Maxwell Kofi Donkor is an internationally recognized artist and master cultural educator who is most known for his performances and teaching of African Drumming and Dance, through the Sankofa African Drum and Dance Ensemble. For many decades, he has focused on building communities through the arts – teaching students of every age about the authentic histories and cultural celebrations which are still observed to this day.
A native of Ghana, Kofi began to learn drumming at the early age of six years old, at the knee of his grandfather, a master drummer and village elder for his Asante community. In his early teens he began to study traditional carving with master artists in the village through apprenticeship – making drums and other traditional instruments of Ghana. He performed for several years with the Folklore Ensemble of Ghana. He also learned a great deal about the hand-arts from his professor in sculpture at Kwame Nikrumah Universiy College of Art and later in the USA through studying with American wood sculptor Don Gibbins. He received an MFA from Norwich University in Vermont.
Kofi has served as an artist in residence for school and community-based programs in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. A skilled teaching artist, Kofi presents a variety of folk arts traditions in workshops and performances.
Appropriate for all age groups
Curriculum: Arts Education, ELA
Location: Hudson Valley
Photo courtesy of Chris Ramirez