\u201cI\u2019ve always had like a very deep connection with music. Something like so deep, I can’t really explain it in words,\u201d Gabriel said.<\/p>\n
Gabriel\u2019s mother, Benita Roxbury, always had a love for dancing. After seeing her son drum for Chiku Awali, Benita joined the group herself as a dancer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he started drumming, we started learning more about the African culture, and it was a part of me. I felt like I became alive,\u201d Benita said.<\/p>\n
The mother and son said music and dance of different cultures today reflects that of old African sounds and movements.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the dances in Africa are telling a story because they dance for everything. They dance for parties, they dance for weddings, all celebrations. And those are the dances they do whatever is happening,\u201d Benita said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery dance has a meaning. Every single rhythm has a purpose, so I think understanding the root of that is very important,\u201d Gabriel said.<\/p>\n
The duo has made it their mission to share the artistic side of their heritage with others.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt’s such a joy and such a peace and such a comfort, and we wish that for everybody, so we give, and we do this year-round. We don’t do this just in February for Black history,\u201d Benita said.<\/p>\n
Aleksandr Carlton, who is originally from Russia but now lives in Orange County, said she felt it was important to bring her 2-year-old daughter, Sophia, to experience the show.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can know about the world and other cultures especially so that way, they learn more and they can like, do different things in [the] future,\u201d Carlton said.<\/p>\n
To really immerse yourself with the culture, they said, you need to get hands on with the instruments and dancing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the audience, when you’re sitting and just watching, it’s a different energy. When you get up and participate, you feel that energy,\u201d Benita said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Gabriel Roxbury began drumming at 5 years old. He joined an African dance and drum group, called Chiku Awali, when he was 8 and learned to play a traditional West African instrument, the jembe drum.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12963,"featured_media":25894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28,12],"tags":[7,30,14],"class_list":{"0":"post-25897","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-culture","8":"category-entertainment","9":"tag-apie-project","10":"tag-culture","11":"tag-entertainment"},"yoast_head":"\n