Performances
Duniya Drum & Dance Company
Based in San Francisco and founded by dancer Joti Singh, Duniya Dance and Drum Company creates dance and music from Punjab, India, and Guinea, West Africa, as well as unique blends of these forms and beyond. Last November, with grants from the Creative Work Fund and the San Francisco Arts Commission, Duniya premiered the performance "Half and Halves" based on the Punjabi-Mexican communities of California, with Ensambles Ballet Folklorico de San Francisco. This October, with the support of Dancers' Group and SF Arts Commission, Duniya will premiere "Lanyee," a Guinean ballet in collaboration with African Advocacy Network and written and directed by Duniya's Musical Director, Bongo Sidibe. The group teaches and performs all over the Bay Area and in many other cities both nationally and internationally. They lead a group of students to Guinea, West Africa every year to study dance and music.
The word duniya means “world” in a wide array of languages, including Punjabi, Arabic, Susu and Wolof. Duniya’s work embodies this word, as it explores the forces that have brought together the members of the company and their dance and drum styles, including, but not limited to, colonization, globalization, immigration, art, dance, music and love. www.duniyadance.com