B Bala Dance is a modern musicpiece by Gert Kilian for the pentatonic balafon. It’s a great piece for playing solo and practicing two-handed independence. The two patterns can be studied from each other. Then the two intros can be added to the patterns before or between them. Play Bala Dance!
Pentatonic balafon
Bala Dance
Last updated on 23 April 2022
Collaboration with Aly Keita – Gert Kilian
Together with Aly Keita, Gert Kilian makes a lesson DVD with instructions, videos, a documentary, a performance and more. An excerpt from the publisher’s promotional text:
A DVD teaching method
This method presents the techniques for playing the balafon. It proposes teaching traditional pieces to be played on one or two pentatonic balafons, as well as the marimba, xylophone or vibraphone. (Kanouzo – Boro Domborola – Djamanatigy – Fanta Mangkane and Thindoro).
Coordinated independence is studied thanks to the detailed presentation of each pattern–hand by hand, phrase by phrase. The possibility of looping and a play-along facilitate the work and make it possible to play with Aly Keita.
A documentary film – Heaven between the slats
In the heart of the bush in Mali, in the little village of Konsankuy, Aly Keita returns to his roots. For the end of the year festivities, the village musicians and the group Super Zamaza, with Aly as their guest-star, play the pieces from the method on the DVD in their original context. In the Griots’ yard in the village, Youssouf and Aly Keita reveal the secrets of balafon making to us. We discover how music is part of their everyday lives.
A booklet – 100 page
This booklet includes the scores of the pieces played on the DVD. There is also a collection of photographs, the history of the balafon and its socio-cultural environment, technical explanations and an interview with Aly Keita wiches completes this work.
techniques et un entretien avec Aly Keita complètent cette édition.
The workshop in France where I learned Bala Dance
164 bpm Arrangement
180 bpm Arrangement
201 bpm Arrangement
225 bpm Arrangement
Sources:
Gert Kilian, Montesquie – Volvestre, Zuid Frankrijk, 2008, 2010
update history
- 23 April 2022: Some cosmetic changes
- 21 March 2021: New on the website.
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