African inspired Dance Wellington
The Moringa Dancers are a high energy, high tempo dance group influenced by West African music and culture in Wellington, New Zealand. We provide weekly community dance classes, and host workshops with international and NZ guest artists. We offer fun, uplifting workshops and performances for your festival, school, organization, community event or party. We perform and facilitate in collaboration with our partner African percussion band, Kubatana, and our friends at Djembe NZ to create a powerful synergy of movement and music bringing life, energy and joy to every occasion.
weekly Community Classes
Dances of Africa
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Shake, shimmy and groove
to the soulful rhythms of Africa! Release tension from your week and share in some epic joy. Community Dance Class with Live Drumming All levels are welcome in this inclusive community class. No experience necessary. Thursdays join any week! 6:30pm-8pm Live drumming, Kubatana, led by Simon Elwell. ~School holiday break~ 14th and 21st July~ last class of term 2 is 7 July! Term 3 starts 28 July! Beginners Dance Class with Live Drumming Get back to basics and delve into the juicy details. No experience necessary. Mondays 6:30pm-8pm Live drumming led by Susanna Hay & Simon Elwell ***BLOCK STARTING 1 AUGUST*** sign up now! block rego req'd! ALL ARE WELCOME! |
"Dancing with you each week is a ray of sunshine, a breath of fresh invigorating air
which refills my energy level and clears clouds off my mind." ~ Clémentine Fessy
which refills my energy level and clears clouds off my mind." ~ Clémentine Fessy
Recent Community workshops
West African Drum & Dance Workshop
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Recent Performances
Project Connect
It was an honour to be invited by Melbourne Djembe to participate in Project Connect, uniting dun dun dance practitioners worldwide in a video project during a time when many people have been locked down, lonely, and unable to perform publicly. We had a glorious sunny morning on Mount Victoria filming our submission and celebrating our beautiful community here in Wellington, New Zealand. Choreography by Mitzi McRae.
International Dance Day wellington!
MAY 2021
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Koffie's Album Release/
bday Party
el Barrio latino Bar, 13 March 2021
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Aro Fair 2021
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Kadodo Drum & Dance School Otaki!!!
26-28 February, 2021
We had a relaxing/fun/exhilarating weekend amongst the lush surrounds of Otaki, near the beautiful Otaki River, for a weekend camp full of drumming, dance, yoga, delicious food and enlivening community spirit.
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We Performed w/Koffie & Kubatana
at Africa Day
Saturday, 7 November
Kadodo Drum & Dance SChool OTaki
28 feb - 1 march, 2020
We had an awesome weekend of drum, dance, yoga, singing and community
with Robert Koffie Fugah, Jenny Bloomfield & Simon Elwell, in the gorgeous surrounds of Otaki at Riverslea Retreat, unwinding and enjoying deepening into the rhythm!
with Robert Koffie Fugah, Jenny Bloomfield & Simon Elwell, in the gorgeous surrounds of Otaki at Riverslea Retreat, unwinding and enjoying deepening into the rhythm!
Wellington Lantern FEstival 2020!
An awesome event lighting up the waterfront and creating fun in the city all weekend with amazing lantern installations, delicious food, performances and kids activities! What a great weekend! Thanks for the beautiful photos, Dani Fuenza and Wellington Lantern Festival!
KOFFIE FUGAH
BREAKER BAY WORKSHOPS
A great send off for the holidays!
We had a wonderful day dancing & drumming,
and the drummers brought a jam session to the Wellington waterfront!
BREAKER BAY WORKSHOPS
A great send off for the holidays!
We had a wonderful day dancing & drumming,
and the drummers brought a jam session to the Wellington waterfront!
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Vogelmorn Community Festival
Thanks to Friends of Vogelmorn for inviting us to join in and teach a workshop in this new and wonderful festival! It was a lovely day in a great community space.
Koffie Fugah
West African Drum & Dance Weekend
8-1o November 2019
Nothing like an inspiring and fun couple of days with the one and only Koffie Fugah!
Friday Night DanceWe learned a new version of Yole, many lovely dancers attended, and TV 3's "The Project" came by!
