Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts

You cannot imagine what you can find in this cultural arts center. Wish I lived closer so I wouldn’t have to commute. I left behind my lapa – a dance class wrap around fabric that I never expected to find in the lost and found – yet it was turned in. The classes in this amazing place can never be duplicated. The best. Dance, drum, and I think even a child’s violin class. Imagine. And you will probably find it there.

This beautiful cultural center has been home to some of the Bay Area’s most influential dance instructors including its namesake as well as beloved mestre do samba Carlos Aceituno, deceased founder of Carnaval faves Fogo na Roupa. My own samba school, SambaFunk, also holds classes here.
While ventilation can be a problem, these beautiful dance rooms are a great place to learn new dance styles. I recently took part in a Brasilian orixa movement workshop by Dimensions Dance Theatre led by the wonderful Isaura. It was a spiritual, empowering workshop and I look forward to attend the next special event.
The Malonga, as we regulars call it, has recently come under fire by ignorant new residents who have made complaints about the noise. You moved near a cultural center: you are going to hear drums, music, and laughter. It won’t go all hours; the City staff punctually comes in at 6pm on Sundays to move us along. During our long hot summer, the windows were sealed shut, supposedly to combat the pigeon problem. In over three years of dancing at the Malonga, I’ve not seen so much as a feather in the second floor studio. Thankfully, the Malonga is going strong and continuing its tradition of fostering Oakland’s cultural communities.
The staff does more than monitor the front door. I once left my new pair of jazz sneakers at SambaFunk. I called the main line and left a voicemail and assumed I’d need to reorder the shoes. I received a call back and was told to see the security staff about the lost and found. I still have my shoes!
A few tips for newcomers:
Parking is at a premium. Be patient and circle a few times for a street spot. Or take BART and walk over from 12^th street or Lake Merritt stations.
Sign in and out at the front desk.
Though showers are available, I’d be sure to pack shower shoes.
Do research into the type of class you would like to take. The Malonga hosts a wide variety of options ranging from Afro-​Haitian to hiphop.
Wear the right shoes. Many prefer to dance barefoot so be mindful of not stomping on your classmates. Also you don’t want to damage the floors for fellow dancers.

I’ve attended 2 plays at this theater in the past 5 months. Every seat is a good one. Great place to see local Bay Area talent.

This is truly one of the gems of the bay. My daughter and I first came here when she was 4. She took the Saturday Drumming class and then the African dance class with me immediately afterwards.
We moved away and came back after a 5 yr hiatus. It’s as if we never left. We go to the 2:30 West African Dance class but sometimes come early to catch the tail end of the Congelese. In the West African class they assign the kids a «teacher» to follow who is patience, kind and beautiful. The kids go down first. On this day there were only 2. The adults cheer them on. With the live drumming and the support of the «elders», my daughter told me it felt like church.
She is a avid soccer player with no appreciable rhythm, but when she is in class, she dances with complete abandon and joy!
I urge you to go and support this amazing experience. $ 5 for adults and $ 3 for kids. The Congelese class is free for kids.

This is such a dynamic environment with lots going on for kids and adults. Despite the lack of organization (calendar not always accurate, for example), the classes feature live drumming a lot of time, amping up the vibe.
What I really wanted to review though, is Tacuma’s children’s drumming class. The class takes place Saturdays from 12 – 2, and the age range is 2 y.o. and up. $ 5 donation per class, no one turned away.
Tacuma King is an expert at tough love, teaching skill, and engaging youth in a philosophy of love and anti-​violence. He is fantastic at challenging students at their various levels, and extending the discipline of learning drums outside of drumming and into life outside of drumming.
He’s got kids ages 2 – 17, students with special needs, talented students, mostly Black boys, and a few Latina and Black girls, fully engaged, and it is quite a lovely experience to witness. The kids easily see the love in his tough love. He does a lot of mindful and genuine work to gain their trust. He is humorous, relevant, and uncompromising in his approach. Because of Tacuma’s class, my son understands what it means to work with a group, to lead (yes at 3.5, he gets opportunities to lead!), and he feels he is part of a larger community.
Tacuma gets Five Stars!

