The mission of Detroit Arts International (DAI) is to establish a conservatory of  formal and informal training in traditional and neo-traditional African music and dance. DAI engages students with diverse backgrounds, both existing African music enthusiasts as well as those who would not normally expect to identify with African music.

Interest in African music continues to grow in the United States as the new generation broadens its horizon with open ears to a far wider range of music than in the previous years. DAI has the ability and talent to meet this interest through education and the presentation of high caliber performances by master musicians from Africa and the African Diaspora.  DAI can create a deeper understanding in the community of the aesthetic and therapeutic values of African Music.

DAI staff has led workshops and organized African classical music concerts in a number of schools and venues in Michigan and beyond.  Our intention is to develop sustainable working relationships with key educational institutions in Michigan.  We offer short courses in traditional and neo-traditional African music and dance performance for kids, primary schools, secondary schools, high schools, undergraduate schools and post graduate schools.  DAI also provides education for adults who have missed out on formal schooling.

In the U.S., there are over 1200 music schools offering degree programmes in different fields of music, from musicology to ethnomusicology, theory, performance, conducting and more.   But none of these institutions specializes in offering formal tuition in African music and dance performance. This is a vacuum that we seek to fill -- to include African music and dance performance courses in the country music curriculum.

DAI works in consultation with some of the world’s leading authorities in African music and dance performance as well as resource musicians from Africa, to develop comprehensive teaching techniques consistent with classroom methodologies. Our research findings are compiled as learning materials in the form of text books and manuals on diverse topics, including African music and dance theory and practice, instrument playing, pentatonic music, contrapuntal music, perspectives on the unity of heptatonic modes, orchestration, neo-traditional music and more.

Greater access to African music and dance education requires a pedagogical approach and teachers who understand the changes necessary in realizing this objective. DAI meets the training needs of existing and new teachers. Our trained professionals are well equipped to lead schools that can prepare young people for a prosperous future. As part of our services, DAI also supports teachers training programs.