An African Village: Postcards from Potou

Young people take the stage in a spirited celebration of African dance, music and culture!

More than 200 of National Dance Institute’s advanced team dancers have joined with professional musicians and singers to celebrate the richness of African arts and culture, and bring to the stage the voices of children from Potou, Senegal in National Dance Institute’s 30th Annual Event of the Year, An African Village: Postcards from Potou.

This lively theatrical event incorporates African-inspired dances as well as hip-hop, jazz, tap and ballet; colorful costumes; and live music and lyrics inspired by correspondence with the children of Potou.

An African Village was inspired by world renowned economist Jeffrey Sachs and his work with Millennium Villages, a worldwide initiative committed to fighting extreme poverty, hunger and disease.

In 2006, a team from NDI traveled with Mr. Sachs, President and Co-Founder of Millennium Promise, to the small village of Potou, Senegal in West Africa. The NDI delegation was so inspired by the richness of Senegalese life and art, that they wanted to continue their relationship with Potou, and bring an awareness of the culture to NDI’s dancers.

This year, more than 25,000 New York City school children have celebrated African cultures and learned about the village of Potou, Senegal through movement and music. NDI programs give inner-city children a fuller sense of global citizenship and their power to make a difference in the world.