Bush Mango Drum and Dance is a performing ensemble that's appeared all over Rochester -- from City Hall to Hochstein, from School of the Arts to Kibourne Hall. We've shared our love of drum and dance at school assemblies and classrooms, fashion shows, fundraisers, birthday parties, business conferences, dance clubs, and even the local Olympic torch lighting ceremony.
Our name comes from one of the types of wood used to carve jembe drums. Bush mango, also known as "dimba," is a tightly grained hardwood.
We first brainstormed the name in winter of 1993 while together on a road trip. We were trucking across the Thruway in a rented van, on the way to perform somewhere near Utica. Karen Flynn, David Platoff, Alden Stevens, Nan Barton Shannon, and myself, Blair Hornbuckle, were the first Bush Mango crew. We were on the road that day with Xalat from Buffalo as their opening band.
Our first iteration of the name was actually Bush Mango Africa Ensemble. A little fancy, yes? We dropped Africa sometime later to more accurately represent ourselves, and not have people expecting to see performers only from Africa.
Dancer Colleen Hendrick is now our Artistic Director, and Blair Hornbuckle is the Musical Director.
Our current core includes Colleen and Blair, Maura Wheelehan, Kris Kimmmel, Ian Cohen, Marcus Hollins, Sonnet Stepp, . Often we're privileged to have strong performers from Youth Project performing with us.
To book Bush Mango at your event email Colleen or call 585-235-3960.