Went to a Hatian Folkloric dance class during Bay Area Dance Week and had a blast. The Instructor was very friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, and full of positive energy. And the drummers! Their singing was just as beautiful and transportive as their drumming. Some of the long-​time dancers who have been coming through for years (you can always tell who these folks are) were pretty rude, but overall, I was impressed and so grateful for the space! Na Wè Pita!

i love malonga. classes here are the best in the bay area for african diasporic dance, hands down. i’m writing this mainly to help out people who are new to the bay area & trying to find good classes. i moved here about a year ago & am still just getting to know the classes. unfortunately, this is a community space that individual teachers rent out so there is no central website with list of classes or even a calendar in the actual dance theater (there are some calendars online that are out of date).
malonga can be intimidating at first. people who dance here often have danced here for 10 – 20 yrs or since childhood & they are not always welcoming to new comers. however, i have found just keep coming & be friendly & i have made a lot of new friends & feel much more welcome in class.
for more info on classes, join the SFBAYAFRICAN DANCE Yahoo! Group. You will get emails w/​class info. it’s the only way to really find out updates. just google the group and join it.
here’s my rundown of the classes i know here. all classes between $ 10 – 15.
mondays
7:30−9 congolese w/​one of malonga’s kids (sorry i have never been)
tuesdays
7:30−9 sabar w/​ousseynou kouyate from senegal. this is slated as a beginner class, but as an actual beginner, it’s hard for me. however, people who do know some (probably ANY) sabar seem to LOVE this class & it’s pretty much the only sabar class available in the east bay. ousseynou is wonderful and there are always great drummers. he also teaches on fridays.
(not the actual class but this is the teacher and very similar)
wednesdays
afro-​cuban 6 – 7:30 beginner class
afro cuban 7:30−9 intermediate and advanced class
i have never been but the teacher is always offering 2 for 1 class deals by email.
fridays
6:30−8 west african (senegalese djembe style) w/​ousseynou kouyate. starts late, warm up is at 6:30/6:40 with one of the students; ousseynou starts more around 6:50/7, that’s when the class starts getting full. this is my fav class. it’s on the advanced side but if you are a beginner, don’t worry — there are always a few other people who don’t know what they are doing & that’s fine. you won’t be singled out unless you request help specifically. also he tends to repeat dances so if you keep coming you will find some things familiar. this class always has at least 5 drummers. ousseynou has incredible energy & the class is full of people who LOVE to dance, obviously, they are there on a friday night so they really want to be. the hype & feel in that room is incredible every week, i never want it to end. there are even some little kids in the class dancing and it’s so cool. some of the best dancers in the bay area attend this class. usually at least 30 people there.
saturdays
1 – 2:30 congolese with one of malonga’s sons or daughters. this class is awesome but i have only been once. great drumming. taught by the children of a legend.
2:30−4 west african with zak and naomi diouf. this one is really interesting. always lots of drummers and amazing dancers. naomi is liberian but papa zak is is senegalese so they do kind of mixed style. naomi basically leads the class. it’s great movement, different than anything else i’ve ever done, definitely the best dancers come to this class. these 2 teachers lead the dance ensemble diamano coura & everyone in the class is part of this company. they have rehearsal AFTER the class, but naomi basically uses the class as part of the rehearsal. so it moves way too fast for someone who is not part of the company & you are kind of left in the dust. i will say however, it is still loads of fun to try your best & even to watch the amazing company members dance. i do feel like i could get the movement, easily, if this was run as a regular class, but it’s not. so, it’s not my favorite class. but still great on a saturday afternoon. the drumming is insane. usually 20 – 30 people there.
sundays
2:30−4 haitian dance with porsha jefferson, allegedly great, but i have never been.
4 – 5:30 west african with alseny soumah. guinean style, with drummers. smaller class — usually 5 – 10 people, but fun, high energy. he’s a cool teacher.
4 – 6 samba funk with king theo — one of the most famous classes at malonga. at least
30 people there. huge class with great drumming, high energy. sort of afro-​brazilian style. this one is fun, but i prefer alseny’s class on sundays just because i like west african movement better.
have fun!

Being relatively new to Oakland, it’s nice to stumble across historic gems like this. Although I didn’t get past the lobby, the culture rich environment inspired me to definitely visit again.

