met Sekou Sylla at Smith College. From there, they kept in touch and had a master artist visa for him to come to the states to work with her. Later, they married. Now they reside in Massachusetts and they teach arts and education in schools and medical centers. Marilyn is a five-college lecturer teaching at Smith, Mount Holyoke, Amherst colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Not only do they travel around the world to teach and perform dance, but a major part of the African dance culture includes drumming.
The couple arrived in Grand Junction to stay for a few days to create a dance piece for the Fall into Dance Concert. Their piece includes drumming by students and dancing. The students take on the full culture of African dance.
“The movement is traditional, but we choreograph it the way we want it,” Marilyn Sylla said.
The dance is a harvest dance. African dance is about celebration. It mimics the everyday activities. For instance, in the harvest dance, there will be movements that mimic that of turning over soil, planting seeds and more. Not only do the dance and drumming display African culture, but the costumes do as well. In the piece, there will be two different costumes.
“They are not costumes they are everyday attire,” Marilyn Sylla said. “[We] want people to know there’s more than one way to dress in Africa.”
Dance in Africa is a way of life. It is a celebration. The Syllas made sure that the students knew the background and meaning of each dance.
“All movements have meaning,” Marilyn Sylla said. “There is different drumming for every dance along with a song.”
The Syllas taught many classes during their stay in Grand Junction. Their visit was not only about choreographing a piece for the dance concert but also to teach all students a new type of dance and culture. A master class was held on Saturday, Oct. 8 in the dance studio. A dance called “Funga” was taught to those students and community members that arrived.
On Monday, Oct. 9, the studio was full of dance students and the drumming music students. The percussion class was led by Sekou Sylla while Marilyn Sylla taught a dance called “Djole” (Jolee). On Tuesday, Oct. 10, the couple was back up in the studio to teach during a Modern dance class. In that class, the couple answered questions about the culture and taught “Capoeira,” which is a martial arts style dance or duel. It involves two dancers who move around each other and perform acrobatics looking like they were fighting. Laba, another dance, was taught near the end of class.
Meredith Lyons, an assistant dance professor, knew the couple because she took classes from Marilyn Sylla at Smith College.
“It was the most packed class,” Lyons said. “It was the first place I felt community.”
The couple was able to step away from other teaching duties these past few days because it was their fall break. Lyons used to invite them to teach at her last college she worked at and decided to do the same for CMU.
The couple has been to colleges all over the nation.
“They are a hot commodity,” Lyons said.
The CMU dance department students had to raise their voices, clap their hands and embrace the celebratory attitude of the culture. Multiple times, Marilyn Sylla would remind the class to smile and just enjoy.
