Africa Vibes - Dances and Rhythms of Africa with Lua Shayenne

AFRICA VIBES is a workshop series hosted by YENSA Festival, inviting Black Women instructors to share their knowledge of movements connected to the African diaspora with the community.

Dances and Rhythms of Africa with Lua Shayenne

Lua Shayenne, based in Toronto, Canada, is a dedicated student of traditional Mandé dances and rhythms. Her dance workshops seamlessly integrate song, cultural insights, and live percussion, catering to participants of all skill levels. Through the grounded movement of dances from Africa, Lua Shayenne invites you to celebrate your body as the Temple of the spirit, intimately connected to Mother Earth.

Together we explore Breath, Ground, Inner Rhythm and Current.

This dance workshop will offer an ALL-LEVELS experience of West African dance with live drum accompaniment.

About Your Teacher

A finalist of the 2024 Toronto Arts Foundation Muriel Sherrin Award and nominee of the 2025 Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prizes, Lua Shayenne, a dynamic creator, intertwines dance, song, and storytelling to explore contemporary narratives inspired by her African heritage and the Baha’i Faith. Her work addresses ecological stewardship, social equity, and spiritual growth, seeking to ignite dialogue and inspire action.

Lua is the creator and performer of YASSAMA and the BEADED CALABASH, a children’s dance theatre production that has toured since 2023. The show was featured in 2024 at the Junior Festival in Toronto, Vancouver Children’s Festival, and Children's Festival of Saskatchewan. Upcoming performances include stops at MIFO in Orléans and Agora des Arts in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec.

As artistic director of Lua Shayenne Dance Company (LSDC), Lua founded the YENSA Festival, a biennial event celebrating Black women in dance. Lua’s recent choreographic and performance highlights include WATER SPIRIT and FRONTIERS | FRONTIÈRES.

Lua teaches at Toronto Metropolitan University’s dance program and shares African dance and culture with communities across Canada. Currently, she is developing a dance film project titled WAVES, along with other dance works for film and stage, premiering in 2025.

As we move together, let's give back!

In celebration of Socktober - a charitable initiative started by a middle school class in 2011 - we invite you to bring a new pair of socks to our October 19th workshop to donate to a local shelter. You are of course welcome to bring more than one pair if you so wish. Please note, participation in Socktober is completely optional.

Want to give more? Other items in need that you are welcome to bring include: Adult jogging pants, jeans, and sweatshirts (in good condition, no stains or rips), NEW men’s and women's underwear in a variety of sizes, Men’s shoes and boots, size 9-14, and NEW unused toiletries, sanitary supplies and first aid supplies.

As Lua says, "In Soussou, FARE means dance, music, and song as one. I explore FARE as a spiritual practice that nourishes the soul and connects us to our community. For me, FARE is about being of service, fostering deep connections with every human heart I encounter."

Let’s dance, connect, and make a difference together!

These workshops are made possible with the support of Jörgen Dance / George Brown College Dance .

Learn more about YENSA Festival HERE!

Host or Publisher Yensa Festival