Carla Service is the one to see if you want a great example for your kids. I danced with her when I was a kid and now my toddler does as well. She is the best!

My granddaughter is dancing today at this theater, she is in the Dimensions Dance Group. She performs jazz, hip-​hop and African dances.

This review is for Sunday Samba Funk.
Samba Funk’d with King «Theo», the Funkquarians & the Funk Tyme Playahs this afternoon for the first time. Wow, I had a funkin good tyme!
Warm, welcoming family oriented class where you can get your Samba Funk on, work up a sweat, move and groove to some awesome music and live drumming, be smilin from ear to ear and meet new people.
All ages and dance levels/​skills are welcome.
High energy, face paced, thumpin, bumpin exciting class that incorporates exercises and warm up before Samba Funkin begins. After the warm up session everyone comes together to introduce themselves. Special acknowledgment of first time attendees made me feel special and very welcomed at my first Samba Funk class this afternoon.
Get ready, get ready, get ready… King «Theo’s» pushin this mutha world wide… Its gonna be a Samba Funk explosion preparing to blast off.
ph#: 510.451.6100
Samba Funk Class
Sundays 4 – 6 pm
$ 10 per class

Oh how I’ve missed this place. It’s like moving out of state, every time I come back I find more reason to never leave again. I’ve fallen in love all over again.
Although Congolese and West African Dance class is a fave, they offer everything from Hip-​Hop, Chicago Stepping to Capoeria. Prices and class times vary, so its best to check with each instructor. Arrive early parking is scarce. «Alice Arts» is one of the many JEWELS «Oakland» still has to offer to adults and children.

Back in 2003 I pretty much lived at this center (Alice Arts). I danced for Fogo Na Ropa in the SF Carnaval under instructor Carlos A. Let me just say that I miss him dearly and he cannot be replaced RIP. Its been a few years since my last Samba class and I finally got around to taking one since the new instructor. First of all, its pretty hard to find any info on this place now and I still cannot locate a schedule, I found out about the samba funk class from another reviewer here. The Samba Funk class meets on Sundays from 4−6pm and the cost is $ 10 which is pretty decent…
Soooo…the class started off with a good warm up and stretch, the music played was great, I was really excited when the actual samba music started. There were A LOT of people in the class which made it hard to see the instructor at times and just when I would find a good place, someone would come and stand in front of me! After dancing to cd or 2 the drummers came in and took over which in my opinion was the best part of the class. The instructor has us get into rows of 5, he taught us a few 8 counts of choreography and we all went in groups down the studio and we’d come back and repeat. Now this is where I was a little bummed out… I felt like we were just doing the same thing over and over again, the steps didnt vary too much and I was getting bored which should be hard in a class like this. Before when I came here I was kept on my toes, my heart rate never went down and we would actually learn a routine of some kind, in addition to routines we learned different styles of dance from different parts of Brazil. Who knows, I could have been just really spoiled from past classes and yes I do realize that everyone has different teaching styles. Well, I ended up leaving the class early but I guess I do feel like I got my money’s worth. The instructor has really good energy and the drummers were awesome. I will not be taking anymore samba here but I am considering the hip hop or west african dance. My samba search continues. Hope this helped someone:-)

LOVE this place! great classes complete with history behind the dances from instructors hailing from various backgrounds!

This review is for Matthew’s beginning hip hop class on Tuesdays nights (6p to 7:30p) in Studio A. The cost is $ 10 — cash or check only — payable at the end of class. If you don’t have change, Matthew can get change from the office downstairs. Meters on Alice Street stop at 6p, I believe. There is one two hour parking spot (unmetered) in the front of the studio — was lucky enough to snag it at 5:52p. Sign in with the guard and then walk up two flights of stairs.
The class: The first 30 minutes consisted of light dancing as a warm up and then standing, kneeling, floor stretches, ab crunches, then pushups. [For me, I wish this part was spent on dance moves, as I had already done bikram and had a pilates session in the morning.]
There were less than 10 students at this time but more arrived later.
Matthew taught us a routine. What was different about his class compared to other movement classes was that he utilized different formations (circle, diagonal) for the routine and it forces one to really learn the moves. He broke down the moves and it seems like most of the students were no stranger to hip hop (it was my FIRST hip hop class). He is a patient teacher and he went over and over the steps and made corrections when needed. Towards the last 45 min of class, a few more people arrived and it was clear they were advanced — they picked up the moves easily.
Matthew had several interruptions during class from random people, but he kept the class going and it didn’t feel uneven.
Matthew is extremely congenial and positive. I would not hesitate to return to his class again. I wish he taught more often, as the only way I will really learn those moves is to take more than one class per week.
Would recommend wearing converse sneakers or tennis shoes. Loose pants or tights and a t-​shirt. The floor is wooden and waxed. Seems clean. There are chairs near the door where people put their things.
There will be a hip hop showcase on Saturday, April 30 from 1p to 3p.

