In Angola with African Regional Services/U.S. Embassy Angola
WORKSHOPS & MASTER CLASSES
Eleanor is as passionate about educational outreach as she is about songwriting and performing.
In 2024, African Regional Services, a division of the U.S. Department of African Affairs, sent Eleanor and her quartet to Kinshasa, DRC and Luanda, Angola to lead cultural exchange programs, in partnership with U.S. Embassies in these areas. The three-week trip included educational programs, live performances, collaborations with local musicians and media appearances. The group also participated in a three-day multi-region conclave in which scientists, human rights advocates, environmentalists and cultural workers came together to progress the cause of preserving and raising awareness about The Congo Basin and its native inhabitants. Out of this engagement came: a Congolese version of Eleanor's song Escucha La Musica (Yoka Mindule in Lingala) with an official music video shot with Congolese artists, an original song composed by conservatory students in Luanda and fruitful relationships with youth and musicians in both countries. The life-changing experience will stay with Eleanor and her band mates forever. Yoka Mindule video coming soon!
In 2021-22, Eleanor led a four-month virtual songwriting and career development program in Honduras called RITMOS UNIDOS (United Rhythms). Ritmos Unidos resulted in two original songs and videos by student participants, centering on topics relevant to their lives and to their communities (see videos below). Ritmos Unidos was a program of the U.S. Embassy Tegucigalpa and the U.S. Bureau of Educational Affairs Arts Envoy Program, in collaboration with community organizations ODECO and FARECOH.
Click here to check out NPR's feature on Ritmos Unidos.
She, along with her partner Dario Acosta Teich (https://www.eleanoranddario.com), also led a similar songwriting program in Argentina (see below video) in addition to music workshops at elementary schools, high schools and universities in Indiana and Ohio.
Eleanor was also selected as one of six artist/artist groups to participate in the 2020-21 Gibney Moving Towards Justice Fellowship, where she further developed her community based, collaborative approach to songwriting as a means of amplifying marginalized voices and generating dialogue amongst diverse audiences.
Eleanor's educational work builds on her substantial life experience. She holds a BA in Philosophy of Education from Brown University focusing on the arts as a catalyst for social change. She has taught creative arts, dance, songwriting, French and Spanish to students ages 3 to 75
As a current Arts Envoy with the U.S. Department of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Eleanor teaches and performs in Spanish, French, Portuguese and English as a cultural diplomat in partnership with U.S. Embassies and community organizations worldwide.
Watch official student-featured videos created during Ritmos Unidos and other songwriting workshops below.
Contact Eleanor to set up a workshop or masterclass: info@eleanordubinsky.com