WEST AFRICAN DRUM & DANCE EXCURSION

Master drummer and dancer, M'Bemba Bangoura, invites you to accompany him on a visit to his native country of Guinea, West Africa for a 3-week workshop in drumming, dancing, and culture enrichment. Classes will be led by M'bemba as well as master artists he chooses from Guinea's internationally acclaimed national drum and dance troupes. (Two weeks is possible, we can pro-rate the costs). In addition to workshops, you will observe various traditional ceremonies, visit markets, explore beautiful beaches, and attend rehearsals of some of Guinea's performance troupes. Also, enrollment permitting, we will take a trip to Bel Air, Guinea's longest beach, as well as the village of Boke where we will visit a former slave fort which is now a museum. Students will live in a large house about 15 miles from downtown Conakry. Accommodations are simple, but comfortable, with bedrooms and bathrooms shared by workshops participants. Meals will be prepared by M'Bemba's sisters during our visit. The delicious local cuisine is based on rice, with fish, vegetables, meat and a variety of sauces. Fresh bread, salad and bottled water will be served with meals.

REGISTRATION AND FEES $1800 (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

      * Transportation To and From Airport in Conakry
      * Lodging and Meals
      * Outing To The Beautiful Beaches On The Island of Roume
      * 2 Drum and 2 Dance Classes daily (Mondays- Fridays)
      * Trip to Plage de Bel Air, "Guinea's Longest Beach" (enrollment permitting)
      * Trip To village of Boke and musuem (enrollment permitting)

You must arrange and pay for your own air travel and visa. We will provide travel and VISA assistance. Please contact us prior to purchasing flights so we can help advise you. You should make plans to arrive in Guinea on December 28, or 29, 2010 and depart no later than January 18, or 19, 2011. You will also need a visa for Guinea. The cost of a visa is $100. Because of our connections to the Guinea embassy here in NYC, we can arrange your visa for you within a few days. We must have your paperwork before November 20th, 2010 in order to have your visa processed.

REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS TO OBTAIN VISA TO ENTER GUINEA

Entry Visa
       * Submit your original, valid U.S. Passport (NOT A COPY)
       * 2 visa application forms, fully completed and signed (we can e-mail these to you)
       * 2 passport photographs
       * International Certificate of Vaccination for Yellow Fever
       * Letter of invitation from M'Bemba Bangoura (we do this)


Your registration will be confirmed when we have received your initial deposit of $1,000 and your signed registration form. Please register as soon as possible, so we can best inform you of details for your trip.

*There is a $500 fee for cancellations made once you are registered. This does not include a penalization from the airline company if the ticket has already been purchased.

PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP You will need a valid passport. There is a mandatory vaccination for Yellow Fever. Several other shots and medications are recommended. For information, call the Center for Disease Control at 404-639-3311 or visit the website at: www.cdc.gov.

Upon completing the registration form, a list of necessary/suggested items to bring will be e-mailed to you. If you have any questions, please call Michael Markus at 718-486-3230, or e-mail info@magbana.com.

DAILY SCHEDULE

Morning         Breakfast
                Dance/Drum classes
Afternoon         Lunch
                Dance/Drum classes
Evening         Dinner/Free Time
               Night Activities





TERMS AND CONDITIONS
       1. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items, injury or sickness.
       2. We reserve the right to deny access to any applicant we deem unfit for this trip.
       3. You must have your immunization card as proof of having your Yellow Fever shot with you to gain entry into Guinea. No refunds will be made to anyone who is denied access to the country due to lack of required documents.