Habib Iddrisu is a traditionally trained dancer and musician from Tamale, in northern Ghana. He was born into the Dagbamba/Dagomba Bizing family of court historians and musicians. Habib started one of the most prestigious traditional music and dance groups in Tamale, the Youth Home Cultural Group, when he was just fourteen. In 1993, he won the Entertainment/Arts Critics & Reviewers Association of Ghana (ECRAG/ACRAG) award as Ghana's Best Dancer. In Ghana, he led the Norvisi Dance Group; was the lead drummer and choreographer of Abibigromma (a company at the University of Ghana); and choreographed for many other groups and events, including President Bill Clinton's visit to Ghana in 1998. He has toured the world extensively with traditional singing and dancing groups.
Habib recently received his Ph. D. in Performance Studies from Northwestern University, where he founded the university's African Drum and Dance Ensemble. He served as a Presidential Fellow for SUNY Brockport in African Studies and Dance. Habib has his M.A. and B.A. degrees in African History and African Studies from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. In 2002, Habib's version of the South African gumboot dance was selected and presented at the national American College Dance Festival (ACDF) at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.
Habib will appear in concert with Dance Africa January 20-21 at 8pm in the Dougherty Dance Theatre in Gerlinger Annex on the University of Oregon campus. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors. The building is wheelchair accessible. For tickets, please call the UO Ticket Office, 541.346.4363.
Our purpose is to learn about dance traditions from a variety of African cultural groups, to honor, celebrate, and work with those traditions, and to create educational and entertaining performances for children and adults.