MONTPELIER – Continuing the celebration of Black History Month the 2025 Farmers Night performance series presents: Shidaa Projects, West African / Ghanaian music and dance troupe on February 19 at 7:30 p.m. A collection of artisans will share West African dancing, drumming and other folk traditions.
courtesy photo
Jordan Mensah founded Shidaa Projects in 2003 and is the artistic director. Originally from Ghana, Jordan is a juried artist of the Vermont Arts Council, a master drummer with decades of instructional and performance experience working with both children and adults.
Twenty years after Shidaa was founded, Samuel Maama Marquaye arrived from Ghana to become Shidaa’s drum and dance director. Marquaye is an award-winning dance performer, choreographer and drummer of Ghanaian and West African traditional rhythms. He has lead drum and dance sessions for Shidaa in schools, universities and adult classes as well as performing in Vermont and New England since arriving from Ghana in September 2023.
Being a small non-profit, Shidaa’s troupe is ever changing and includes members of the local drum and dance community as well as performers from outlying regions including New York and New Hampshire.
The Farmers Night Concert Series is a longstanding State House tradition which goes back over 100 years to a time when lawmakers entertained themselves in the House Chamber mid-week while away from home. Artists from around the state, in genres ranging from classical music to bluegrass to barbershop, perform in the well of the House Chamber each Wednesday night during the legislative session. The concerts are free and open to the public.
For additional questions, contact David Schutz, Vermont State Curator at [email protected] or (802) 279-5558.
