ENGLEWOOD CHRISTIAN CHURCH
(Disciples of Christ)
Address: 511 N 44th Ave. Yakima WA. 98908.
To learn more about us, Click Here
Sunday Worship Service, 10:00 am (Summer Months)Sunday Worship Service, 10:45 am (Fall/Winter Months)
The Summer Culture Project
June 24-28, 2024
At Englewood Christian Church
For kids ages 8-12
The Summer Culture Project is a week-long day camp where children will explore culture through rhythm, song, dance, folk art and cuisine from four world regions: Middle East North Africa (MENA), East Asia, Latin America and Polynesia.
Along with daily cultural arts education, students will enjoy free choice time to socialize through games, music, and outdoor play. Students will perform what they have learned throughout the week in a final show on Friday evening for parents and community members. There will be a live stream for those without the ability to attend in person.
Evening classes for adults taught by the camp instructors for the general community will feature drumming and rhythm of Peru, Egypt, India and dance from Polynesia. All events are free of charge.
Free Classes for Teen and Adults
June 24: 6-7pm
Cajon-Luciana Proano (Cajon Technique/Peruvian Rhythms).
*There will be limited Cajon available to use. Please bring a Cajon if you have one.
June 25: 6-7pm
Indian Tabla-Jaspal Singh (Introduction to Technique and Rhythms)
*There will be Arab tablas to play and a limited number of Indian tablas to use.
June 26: 6-7pm
Arab Tabla-Susu Pampanin (Technique/North African and Middle Eastern Rhythms)
*There are Arab tablas available to use.
June 27: 6-7pm
Maori Haka-Camille Wilson (Haka Traditional Maori Dance and Cultural Tradition)
Classes will take place at Englewood Christian Church. Please register *here*
For more information, please email afterschoolarts@yahoo.com or text (509) 906-1999
Artist’s Bios
Carolyn Hamilton was raised in Wapato and has always had a love of movement and music. She moved to NYC as a young adult where acting and dancing became her focus. She lived in multiple citied but settled down in Cairo, Egypt where she spent 13 years working as a successful dancer and actress. While in Egypt, Carolyn founded a yearly arts festival that focused on dance, live music, and culture. The festival ran for 8 years in 5 different locations around Egypt. She also produced 6 albums of Arabic music as well as taught dance in 35 countries. Carolyn returned to the Yakima Valley and began to work with children in the public schools in Wapato before coming to Englewood Christian Church. For the last six years, Carolyn has been the director of youth programs at Englewood Christian Church including After School Arts, a free art program which brings local artists and art teachers to teach fine art to children. Carolyn believes that art, music, and dance, while deeply expressive of our own identity, can be profound unifiers of our divisions as humans, be they religious, political, racial, or cultural.
TerriAnne Gutierrez studied all forms of Indian dance during the 25 years her family lived in Bangalore, India. She spent many years studying the classical Indian dance form, Kahtak from world renowned instructors, Cliff, and Betty Jones in Sonoma County California where she was honored to be a part of their professional performing dance company for seven years. TerriAnne has brought her love of Indian dance to children by teaching in many Bay Area public schools, festivals and camps. She established Sirens Studio in 2001 as a space to create, produce, present, and teach; multicultural dance, theater, and music, engaging a diverse group of Sonoma County and Bay Area artists, audiences, and students. Many racially mixed, and culturally specific ensembles consider Sirens Studio & Theater their artistic home, creating a thriving inter-generational community.
Susu Pampanin is a world-renowned percussionist specializing in Egyptian Classical and Middle Eastern styles. She began drumming at the age of 12 and within a year she was invited to sit in and perform with Arabic bands in the San Fransisco Bay Area. Susu has cultivated a proficiency and interest in many other genres and styles of world percussion including North African, Afro-Cuban and Brazilian. Susu is internationally known for her virtuosity in Arabic drumming and is one of the few female Middle Eastern drummers highly respected by the Arabic professional music community. She has played on over 20 recordings and recently took part in a recording project with the world-famed Henkesh family - artists from Mohamed Ali Street in Egypt. She plays several other instruments as well, including the oud and nai. Susu is a member of Aswat Ensemble, Aswan Women's Ensemble, the Georges Lammam Ensemble and is a founding member of Pasha Band and Caravan Band. She has been a guest artist with the National Arab Orchestra based in Detriot and she teaches yearly at “Born to Drum” International Women’s Drum Camp and Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp in Mendicino.
Luciana Proaño is a Portland based Peruvian dancer and artist dedicated to multidisciplinary and cross-cultural work. Her unique aesthetic style shows that her Peruvian heritage and world travels are blended deeply in her subconscious. Luciana says of her teaching philosophy, “I teach for people to discover something about themselves while enjoying collaboration and community. Mythology fosters open minds in a diverse world where we are a microcosm of that diversity. In the use of archetypes, diversity has convergence.” Luciana is part of Young Audience Arts for Learning, a program which brings arts into the schools in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Kids love her dynamic teaching style and boundless energy.
La ora na, my name is Camille Wilson. I was born in Papeete, Tahiti, with is part of the Polynesian region of the South Pacific. Later, I moved to the Melanesian region and Noumea, Nouvelle Caledonie, became my home. I am excited to teach our community about the significance of the Haka and how it is used in our culture for celebrations, grief, and praise. The Haka is a traditional Maori dance involving facial expressions, tongue sticking, sharp hand and body movements, chants and loud slaps and stomps of your hands and feet. The Haka has a rick history and its origins trace back to the Maori people’s war dances. Still, the Haka has no limits as it is used as the ultimate form of expression and performed on various occasions. Each movement tells a story and is part of the language that the South Pacific shares. I look forward to meeting you and sharing about my culture.
Jaspal Singh was born in India and has lived all over Europe and the United Kingdom before settling in Italy for 20 years. He began studying tabla when he was 12 years old in India. He has gone on to perform in most European countries, India, Canada, and the United States. He also plays harmonium and many other Pujabi instruments. As well as being a well-known musician, Jaspal practices Gatke, Seik martial arts. He learned it in childhood and wanted all of his children to know Gatke which is important for Sieks as a religious sport. It is also good for health and self-defense. Jaspal came to Yakima because the local Seik community called him to lead them as a preacher and religious singer.