Steamboat’s African Dance and Drum Ensemble welcomes the return of master Guinean drummer and dancer Fara Tolno for a night of mixed-level classes for seasoned and beginner dancers and drummers.

On Wednesday, Aug. 17, Tolno will teach an all-levels West African drum class from 5:30-7 p.m. and a West African dance class from 7-8:30 p.m. in Library Hall at Bud Werner Library.

Drummers should bring their own drums, and dancers should be barefoot and wear comfortable clothes they can move in. The cost is $20 per class, and cash, check or Venmo is payable at the door. There is no pre-registration.

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Tolno will also perform at Strings Music Festival on Thursday, Aug. 18.

Tolno was born in Guinea, West Africa, and spent his youth in the village of Kissidugu and Guinea’s capital city, Conakry, playing djembe since the age of nine. He completed his master’s degree at the University of Colorado, giving him the opportunity to not only teach and share his culture, but to study many different forms of dance.

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He has taken this knowledge to find ways to relate and merge the art form of dance and music from his culture with that of the western world, providing a one of a kind opportunity and outlook at traditional West African dance, and its relation historically and currently into the western world.

He has performed with many of the world’s premier musicians including Mamady Keita, Burning Spear, Neil Young, Sekouba Bambino, Otis Taylor, Joe Cocker, Youssou N’Dour, Salif Keita Habibe Koite, B.B. King, Oumou Sangare and more