I'm in a music video!

This has been a very interesting trip! I've had one adventure after another.

I was just in a music video AND I met the most popular African reggae artist Tiken Jah Fakoly!

Me & Lamine Sangare
~he plays ngoni, this 3 stringed instrument

Two of my friends are in video work here. Musicians Lamine Sangare and Mariam Dembele were making a music video in Bamako & my friends asked if I'd like to dance in it. Sure, why not?

I didn't know what to expect. Would it be booty shaking like some of the popular African music I've seen? Or would it be traditional? 

It turned out to be traditional--the song is about Mali's national pride and celebrating their army's anniversary. 

I had ONE run through of the choreography with the dancers & then we filmed. It turned out that they only ran through about half of the choreography with me. So I was mostly following along with them totally on the fly. 

I hope it looks okay after editing ;)

All the artists and the crew were raving about my dancing afterward. It seems they were really impressed that the tubab could dance like that.

Lamine & Mariam were fun to watch "work". They are great entertainers & I like their music. 

with the dancers

the backup singers

Lamine Sangare & Mariam Dembele

My friend Ben has recently done a commercial for Tiken Jah Fakoly. He took me and some friends to Tiken's club and he was there.

Tiken is much like Bob Marley. His songs are political and his message is about looking beyond people's differences to find unity and understanding. I am a big fan and meeting him was so neat! He was completely kind and down to earth. Not a trace of rock star ego, just peaceful.

Me & Tiken Jah Fakoly

Inside of the cab I rode in on the way home. This is pretty typical, but I got a chance to take a picture while it was getting repairs (one of 3 times on the way home). 

Tiken's club