OMO KULU MELE
AFRICAN DANCE & DRUMMING CLASSES FOR CHILDREN
REGISTRATION/ORIENTAION FORM
2023-2024
Greetings OKM Family!
Omo Kulu Mele (OKM) African dance and drumming classes for children has been a flagship program of Kulu Mele for many years. OKM supports mentorship, health and wellness through traditional West African/Afro-Cuban dance and drum class to children ages five-18.
Omo Kulu Mele teaches many lessons beyond dance and music. Some former students have gone on to enjoy careers as professional dancers. Some students explore their cultures of origin; others engage in cross-cultural exploration. All dancers and drummers will gain self-confidence and learn how to cooperate and collaborate. In June, everyone experiences the exhilaration of seeing the many months of hard work pay off when Omo Kulu Mele students perform on stage in a professionally produced show, at a real theater, in front of their families and friends.
All children ages five to 18 are eligible to enroll – all skill levels welcome – no prior performing arts experience necessary. Our season will run from October 1, 2023, through June 1, 2024. Classes meet Sunday afternoons at Inspire Art Space 1646 Ridge Avenue.
OKM 2023-24 CALENDAR ~ SUNDAYS
Traditional West African Drumming (ages 5-18)
12:00 p.m. – 1 p.m.
Traditional West African - Beginner (ages 5-9)
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Traditional West African/AfroCuban Dance - Advanced (ages 10-18)
2:00p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
AfroFusion/HipHop (ages 5-18)
3 p.m. – 4p.m
Dress Rehearsal for End of Year Recital - Date TBD
Make-up rehearsals - TBD (if necessary)
End of Year Recital: June 1, 2024, Location: Performance Garage
NO CLASS DAYS
There will be no class on the following dates:
- Nov 26th (Thanksgiving)
- Dec 24h (Christmas)
- Dec 31st (New Year)
- March 31st (Easter)
- May 26th (Memorial Day)
SCHEDULE OF FEES, PAYMENTS
Registration fee: $75 per child
Monthly tuition: $75 per child, per class
Costume Fee: $100 per costume for African dance classes only ~ Children may require more than one costume. Drum and AfroFusion costumes are included with registration.
*All costume payments are due by February 2024*
Late payment fee: $20 for every payment not received by the due date.
To register your student for class, there is a one-time registration fee of $75 that must be paid with the 1st month’s tuition. The Registration fee and first month tuition are due the first Sunday of every month, on the following dates:
October 1st, 2023
November 5th, 2023
December 3rd, 2023
January 7, 2024
February 4, 2024 (Tuition plus costume fee)
March 3, 2024
April 7, 2024
May 5, 2024
Supply List
Drummers need to supply their own drum (djembe). If you do not have your own drum, we have a few djembe drums for sale at $125 each. DRUM RENTAL – We have a few drums to rent $10 per drum class. A reusable water bottle filled with water, several clean face masks, and personal hand sanitizer is also encouraged for all dancers and drummers.
Lappas (a piece of fabric worn like a skirt in Africa for dance ceremonies) are required for young women and girls. Comfortable athletic top and bottoms are encouraged for all dancers.
Drop Off/Pick Up
Parents/guardians must accompany all students to the entrance. Students must be picked up on time from Inspire Art Space at the conclusion of each class.
Parents/guardians must notify Kulu Mele, in writing and in advance, of the name of anyone other than their student’s parent/guardian picking up their student. Authorized persons must be at least 18 years of age and must present a government issued photo I.D. before Kulu Mele will release students to them. Parents/guardians may also be required to present a government issued photo I.D. if Kulu Mele cannot positively identify someone as the parent of specific students.
COVID-19 Policies
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, only class participants, instructors, and OKM administrative team members are allowed to remain in the building during their class time.
Self-Screening
We encourage all participants to self-screen at home before coming to classes. If your child(ren) are exhibiting any of the following symptoms, please stay home:
Fever, chills, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, new or persistent cough, new loss of sense of taste or smell, or difficulty breathing. Face masks are encouraged.
Cleaning
Hand sanitizer will be available for use. Frequently touched areas will be wiped down with CDC approved disinfectant between classes.
Fundraising
Information about fundraisers will follow in the coming weeks. Omo Kulu Mele is a vital part of Kulu Mele’s commitment to preserving and presenting traditional dance and music of Africa and the African Diaspora. It exists to give children the opportunity to learn drum rhythms and dance movements from current Kulu Mele drummers and dancers. Omo Kulu Mele provides children a place to explore not only what it means to be creative, but also how to work as an individual and as a member of a collective, using African and African Diasporic dance and music as a framework. Every year parents/guardians fund Omo Kulu Mele directly through paying tuition and purchasing and selling tickets for the end of year recital. Any parent that would like to volunteer to help with this, please reach out to Fasina Wilkie at 215-882-4269 (text welcome).
Spread The Word!
Enjoying class? Help us grow the OKM program. Organic word-of-mouth is the best, but we are also on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Please follow us, @, or tag us in any of your post involving OKM or Kulu Mele: Instagram: @kulumele & @omo_kulumele; Facebook: Kulu Mele African Dance & Drum Ensemble & Omo Kulu Mele
Omo Kulu Mele invites you to join 'Kulu Mele African Dance and Drum Ensemble' group on BAND, the app designed for groups to stay connected. We can share and upload photos of during the school year. Come join now!
Open this invite link below on your smartphone or desktop to join the group. https://band.us/n/a6aa9a659f518
BAND is a group communication app that serves over 20 million groups across the world to stay connected.
Photography/videography
Students of OKM may have the opportunity to be photographed or videotaped at various dance events. With permission from parents these photos or videos may be included for OKM publications or advertisements, including on our website and various social media sites. To ensure privacy, specific names of children will not be included. No financial compensation shall be given for use of any photographs or video. I acknowledge that OKM may choose not to use my photo or video at this time, but may do so at its own discretion later.
I hereby confirm that the child/children named is this registration have my permission as their parent or legal guardian, to participate in Omo Kulu Mele classes and activities, including the year end finale performance. I have read the photography/videography release and I understand its contents. I consent to and authorize the use by Omo Kulu Mele, of all photographs or video which have been taken of my child/children. I agree to Omo Kulu Mele’s policies and fees.