The West Virginia University World Music Centers African Ensemble will present a concert of African music and dance during its annual performance at the Creative Arts Center, Sunday, Feb. 18.

The event, which is also part of Black History Month at WVU , begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre.

The concert will feature the African Ensemble, under the direction of Gordon Nunn, and other members of the WVU percussion program.

Special guest artists include Estelle Lavoie, a dancer who also plays the kora, or African harp-lute, and Gary Phillips, who plays the balaphone, or African xylophone.

The program will include the following performances:

• Adowais music and dance of the Akan in the Asante region of Ghana.

• Solicomes from the Malinke in Guinea and southern Mali and is danced and played during ceremonies that accompany puberty rites.

• Nmaniis a young womans praise calabash piece from northern Ghana.

• Dununbais known as the dance of the strong men.

• Siweis a percussion piece that features the krin (wooden slit drum) and jembe (African hand drum) ensemble.

• African Collageis a spectacle that combines the dances of Kpanlongo and BoBoobo from Ghana.

• Traditional Manding Musicalincludes selections performed on the balaphone and the kora and bolon (both types of stringed instruments).

The WVU African Ensemble is an exciting, talented group, drawn from the diverse community of WVU students and dedicated to performing the music and dance of various cultures from West Africa, said Nunn.

The ensemble is recognized internationally and has performed throughout United States, Taiwan and South Korea. Highlights include the groups appearances at the Seoul International Drum Festival in Seoul, South Korea, in 2001; the Lotus Blossoms World Music Festival in Bloomington, Ind., in 2003 and 2005; and the Percussive Arts Societys International Conventions in Nashville, Tenn., in 2001 and in Columbus, Ohio, in 1999.

The African Ensemble is one of the many ensembles from WVU s World Music Center. The ensembles mission is to entertain as well as educate through West African music and dance.

Tickets for the WVU African Ensemble Concert are $7 for the general public, $6 for WVU faculty/staff and senior citizens, and $5 for students. For tickets and more information, contact the WVU Box Office at 304-293-SHOW.