I attend the Samba Funk class on Sundays from 4−6pm. The class is an amazing mix of people and music. We stretch and get warmed up initially with very soothing relaxing funky music. Shortly thereafter, the Carnaval Explosion begins. We are taught various samba styles including Bloco, Bahian, and Rio style samba to the most amazing high energy music. The instructor is Theo Williams. He is personable, warm and welcoming. He was actually crowned San Francisco King of Carnaval in 2001. There is no denying why he was crowned King, when you see him dance. He is a great instructor and his energy is very remarkable. The class is unlike any other dance classes that I have attended in the past as you are welcomed to the group by smiling, encouraging and friendly people. I would recommend everyone to attend class as it is a great way to workout, meet friendly people and relieve stress.

I take the Samba Funk classes and they’re pretty fun. Theo is an awesome instructor. I just wish they would get the right schedules fixed on their websites. I’ve shown up for certain classes and had to pay a fee that was way different than what was advertised on the site.

I really wish I could give this place a review. The problem is for the past two years I have not been able to locate a flipping class schedule for this place to save my life. When you call, you get directed to a voice mail system. When you show up in person and look around and talk to the people at the front desk, they tell you they «don’t know.» I’ve heard there’s a Samba class here, but it’d be great to know on which day and at what time I should show up.

This is a review of the theater itself, not any of the various productions that occur there.
I was here a couple of years ago to watch some dance. Because I’m an actor, I’m always evaluating theaters and I rather liked the space. Since that time I’ve acted there with the Bay Area Repertory Theatre and have been on the stage myself.
The theater (formerly known as the Alice Arts Center) is in a restored 1920’s building that currently seats about 400 people. It’s a little down at the mouth in a «shabby chic» kind of way – not at all off putting or uncomfortable though. The seats are generally in good shape, the sound system is OK and hanging lights is straightforward. The lobby is Art Deco and usually has a charming little time capsule display describing how the building came to be.
Backstage there are several decently maintained dressing rooms, though no actual Green Room. It’s a comfortable place for actors.
East Bay folks have a nice theater here.

This review is solely for the West African dance classes at Malonga Casquelourd. The Tuesday night class is taught by a really young guy — a student of one of the master teachers, presumably. It’s a fun, small class (maybe five or six students when I was there), and the teacher makes sure you understand each step. This is not a moving-​across-​the-​room-​in-​lines class. You actually learn a dance (or part of one) from start to finish. This can be very fun and satisfying, even if the teacher is something of a novice.
The Saturday afternoon class is of the moving-​across-​the-​room variety. I’ve taken many different classes like this all over the place and they all usually move pretty fast. This one was no exception. Even with years of dance (and a semester studying dance in Ghana) under my belt, it was frustrating to watch the teacher demonstrate something for 10 seconds and then be expected to be able to reproduce it. Classes like this cater much more to the regulars, and leave out the uninitiated almost entirely. I thought the 10 minutes of warm up at the beginning (which only newbies participated in) could have been much better used for introduction to the basic steps.
The trick with classes like this is to just take one aspect (such as the rhythm) and really nail it so that you don’t have that confused expression on your face as you pass right in front of the cute drummers. Whatever you do, don’t hesitate — just get low, stick your butt out, and have fun. If you are white, your chances of looking awkward are much greater, so just don’t overdo it. Find a way to feel the rhythm and just enjoy yourself.
I came out of the hour and a half class drenched in sweat, toes tender from pounding on the hardwood floors, and ears ringing from the drums. This kind of workout is second only to Monkey Yoga Shala:
but it’s a lot more fun.