ROYAL DRUMMERS AND DANCERS OF BURUNDI

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APPEARING AT
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY’S CENTER FOR THE ARTS IN FAIRFAX, VA
Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 at 8 p.m.
& 
THE HYLTON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN MANASSAS
Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 at 4 p.m.
From a tiny country in Central Africa comes of one the most celebrated percussion ensembles in the world – Royal Drummers and Dancers of Burundi. This spirited ensemble’s drumming and dancing performances are based on ancient sacred traditions that have been passed down from father to son throughout the generations, yet its distinctive early rhythms sound as modern as any contemporary beat. Audiences in the greater Washington, D.C. area will have the opportunity to experience the thunderous percussive rhythms and mesmerizing movements of these gifted artists when they appear at two performing arts venues in Northern Virginia this fall.

In Burundi, drums are considered sacred symbols of fertility and regeneration, and for centuries, they have been played at special occasions and ceremonies such as births, funerals and enthronements of kings. The homemade drums include the central Inkiranya drum, the Amashako and Ibishikiso drums and the popular large Ingoma drum, which are hollowed out from the trunks of trees that only grow in central Burundi, and are covered with animal skins.


Since the 1960s, the Royal Drummers and Dancers of Burundi have performed for audiences the world over and have left an indelible imprint on world music. The ensemble’s distinctive sound – the “Burundi Beat,” as it has become known – has influenced many popular Western artists such as Adam and the Ants and Bow Wow Wow, and the drummers even appeared on Joni Mitchell’s 1975 album, “The Hissing of the Summer Lawns.” The drummers also inspired the creation of the first World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) Festival in 1982, which made world music a part of the mainstream. Though the ensemble has toured the globe and recorded several albums, the artists continue to be intimately tied to their homeland and still perform at rituals and ceremonies in their community.

On Friday, Oct. 5, 2012 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 at 8 p.m., the Royal Drummers and Dancers of Burundi appear at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax as part of its Great Performances at Mason season. Pre-performance discussions, free to ticketholders, will begin 45 minutes prior to each performance on the Center’s Grand Tier III, and are sponsored by the Friends of the Center for the Arts. This performance is a part of the 2012-2013 Global View series at the Center for the Arts, which is sponsored by HSBC Bank.
For general information about tickets, seating, parking, etc., for performances and events happening at the Center for the Arts, please contact the ticket office directly at 703-993-2787.


The ensemble also appears at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012 at 4 p.m. as part of its Hylton Presents season. A pre-performance discussion will be held 45 minutes prior to the performance in the Hylton Center’s Buchanan Partners Art Gallery. Prince William Hospital is the 2012-2013 season sponsor of the Hylton Presents season at the Hylton Performing Arts Center.