Detroit's Heritage Works evolves from dance group to teaching African culture

BY CHERYL WOODARDS-NICHOLLS
FREE PRESS SPECIAL WRITER
Reprinted from Detroit Free Press - February 3, 2008

A soft yet distinctive voice can be heard in the distance. The voice is telling a story. As the house lights come up, dancers swirl across the floor, their movements accompanied by the ever-increasing beats of a drum -- an African drum. The storyteller, dancers and drummers work harmoniously in celebration of their African heritage.

Rhonda Greene of Detroit loves African dancing. She loves the art form so much that she wanted to share it with as many people as possible. That love led, in 2000, to the founding of Heritage Works. The nonprofit organization, formerly called African Dance Works, is dedicated to celebrating African people through music, movement and folklore.

Greene, who was born in Alabama and moved to Detroit when she was 4, says her initial vision was to highlight the relationships between American and African traditions while preserving and showcasing African heritage.

"During that time period (2000-06), our main focus was on African dance," Greene said. "With the funds from our first grant obtained from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, we held visiting artists workshops. The artists were U.S. residents but also natives of countries such as Senegal, Mali, and Guinea. During the workshops, the artists trained people in the African dance form, worked with other local artists, and taught community dance classes."