Kra KoTo Kra Drum and Dance Retreat

Get ready Northland for a weekend of West African moves and grooves hosted by Kra KoTo Kra at HOLYground Parua Bay, Whangarei. The excellent and much loved Robert Koffie Fugah will be joined by Camila Chicon & Sidharth Pagad, sharing rhythms and dances, teaching technique and repertoire, and offering a weekend immersed in drumming, dancing, and the vibes of West Africa.

Gates open from 5pm on Friday 18th November and the camp runs until the evening on Sunday the 20th. Bunkroom accommodation until Monday 21st is included in the ticket price. Thanks to the generous help of Whangarei District Council Creative Communities New Zealand, we are able to offer this absolute feast of a weekend for $200.

Add $60 more for breakfast and amazing authentic Ghanaian cuisine (GF, DF, Vegan options available). The meal ticket includes dinner on Friday and Saturday and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is not included but there is a large communal kitchen available for use.

Beginners as always are most welcome, and drums are available for use for those who don’t have their own.

Now meet our excellent teachers!

Koffie Fugah is a master drummer, dancer and story-teller from Ghana, he has been performing and teaching traditional African songs, dance and drumming for over 20 years. In 2013 he migrated to New Zealand. After arriving in New Zealand, he founded the Kadodo West African Drum and Dance School. For the past 6 years, as Kadodo’s Artistic Director, he has been facilitating drum and dance workshops for school, community, and corporate clients all over New Zealand. His life-long passion is sharing the love of his culture with people and encouraging them to use music to express themselves joyfully. He loves working with everyone, from children to adult and thoroughly enjoy finding opportunities to share his love of African drumming and dance with everyone.

Camila Chicon is an Afro dancer and therapeutic dance facilitator. Her first approach to African dance was in 2010 in Argentina with Latin American African dance. Since 2012, she has specialised in traditional West African dance and rhythms. Since November 2017, she has lived on Waiheke Island where she has been working in her own dance method combining different techniques of traditional African dance, conscious body training, improvisation, therapeutic dance, yoga and expressive movement. She understands dance as a connection with ourselves, others and nature. Dance as a way of expression of our inner true. Also, she leads “Afriky” an African dance and drumming performance group. Camila and her team have facilitated workshops and performances at multiple festivals and events throughout New Zealand.

Sidharth Pagad, born in Bangalore India, has always loved music. Beginning with the Mridangam in India, he has a particular and specific love for drums and rhythm. Learning drum kit for 3 or 4 years, Sidharth then found West African drumming and it was love at first slap. Now working as a Music Therapist, Community Musician and Itinerant Music Instrument Teacher, Sidharth continues to strive to be the best at what he loves the most. With a love for technique and form, Sidharth enjoys steadily building confidence and ability in his students. Teaching West African Drumming under the banner ‘Kra Koto Kra’, Sidharth also founded and leads the Auckland based performance group of the same name.

RATs will be available to those who develop COVID-like symptoms during the camp.

For more information contact us at krakotokra@gmail.com