Presenter
Maxwell Kofi Donkor
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Target Audience
Adults (in education or in the community)
Children and schools (elementary through college)
Senior Citizens
Special and challenged populations 

Length of Program
Variable.  Maxwell is available for presentations of 1/2 hour to 2 hours in length, or for workshops of 3 hrs. to 3 days in length. He is also available as an Artist in Residency within schools.  Program prices vary accordingly.

Presenter's Approach:
Maxwell's charisma and warmth pervade every appearance he makes.  Participants will enjoy his style, finding a living example of the lifestyle and activities of another culture.  With hand-on activities and live demonstrations, Maxwell brings fun and joy to the beautiful experiences he has to share. For details on specific activities in a specific workshop or presentation, please contact Kim at (570) 241-6807 or via email.

Results:    
Participants will:

• Be exposed first hand to the culture and philosophies of a different style of living and experiencing the world

• Know about the arts and music of Africa

• Appreciate the experience of creating a piece of music or art with the "community" of the other participants

Price Range:
$540 for the first hour
$490 for each additional hour
Call (570) 241-6807 for information on longer workshop and residency programs.  

Logistical Factors:
Hosting organization must provide the following:
For Visual Arts programs

• ample studio space for participants

• host may provide the materials from a list provided by Mr. Donkor
               -or-  Mr. Donkor will provide materials and the hosting organization
                will be billed for materials

For Drumming programs

• an open area with participants' chairs arranged in a circle

• a chair and water for Mr. Donkor

For Performing Arts programs

• ample room for audience seating

• 2 microphones and sound system

• power supply

• a chair and water for Mr. Donkor

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About the Presenter:
As a child in Ghana, Maxwell Kofi Donkor first learned the skills essential to a drummer at his Grandfather's knee.  He has been drumming and performing for over thirty years, including eight years with the Folklore Ensemble of Ghana until 1982. Maxwell feels that drumming taps into something within all of us.  In many cases, that something has been lost in today's hectic society.  Drumming channels and focuses a release of the energy that has become blocked.  According to Maxwell, "Drumming is the heartbeat of humanity. It balances both positive and negative energies in the individual and ultimately in the community.  Drumming heals."

Maxwell  has been teaching art to children as well as adults since he came to the US from his native Ghana in 1992.  In Ghana, he studied sculpture at the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi.  His educational studies, combined with his life-long exposure to the music and culture of his Asante village, gave him a unique, comprehensive grasp of traditional African Daily life.  

Maxwell's work in has been exhibited in Ghana and neighboring countries, London and the U.S.  He has been the recipient of many awards, including the 1985 Best Sculpture award at the GIFEX International Trade Fair and at the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts 1993 Conference.  He also received the 1999 Pennsylvania Council on the Arts Fellowship in Folk and Traditional Arts in recognition of his works.

The communal activities of drumming and arts help to connect people.  Maxwell hopes to bring this philosophy to Americans through various means, including the creation of drumming circles, performance of traditional stories and authentic dance.

What People Are Saying:
 

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For more information or to request this program, contact Kim at:
Dynamic Demos, Speakers & Seminars
51 Comstock Rd Tunkhannock PA 18657
Phone:  (570) 241-6807    Email:  kim@dydemos.com
     

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