From 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 28, Patterson Park Community Center will host the Second Annual African Drum and Dance Festival.

The event is organized by the Nananom Dance Ensemble, which was founded in 1983 by Ephraim Ketsri and has performed around the world over the past 35 years, being invited to perform at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Ghana’s Fortieth Independence Anniversary Celebration, and more.

Over the course of the day, the Nananom Dance Ensemble will highlight various styles of dance from Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and the Congo, showing the rich traditions of each style. These performances will be complemented by an African market with assorted vendors of traditional African products, drum and dance lessons, and more.

The African Drum and Dance Festival looks to teach people about the various styles of African dance and drumming in order to provide insight about African culture. By teaching people about the differences in dance techniques and drumming instruments and styles across Africa, people will begin to better understand the nuances of these African cultures that often go overlooked in American society. 

The goal of the Nananom Dance Ensemble with the African Drum and Dance Festival is to provide an opportunity for the people of Murfreesboro to experience the same cultural experience that would be provided in a larger city, like Nashville or Atlanta. The Nananom Dance Ensemble has the pedigree of excellence one might see in a larger city due to their experience over the last three decades performing across the globe, but seeing them perform on Saturday does not require nearly the amount of travelling one would expect to make.

These world-class performers will be right on our doorstep this Saturday, so come out and enjoy the festival. It is sure to be terrific!

For additional information about the Second Annual African Drum and Dance Festival, visit nananomdanceensemble.com.