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Saturday DanceSuper high energy fun rhythms to dance to, and some juicy new choreography, accompanied by the Kadodo drummers!
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Saturday DRummingWe had some new people trying out drumming and it was great to meet them and to get into some funky grooves!
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El Barrio Gig with Koffie, Kubatana & Kadodo!
9 November, 2019
What an amazing night we had! Thanks to all the drummers & dancers, Koffie and El Barrio!
It was so fun to stay after and have a boogie with DJ DOZEN!!!!
It was so fun to stay after and have a boogie with DJ DOZEN!!!!
Melbourne Djembe's Visit!
27-28 September, 2019
A great time was had by all as we drummed and danced our hearts out with Mitzi McRae & Simon Lewis!
photo credit: Inspire Photography
photo credit: Inspire Photography
West African DanceSo much fun and joyous funky graceful moves! A perfect way to spend Friday night!
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DrummingThe magician was at work challenging us with some new approaches and technical grooves.
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Dundun Dance
Loved every minute of this workshop! Thanks to all the gorgeous dancers and drummers for coming out!
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International Dance Day 2019
This picture by Alexander Garside, starring the Moringa crew, found it's way to the cover of DANZ magazine, WOOT!
Newtown Festival
We had a blast performing at Newtown Festival with Kubatana ft. Robert Koffie Fugah, and additional guest drummers from Kadodo Drum and Dance! Such a fun day!
Kadodo Drum & Dance SChool, Otaki 2019
We had such a wonderful time at the Glorious Waihoanga River Lodge & Retreat Centre, deepening into the rhythms and dances with Robert Koffie Fugah (Kadodo), Jenny Bloomfield (Moringa Dancers) and Simon Elwell (African Beats NZ).
A great time was had by all!!
A great time was had by all!!
Hawera Street Festival
It was heaps of fun collaborating with Kubatana and drummers from far and wide to create a high energy performance for the festival stage then taking our party onto a float for the parade, providing a vibrant soundtrack and bringing the energy with some funky moves! It was a beautiful sunny day to be out sharing the joy.
Many thanks to Bizlink Hawera and Whanganui Community Drumming.
Many thanks to Bizlink Hawera and Whanganui Community Drumming.
Open Streets Wellington
When the bicycles and pedestrians took over the streets, we were enjoying taking over our own little patch of Taranaki Street with African Beats NZ! What a cool initiative!
Upper Hutt Multicultural FestivalWe danced to celebrate diversity and human rights in NZ, amongst many different cultures showcasing their music and dance onstage!
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Bloom Collective OpeningWe had a great boogie with Kubatana to celebrate the opening of this great creative hub, now providing access to arts and music for all to the Newtown community!
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Children's
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Africa Day 2018
We danced with the 2 maestros of Ghanaian rhythm & dance making the drumming fast and furious for us, and it was an awesome experience!
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African DAnce with MaputoMay 15 & 22, 2018
We were delighted to welcome an extraordinary dancer and teacher, Maputo Mensah, originally hailing from Ghana, and currently based at the University of Boulder, Colorado. 8-9:30pm Tuesdays 22 Webb St, Mt Cook, Wellington |
Rhythm & Spice Retreat24-27 May, 2018
African drum & dance camp with Maputo Mensah and Robert Koffie Fugah at Tapu Te Ranga Marae. Ghanaian dance, singing and drumming with 2 inspiring talented teachers/performers and cultural ambassadors. |
cuba Dupa Street Workshop w/ Kadodo
It was heaps of fun teaching in the street at Cuba Dupa with the Kadodo Drummers!! What a buzz. Looking forward to more collaboration with Koffie and Kadodo!
Cuba Dupa with Kadodo24 March 2018, we had a rocking performance with Koffie Fugah & Kadodo on the Swan Stage!
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Chris Berry Retreat2-4 March 2018. We welcomed Chris Berry back to Tapu Te Ranga Marae for an inspiring 2 day/2 night immersion into Bana Kuma rhythms.
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JUST SO FESTIVAL
23-25 February 2018. A camping arts festival for families with kids at last!
We loved performing & roving around all weekend, joining in the merriment!
We loved performing & roving around all weekend, joining in the merriment!
