arts, Culture & Social change

About Us

Who We Are

Since 2006, Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre Inc. has been passionately dedicated to bringing the history of African culture to the masses through traditional and modern modes of performing arts, including dance, music, theatre and storytelling.

Thank you

Our ambitions for the yearly programming became a reality thanks to the support we’ve received from many people, from community members to our funders. Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre Inc. would like to extend our thanks to our sponsors who’ve given us the chance to envision a cross-cultural learning with our arts-based approach. We could not have done it without you.

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here for the arts, here for the culture.

what we do

Home - Performance

performing arts

From various dance classes to celebrity workshops, we are here to entertain and educate.

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production

UNGANISHA was born with the intent of celebrating and sustaining the presence of African diasporic communities in Calgary. 

 

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community

From our professional networking event to the cultural fair, we are here to for the community.

Wunmi Idowu

founder & Director

I have been a performing artist in Nigeria since the age of 3 before migrating to Edmonton in 1992. Being one of the 3 Black students in my elementary school, I felt like an intruder in someone else’s home. The absence of African Canadian History in the Alberta curriculum troubled me. African-Canadians have made inestimable contributions to Canada in the arts, politics, technological innovation, military service, business and more, in the face of lingering racism. These great Canadians endured, and succeeded and their resilience inspired me. I decided that I would contribute to Canadian history in my own way by ensuring that I didn’t forget or leave behind my heritage as an African and Nigerian. Art making for Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre Inc. became more than a question of what and who is being presented but how can we provide an unique opportunity for space making and a system breaking in the prairie region. It begins with not asking for permission to have our Black voices and presence be visible, scalable and impactful. The ever-growing reception to preserving the African culture in Calgary and Canada reveals the powers and possibilities of the arts as a tool for dialogue in social, political, personal, and spiritual matters. My endeavors continue to center around the idea of representing and communicating a sense of oneness that ensures that we don’t lose our culture and inheritance for our children and our children’s children. 

The Greatest people.

Our Team

Wunmi Idowu

founder & director

Wunmi Idowu is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, instructor, performer, and producer and the Founder and Director of Woezo Africa Music & Dance Theatre Inc. Wunmi began performing traditional dance styles at the age of 3 in her hometown of Lagos, Nigeria.

MPOE MOGALE

Choreographer & dance artist 

Mpoe Mogale is Black and Queer; reigning from Lebowakgomo, South Africa. Amongst many other things they do, they are a professionally trained dancer, currently with Decidedly Jazz Dance’s Professional Training Program and Woezo Africa Music and Dance Theatre Inc.

nyasha nyamaka

Dance artist

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Nyasha Nyamaka discovered her passion for dance while immersing herself in a street dance crew in 2009.  Initially focused on hip-hop and funk styles, Nyasha later fell in love with KRUMP upon moving to Calgary in 2012.

got what it takes?

We are looking for creative people to join our team.

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MEDIA GALLERY

Grab some popcorns and enjoy pictures from our previous events.

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what they are saying

Testimonials

UNGANISHA Professional Networking Mixer (UPNM)

 

UNGANISHA Professional Networking Mixer (UPNM) is an event that fosters and facilitates collaboration between industry professionals, academic institutions and other professional bodies. Individuals in arts and professional services stationed locally and abroad are given an opportunity to network and socialize in a comfortable setting while being empowered in their cultural identities. Entrepreneurs, businesses experts and creatives circulate through a series of expeditious rounds to break the ice and connect. The relaxed environment encourages successful individuals to speak candidly and one-on-one to make authentic personal connections. Participants can expect to venture outside of typical networking norms for a cultural experience with a plethora of diasporic professionals.

Our first presentation of UPNM in January 25, 2020 was a sold-out event with a gathering of 140 professionals and 15 students from the various universities in Calgary. We had 22 Black owned businesses in various sectors ranging from arts and entertainment, business and marketing, beauty and cosmetics, fashion and design, media and photography and restaurant services in attendance.

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