Tonight's performers at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium will exhibit a fresh blend of song and dance featuring more than 10 different languages and various forms of African dancing - and they are only 8 to 11 years old.
The African Children's Choir consists of 26 Ugandan children taken out of poverty to tour the world and send a message of hope through traditional African song and dance. Established in 1984 in the midst of civil war in Uganda, human rights activist Ray Barnett founded the choir to create awareness and support overseas.
The goal is to show people what it's like [in Africa] and give them a bit of a window into the culture
see the need of the children there and the hope they have of being able to reach their dreams said Sharye Cornmesser, tour leader for the choir.
On tour, the children receive an education as well as opportunities to experience other cultures.
We try to get them to do as many different activities that we can and learning experiences
said Cornmesser, who is also the children's head teacher while on tour. They love the different cultures that they see and all the different things that they get to do.
The biggest reward, however, is the doors that are opened for the children when they get home. Proceeds from touring, as well as donations from sponsors, have helped fund schools and orphanages back in Africa.
Those children in the beginning
a lot of them are chaperones that travel with us today
Cornmesser said. Many of them have very successful careers and lives
a kind of life that they wouldn't have had without the choir.
The choir will perform in Athens as part of the 10-year anniversary of the Institute for the African Child, a local research and teaching center. The institute is also hosting a conference that began yesterday called Including Children: Celebrating 10 Years of the Institute for the African Child.
We thought
what better performing group [than the choir] to help celebrate
said Andria Sherrow, assistant director of the institute. Their story is one of hope
and that's what we're trying to inspire with our conference.
The choir will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium, and tickets will be available at the door.
