So long summer!

Our classes for the holidays came to an end at CIAMO with a recital and exposition on the 7th of September.  We're now on pause until the new school year at the beginning of October. Here are a few photos from the "spectacle":

End of the Year Variety Show

The stage is set.

On Saturday, May 28th, 2011, at 8am students from all over Ouidah started heading towards the center of the city, to CIAMO. They had costume fittings, dress rehearsals, and worked to help set up our end of the year concert and art exposition.

A teacher from the school checking her children's watercolor works.

The Chorale de Ganve

By the time the show started at 4pm every seat was filled with students, parents, government officials, the United State ambassador, and Peace Corps Benin staff. Our students danced, sang, acted, drummed, and played the piano.

The 200 plus audience loved every minute. Before and after the show they visited the school’s library to see the exhibition of artwork created during the last semester. The exhibition consisted of work by students in our watercolor class, examples of class activities, and a new set of photos produced by photographers who attended a professional development course at the center.

The exhibition

Boy's Drum Circle

The theater group in action. 

The afternoon was one of joy, accomplishment, and celebration as all of our students, young and older, presented their accomplishments and enjoyed a great show to commemorate the end of the academic year. Thank you to all of our professors and students and our amazing CIAMO team who made this a possibility.

Guitar teacher Sim and director John Mark sing and play together. 

Dancing to pop music. . .

Traditional Dancers from CIAMO

Songwriters' Circle

When Artist in Residence Leni Stern was at CIAMO in March, we started a new tradition for songwriters at the center. A group of songwriters joins together for two sessions a month. We call the first session an “auto formation.” Each participant shares a song, and the others give feedback and help them to arrange their work.

At the second session, we give a mini-concert to the general public. The music room, which has a stage built-in, serves as an excellent space for small and intimate concerts. This week we hosted a group of five composers from Ouidah who put on an hour long concert. We were happy to have over 50 people come to cheer them on.

We expect the group and the concerts to grow in popularity in the coming months. CIAMO gives Ouidah a much needed space for small and intimate concerts.

-John Mark Feilmeyer

CIAMO Goes Francophile. . .

CIAMO is a center founded by Anglophone Americans, and though the name DuPont might be deceptive, as soon as any of us start speaking, it’s pretty clear that we’re not French. This is why we were particularly proud when the Maison de la Francophonie invited us to participate in French Language week this year.  CIAMO is truly an international center and we recognize the important role that a common language like French plays in cultural sharing in a country with over 40 ethnic groups.  So, we signed up!

All of the activities that took place for the French Language week involved “les dix mots,” a list of 10 words with the overall theme of “solidarity.” These ten words can be roughly translated as “hands,” “welcoming,” “chord,” “team-work,” “with,” “trustworthy,” “familial love,” “harmoniously,” “chorale,” and “to form a network.”  Six high school students used ‘slam’ to express their understanding of the words while three groups of local musicians wrote songs relating to one or two of the words presented. The students of primary school Ganvé presented their understanding of the 10 words in living sculptures.

Before and after the variety show, the beautiful library of Ganvewas open for an art exposition that reflected the 10 words. Photographers from our photography class had their photos displayed and students had collages that they had created to represent each of the 10 words out for viewing as well.

Altogether, the afternoon was a great success where the population of Ouidah was able to learn and celebrate the solidarity that comes with having a uniting language. Thanks is also due to our collaborators, La Maison de la Francophonie, located in Cotonou. Enjoy the photos and look for a special section in our March video about the event!