Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Sweet Benevolence - Oakland Secondline Ancestral Celebration

@nzoCALIFA--Oakland, CA 
"We need to come together to honor our Ancestors of this Community, it's been too long." [an inspirational conversation with Baba Tacuma King, Sept. 2017]

     As Commune+Unity, it becomes imperative for us to engage and carry out Ancestral atonement rituals and rites that continue to prosper the Community.
It was also the answer to usher relief within my own family as we are grieving the loss of our phenomenal Spiritual Matriarch, Educator and Healer
My Auntie Selyah aka "Bebe" [turquoise] and more , as family members from Stockton to Berkeley and Oakland, came to represent our legacy best, and in the streets no less. 

Oakland, CA: My Family showed up 16 deep for this day, representing 4 generations, Spiritual ties, and newly discovered DNA relations; Processions, parades, marching in the streets is our legacy hailing from African Ancestored rooted traditions.  Together we came to lift our beloved transitioned and give praise to life: Auntie Selyah G. Waters, Cousin Yolanda Morton, Cousin Gyasi Ramos, Calloways, Hunters, Lowery's with our Ancestral Gatekeeper at the helm my maternal grandfather - Claude Waters, Jr, iba'e, iba'e tonnu.  *A special thank you to Baba Tacuma King, Brother Harold "Homeboy" Wilson and The Benevolent Oakland Community Society. @nzoCALIFA 



video clip: courtesy of @nzoCALIFA
Brass band: Led by Harold "Homeboy" Wilson
Twilight Brass Band & Community with
Big Chief Ray "Hatchet" Blazio, Wild Apache
Mardi Gras Indian Nation of New Orleans

Wednesday, June 14, 2017

nzoCALIFA: #Dance Mediumship on the airwaves

#danceyourdestiny: I share with my Students often, the mediumship of service through #Dance - I utilize my Dance like a  travel Visa often answering the call to inform agencies, communities and global audiences of the powerFULL transcendental effects of DANCE. Dance mediumships serve to advance Community Empowerment, promote Cultural legacy and uplift the personal development of fellow Artist agencies. 
     Brought to you from our archives and still living, listen in as SiriusXM Shade 45         "Sway in the Morning" broadcasts live in our home turf #Oakland, California as my kinship shares #Shine and his personal #Dance testimony; And together we're giving #Oakland LIFE through the DANCE! #RiteOn 

~R. Califa, Nzo Califa Dance Works        


#stepUPyourservicetodance #danceyourdestiny


*clip courtesy of @SwaysUniverse on youtube



Monday, May 8, 2017

Monday Media -nzo.archive: Fua Dia Congo 2009


R. Califa Diaspora Dance Specialist
Alumnus of Fua Dia Congo/Diata Diata
Met the inimitable "Congo Man" onstage at a Berkeley Highschool Performance in tribute to Ta Malonga back in 1982. On cue, he jumped in and challenged our "Bakongo" and as my Senior classmates quickly exited stage right, I was left to fend for my neophyte-self, an initiation so-to-speak. Post College, I immediately inducted myself into the membership of this iconic Cultural force and not only gained an immeasurable training and educational experience of  Dance, Drum and Culture, also learning these important keys as an Artist: "Arts excellence and Business administration" Malonga's torch of indomitable Spirit continues to blaze cultural pathways that'd create Nzo Califa Dance Works and elevate "My Kongo". ~ @nzoCALIFA


FUA DIA CONGO [FUA] was founded by World-renown Master Artist and Cultural Ambassador Ta Malonga Casquelourd of Brazzaville, Republic of Congo in kinship with respected Community leaders and scholars of East Palo Alto along with his Congolese cohorts Ma Boukaka and Paul N'Goumba [all give praise to life].  His visionary leadership carried many important veins that bred life into notable Institutions for erecting arts preservation and academic excellence like, San Francisco State University's Ethnic Dance Department, San Francisco City Celebrations, Mandeleo Institute and Everybody's Creative Arts Center.  Established in 1977, FUA is a non-profit Teaching and Performing Arts Institution; It's Company repertoire reflects religious, social and military traditions of the Kongo Kingdom, the Company's legacy extends itself to a global Student constituency, epic Company Repertoire productions, celebrated Dance and Drum Camps from California to Maui, Hawaii and signature Dance and Drum Class programming at the historic Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts, Oakland, CA.

ARCHIVE MEDIA FEATURE:

Presentation at the Midpen Media Center Studio Series, January 2009

Fua Dia Congo
Congolese Dance Ensemble
"Our Congolese Heritage" 

Artistic Director: Muisi-Kongo Malonga Musical Director: Kiazi T. Malonga
Guest Master Artist: Sandor Diabankouezi  Producers: Karen Adams, Muisi-Kongo Malonga
  • Kimvuka - A Village gathering
  • Mayaka - Company
  • Ganza - Company
  • Bisiki Bia Ngoma - Drum Core
  • Dance Moumbolo - Company 
  • Essombi - Balet Kizingu Youth Ensemble 
  • Kingoli - Company
*program credits drawn from the video program
_____________________________________________

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Mardi Gras time: Brothers BRING IT on Bourbon

Mardi Gras time -- Delivering more than just sanitation service to New Orleans neighborhoods, these Brothers bringing sweet #Footwork, Dance servic  up Bourbon street in the historic French Quarter. #Dance where everyday life is EVERY day life in New Orleans - ya' heard?! It's what we LOVE about our kinship New Orleans behbe. This clip caught by pedicab driver Paul McCaige, reported by Chelsea Brasted for NOLA.com. 
Now tell us, "How will YOU step Up your service to Dance?!


Friday, February 3, 2017

In the Dance: February is for Family History

Why WE Dance, How WE Dance and When?


Stay tuned, plug-in and keep an open ear to Ancestral teachings channeled through our kinship platforms throughout the month of February, invoking your next steps towards amplifying your story. Next level your service to the #Dance. #RiteOn ~ @nzoCALIFA 

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

nzoCALIFA: Black History Month - Amplify yOUR story in the Dance

@nzoCALIFA: Trust every #Dance step you take; Be intentional with your movement; Dare to choreograph your BEST life co-creating with the wisdom of the divine, giving service to your destiny. 

Don't know where to start?!  Be inspired by the day I made it my mission to DANCE MY DESTINY creating a next level initiative to honor my Ancestors and to invoke Ancestral healing; this was the impetus of @nzoCALIFA #Dancestory, in the field, libraries, studios, homes and still in motion...
*apsire higher*


AND TAKING NAMES TO AMPLIFY yOUR STORY.
See how far I've come and where I'm going
and you can too -  #nzoCALIFAncestry